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Youth Forum delegation turned away at the African Youth Day celebrations
Zimbabwe Youth Forum (ZYF)
November
02, 2007
Attempts by the Youth Forum
to be part of the Zimbabwe Youth Council (ZYC)organised African Youth
Day celebrations flopped as a four member Youth Forum delegation was yesterday
denied entry at the New Ambassador Hotel here in Harare by security personnel
who were manning the entrance to the venue.
These celebrations had been declared open to all the youth organisations
registered with the ZYC but the Youth Forum is totally dismayed by this
show of partisan and intolerant contact by the ZYC which only allowed
those youth organsiations towing the ruling party ideology to be part
of them.
This partisan conduct of the ZYC is vindicated by its location, which
is the 3rd floor, at the ZANU(PF) Headquarters Building. This has subsequently
portrayed ZYC as an appendage of the ruling political party. Many young
people have shunned ZYC and its activities due to its inalienable allegiance
to ZANU(PF).
However, the Youth Forum joins the nation and the entire African community
within the continent and abroad in observing and commemorating the African
Youth Day. The theme for this year's commemoration is: Youth-adult
partnership for sustainable development.
The African Youth Day was declared in July 2006 in Banjul by African Union
Heads of State and government, as part of the official endorsement of
the African Youth Charter. The year 2008 was also declared as the year
of the African Youth. The celebration of the African Youth Day is an opportunity
to bring attention to the African Youth Charter and to encourage governments
to sign and ratify the charter. On this note, the African Union Commission
has urged the African public authorities to reinforce more communication,
consultation and partnership with the youth so as to allow African youth
to fully ensure their role as the dynamic, creative and devoted partners
for sustainable development and peace in Africa.
Young people continue to be sidelined in critical decision making processes,
policy formulation and development, as well as implementation. The Zimbabwe
Youth Policy stipulates that the Ministry of Youth Development, Gender
and Employment Creation are mandated with the establishment and co-ordination
of the (ZYC). We strongly feel that the ministry has not done enough to
ensure that all the needs, aspirations and concerns of all young people
as citizens are heard and considered on a neutral and non-partisan basis.
With the impending election of 2008, there is no guarantee yet to ensure
full and meaningful participation by young people or that the elections
will be held in an environment that is free and fair.
The Youth Forum aims to provide a platform for youths to deliberate on
issues that affect them with the intention of influencing policy dialogue.
It envisages an inclusive democratic society where young people enjoy
sustainable livelihoods based on participation and solidarity with their
elderly counterparts. As the African Union commission has noted, a lot
still needs to be done to ensure that the African Youth Charter is popularized
as well as to encourage various governments to ratify and implement the
charter in their national activities. This will go a long way in guaranteeing
that young people are engaged and encouraged to participate in national
processes, towards the realization of their own aspirations, all this
being channelled towards national development, with the overall aim of
attaining sustainable peace and development on the African continent.
Meanwhile, the Youth Forum is now at an advanced stage in preparing for
the belated African Youth Day Celebrations in Harare to be held from the
7th of November at a venue to be advised in due course.
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