The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Washington DC has announced the launch of the 2024 “Youth Voices” creative contest on July 1. The contest is open to adolescents and young people between the ages of 10 and 24 from the Americas. They are invited to share their thoughts on how to enhance the quality of health services available to young people. The deadline for submissions is July 31, 2024.
Participants can submit their proposals individually or as a group. They can choose from various creative categories such as painting, drawing, illustration, comic, poem, narrative, video, and song. For the first time in this third edition, there is also a category that utilizes Artificial Intelligence (AI). The aim of the Youth Voices 2024 contest is to gather insights from young people on how to improve the quality and accessibility of health services for them, with the goal of reducing preventable deaths and illnesses, and promoting the overall health and well-being of young people in the Americas.
Access to healthcare means being able to receive comprehensive, appropriate, timely, and high-quality health services when needed, according to PAHO. Dr. Sonja Caffe, PAHO’s Regional Advisor on Adolescent Health, emphasized the organization’s commitment to providing quality health services for all, and highlighted the importance of understanding young people’s needs and expectations to enhance service delivery.
The Youth Voices contest was first introduced in 2022, focusing on preventing adolescent pregnancy, followed by a second edition in 2023 dedicated to mental health. Over 800 adolescents and young people from the Americas have participated in the previous contests, meeting the requirements and submitting their proposals. Winners of the Youth Voices contest will receive cash prizes, and their original works created specifically for the competition will be showcased on PAHO communication platforms and related campaigns.