Mission and objectivesUNDP's Regional Service Centre for Africa (RSCA) is one of five UNDP Regional Service Centres in the world, developing high-quality knowledge and policy for UNDP in Africa. Situated in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, it acts as the organizationโs main interface with regional and continental bodies such as the African Union and Regional Economic Communities and serves 46 Country Offices in sub-Saharan Africa.
ContextThe cultural and creative industriesโoften referred to as the \"orange economy\"โare a vital and rapidly growing sector globally, offering significant employment opportunities, especially for youth aged 15 to 29. With an estimated 50 million jobs worldwide, these industries employ more young people than many other sectors, making them a promising avenue to address persistent labor market challenges faced by youth and vulnerable groups. The sector encompasses diverse fields such as arts, crafts, film, video games, fashion, and music, which not only preserve cultural heritage but also expand global perspectives. It has demonstrated remarkable resilience during economic shocks, including the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, outperforming many other sectors and maintaining growth despite global downturns. Importantly, cultural and creative industries are more inclusive than many other sectors, promoting gender equity and youth employment, especially in developing regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. They provide opportunities for individuals with varying educational backgrounds, including those with less than secondary education, often among the most vulnerable in the labor market. Beyond economic impact, the creative sector aligns with sustainable development goals by fostering environmentally sustainable practicesโsuch as the use of recycled materials and circular economy models in fashion and craftsโand raising environmental awareness through storytelling and artistic expression. The breadth of the creative economy, spanning multiple sectors and skillsets, offers diverse employment avenuesโfrom music production and video editing to fashion design and digital content creationโmaking it a powerful engine for youth economic empowerment. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Service Centre for Africa (RSCA) is seeking to engage an Online UN Volunteer to support its Youth Engagement and Empowerment portfolio through the promotion of Culture and Creative Industries (CCI) across 46 African countries. This assignment is rooted in UNDPโs strategic recognition of the creative sector as a vital engine for youth employment, social innovation, and sustainable development in Africa. With Africaโs Creator Economy projected to grow from USD 5.10 billion in 2025 to nearly USD 30 billion by 2032, and digital transformation reshaping cultural production and consumption, the region stands at a pivotal moment to harness youth potential in the creative sector. From Afrobeats to Nollywood, Africaโs cultural outputs are gaining global traction, yet structural barriers such as limited access to funding, training, and platforms continue to hinder the full realization of this potential. The Online UN Volunteer will support UNDPโs efforts to empower young creatives as drivers of positive change by drafting a comprehensive concept note. This concept note will articulate how arts, media, design, and storytelling can be leveraged to tackle development challenges, promote peace and social inclusion, and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The task will involve outlining strategies to map and engage youth-led creative initiatives, foster digital innovation within the cultural and creative industries, and strengthen multi-sectoral partnerships with civil society, the private sector, and national institutions across Africaโs cultural economy ecosystem.
Task DescriptionThe UNDP Regional Service Centre for Africa (RSCA), covering 46 African countries, recognizes the growing influence of the cultural and creative industries (CCI) in empowering youth, promoting peace, and supporting sustainable development. With the African Creator Economy projected to grow from $5.1 billion in 2025 to nearly $30 billion by 2032, the creative sector presents vast opportunities for youth employment, innovation, and social change. This online volunteer assignment will support the Governance and Peacebuilding team in developing a detailed concept note (CN) to guide UNDPโs engagement in this space. The CN will explore how CCI can be leveraged to advance the SDGs by empowering youth as changemakers in Africa. Under the guidance of the Youth Empowerment Specialist, the Online Volunteer will: โข Review background materials, including existing draft texts, data sources, and regional strategies, with a focus on cultural and creative industries as a key thematic area and youth engagement in Africaโs evolving creator economy. โข Conduct additional desk research on relevant trends, actors, and best practices in Africaโs creator economy, emphasizing youth-led initiatives and the role of young creatives in driving innovation and inclusive economic growth. โข Support the drafting of a detailed, well-structured concept note, integrating thematic elements such as cultural and creative sectors, youth empowerment, and inclusive development; including rationale, objectives, proposed youth-centered activities, potential partners, and expected outcomes. โข Align the concept note with UNDPโs strategic priorities on youth empowerment, peacebuilding, and inclusive development, ensuring that youth participation and leadership in the cultural economy ecosystem are central to the proposed interventions. Expected Results: A detailed and high-quality Concept Note (~5 pages) reflecting the scope, rationale, and potential of UNDP engagement in culture and creative industries for youth development in Africa.
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