Youth councils are still relevant
Jul 17, 2006
John Kakande’s article in the New Vision of July 3, 2006 titled, “Youth councils irrelevant†should not go unchallenged.
Kibedi Zaake
John Kakande’s article in the New Vision of July 3, 2006 titled, “Youth councils irrelevant†should not go unchallenged.
Under multi-partyism, the youths need a platform to unite around issues that affect them and an umbrella for coordinated efforts in the struggle against challenges like AIDS, unemployment, oppression, war, etc. The parties have certainly fragmented the youths who have been relegated to party youth leagues where the primary objective is to generally articulate party programmes and actions. But there are challenges that are inimical to a youth regardless of their affiliations, and the only forum where youths can advance their interests is through youth councils.
There are youths that are independent in thinking and therefore feel uncomfortable aligning themselves to political party youth leagues. When you abolish youth councils, you risk denying forum to those young people to make a contribution to society. Youth councils have been, and shall remain, training and mobilisation grounds for young and upcoming leaders. Most of our MPs representing the youths have been nurtured through youth councils, not to mention other high profile leaders in local governments and the civil service.
Young people certainly need a forum outside their political parties to harness their energies, enthusiasms and creative abilities and prepare them for tasks of social, political and economic transformation of society. The councils will provide such fora. What we need is a legal framework to make it mandatory for youth councils to be funded at all levels. There is need for effective mainstreaming of youth policies in the national development planning. The councils also aptly fit in the international dimension and perception of the youth movement. The Commonwealth Charter commits member countries to create societies where youths are empowered to develop their creativity, skills and potential as productive and dynamic members of their societies.
The Millennium Development Goals incorporate a number of target priorities aimed at the youths. While designating 1985 as the international Youth Year, the UN General Assembly gave a powerful push to the development of youth policies and advocated for the establishment of national youth organisations to enhance their participation in decision making, development and peace.
The organisation envisaged in such international fora are youth councils that bring together youths of a country.
The writer is the Youth MP for Eastern
John Kakande’s article in the New Vision of July 3, 2006 titled, “Youth councils irrelevant†should not go unchallenged.
Under multi-partyism, the youths need a platform to unite around issues that affect them and an umbrella for coordinated efforts in the struggle against challenges like AIDS, unemployment, oppression, war, etc. The parties have certainly fragmented the youths who have been relegated to party youth leagues where the primary objective is to generally articulate party programmes and actions. But there are challenges that are inimical to a youth regardless of their affiliations, and the only forum where youths can advance their interests is through youth councils.
There are youths that are independent in thinking and therefore feel uncomfortable aligning themselves to political party youth leagues. When you abolish youth councils, you risk denying forum to those young people to make a contribution to society. Youth councils have been, and shall remain, training and mobilisation grounds for young and upcoming leaders. Most of our MPs representing the youths have been nurtured through youth councils, not to mention other high profile leaders in local governments and the civil service.
Young people certainly need a forum outside their political parties to harness their energies, enthusiasms and creative abilities and prepare them for tasks of social, political and economic transformation of society. The councils will provide such fora. What we need is a legal framework to make it mandatory for youth councils to be funded at all levels. There is need for effective mainstreaming of youth policies in the national development planning. The councils also aptly fit in the international dimension and perception of the youth movement. The Commonwealth Charter commits member countries to create societies where youths are empowered to develop their creativity, skills and potential as productive and dynamic members of their societies.
The Millennium Development Goals incorporate a number of target priorities aimed at the youths. While designating 1985 as the international Youth Year, the UN General Assembly gave a powerful push to the development of youth policies and advocated for the establishment of national youth organisations to enhance their participation in decision making, development and peace.
The organisation envisaged in such international fora are youth councils that bring together youths of a country.
The writer is the Youth MP for Eastern