Equal Opportunities Commission to address youth unemployment

By Cecilia Okoth

A new partnership between The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and youth based institutions across the country have embarked on a ten year programme to address youth challenges such as unemployment.

According to Rita Matovu the Chairperson EOC, the partnership will envisage a better decade for youth in Uganda.

“The country has many youth organizations that are working independently but with similar goals for the youth. We want to dialogue and partner with them to ensure that youth achieve better services,” Matovu said.   

She said the ambition is to bring the reflections of the ever increasing populations of unemployed youth and the increasing cases of crimes committed by youth.

Apart from unemployment, the partnership will also address the increased globalization of youth and how to preserve culture and politicians using the youth to fulfill their political gains.

“We want to address the trends and challenges amongst the youth in Uganda, their possible implications on youth policy, work and research with the mandate of ensuring equal opportunities for them,” Matovu added.

Matovu was speaking to a group of youth based organization at Hotel Africana. The theme of the workshop; securing the future for the youth focused on creating synergies with all the stakeholders in this arena of youth.

Presenting a paper on democracy, leadership and governance, Dr. Miria Matembe urged the youth to take advantage of their numbers to attain equal opportunities.

“If you organized yourselves and used your numbers, you would not be suffering,” Matembe said, adding that the youth should have a clear vision about their purpose in life.

“Stick to godly principals, be a person of integrity and desist from greed as the wrong acts you do will affect and twist your arm,” she added.

Matembe however cautioned the youth against taking their frustrations to the streets. “Do not go to the streets to be tear gassed, organize yourselves and the young people who are in schools. She said.

Matovu said the forum will also provide a forum for exchange of knowledge, ideas, experiences, good practices and discussing emerging issues in this 21st century, while mapping trends and development in selected areas of interest concerning young people.