Plan of action for youth launched

Oct 08, 2007

THE Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon, launched a new framework for Commonwealth cooperation on youth affairs, at a recent conference.

By Moses Mulondo

THE Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon, launched a new framework for Commonwealth cooperation on youth affairs, at a recent conference.

The Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment (PAYE), will set the agenda for youth development in the Commonwealth countries until 2015.

Addressing the conference in London, McKinnon said: “We take an asset-based approach to youth issues because our prosperity and the stability of our societies, depends on the life-chances of these young people.”

Participants highlighted the need for investment in healthcare, alongside greater access to credit and agreement on fair trade and debt relief to enable serious in-roads into unemployment in the developing world.

The conference declaration read: “We welcome today’s launch of the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment 2007-2015, agreeing that young people have the right to participate in the decision-making that affects their lives….We affirm that to invest in young people is to invest in political stability, peace and democracy”.

The conference was an opportunity for young delegates and speakers to share best practices and learn from young, successful entrepreneurs.

David Ssegawa, a Ugandan and winner of the Faidika Na BBC (Prosper with the BBC) competition shared his experience of starting up a company to manufacture candles locally.

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