Now accepting entries: The 2020 King Hamad Youth Empowerment Award to Achieve the SDGs

Deadline for the Award is October 30 2020 at midnight, Bahrain time

For the third year in a row, His majesty King Hamad bin Isa AI Khalifa, King of Bahrain is proud to partner with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Kingdom of Bahrain Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs to recognize young people’s endeavour to be effective and productive citizens contributing to the welfare of their communities and environment, as well as institutions that improve enabling environment and infrastructure for youth to make an impact, in all United Nations Member States.
The King Hamad Youth Empowerment Award to achieve the SDGs for 2020 is now accepting entries for 2020. This global prestigious award will honor ambitious individuals and organizations whose positive contributions towards the achievement of the vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and initiatives enabling youth participation, action and impact in pursuit of the SDGs.
The award was first launched during the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum, in January 2017 and the awarding ceremony took place in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in January 2018.
As of the 2020 Award Cycle, the King Hamad Award for Youth Empowerment to achieve the SDGs will have two main categories; one for youth action, granting 5 Awards, and a second for youth enablers granting 3 Awards.
Objectives
• Highlight the centrality of empowering young people in the pursuit of a better future for all
• Inspire impactful action for sustainable development by young people worldwide
• Encourage initiatives enabling genuine youth engagement & action for sustainable development.

Prize Information
• The King Hamad Youth Empowerment Award in the youth action category is worth $20,000 and the NGOs/Foundations in the Youth Enablers category is worth $25,000, to be submitted as a one-time grant in full after the awarding ceremony.
• All winners of the King Hamad Youth Award will be invited to attend the awards presentation will take place in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
• Flights and accommodation will be paid by MYS for each of the 8 winners.
• All winners agree to willingly participate in media briefings and statements that MYS or the UNDP may require as follow-up to receipt of the award.

Award Categories & Criteria
• Recognizing Youth Contribution to Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals:
• This category is open to applicants from all UN member states. Applicants could be individual youth above the age of 15 years and below the age of 30 years; a youth-led entity (defined as any entity, in which at least 50% of current management/leadership is below age of 30); or a youth-focused entity (defined as any entity, in which at least 90% of resources serve youth above 15 and below 30 years of age).
• It includes five awards, each including a financial prize of USD20,000.
• Each of the possible 5 awards will recognize a unique and successful development initiative by youth in one of the 5 key aspects of sustainable development covered in Agenda 2030, namely:

• People: Ending poverty and hunger in all forms;
• Prosperity: Ensuring prosperous and fulfilling lives in harmony with nature;
• Planet: Protecting our planet’s natural resources and climate for future generations;
• Peace: Fostering peaceful, just and inclusive societies; and
• Partnership: Forging solid partnerships to implement Agenda 2030.

• Recognizing Enablers Of Youth Participation Action And Impact For SDGs Achievement:
• This category is open to entities that that are legally recognized and registered in a UN member state, in one of the following four sectors:
• the governmental and public sector;
• the private sector;
• NGOs/foundations,
• the media.

• It includes three recognition awards. Winning submission from NGOs/Foundations only may be eligible for an accompanying financial prize of USD25, 000.

• Each of the possible 3 awards will recognize an initiative enabling genuine youth engagement & action for sustainable development in one of the following areas of enabling:
• Institutional: Dismantling institutional barriers and/or creating opportunities for youth participation and action (for example, initiating a strategy, policy, regulations, laws, initiative, etc.);
• Financial: Providing young people access to start-up financing and/or tools for enterprise viability and development, including incubating initiatives, or similar assistance; and
• Technical: Providing young people with knowledge assets, technical know-how, skill-building support, including incubating initiatives, or similar assistance.

How to Apply
Interested applicants should click on this link: King Hamad Youth Empowerment Award 2020

By Joseph Kobla Wemakor|Human Rights Reporters Ghana