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Setting a youth agenda in democracy and governance
Youth Agenda Trust
November 21, 2007

The deepening crisis in Zimbabwe calls for the inclusive participation of the masses of Zimbabwe in the democratization project. The young people of Zimbabwe have a major role to play in terms of conscientising and mobilizing communities towards the struggle for a new Zimbabwe. The role played by young people has for long been taken for granted or ignored and their participation in mainstream processes has been overshadowed. Thus Youth Agenda Trust seeks to amplify the voices of the young people of Zimbabwe as they emerge as the critical voices in these times of crises. Youth Agenda Trust successfully launched a community advocacy programme on Community Democracy and Governance Education on the 8th of November 2007 at Nyamutamba Hotel in Zengeza 2, Chitungwiza with an attendance of over 200 youths drawn from the local community and 40% being young women . The overall goal of the programme is to educate youths from marginalized communities i.e. farming, rural and peri-urban areas, on Governance and Democracy and to create an appreciation of the linkages between the two and broader development and equal access to resources. The programme basically covers;

• Youth Participation in Democracy Building
• Understanding of Governance Structures and Systems
• Electoral processes vis-à-vis 2008 Elections
• Constitution and Constitutional processes

Youth Agenda Trust believes this is one way of elevating the political participation of marginalised youths from being political appendages and electioneering tools to being major players in the broader political framework. The programme also strives to promote the participation of young woman in democracy and governance issues as a way of positioning them within the decision making processes and the status quo.

The programme is moving to Bulawayo on the 22nd of November 2007 at Nketa Community Hall where there will be a youth rally and then Tshovani Community Hall in Chiredzi on the 1st of December 2007 where another youth rally will be held. The final youth rally for the year will be held in Gwanda on the 8th of December 2007. A series of focus group discussions are also being held throughout the country as well as community solidarity activities under the broader theme of Youth Participation in Democracy Building.

Youth Agenda Trust:

youthagenda@gmail.com, info@youthagendazim.org

+263 23 839 792, +263 23 327 395, +263 912 281 352

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