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Weekly
activity update - Week ending 28 January 2013
National Youth Development Trust
January 28, 2013
Bulawayo
Political Party
Forum: The National Youth Development Trust convened a political
party forum at Stanley Hall in Makokoba on Saturday January 26,
2013. The forum, which was held under the theme: "Youth the
epicentre in building a peaceful and democratic Zimbabwe,"
was attended by young people from ZANU PF, ZAPU, MDC-T and MDC.
The young people from across different political divides were in
agreement to the fact that there is need to face the upcoming election
in the most peaceful manner.
Although youth
leaders from ZANU PF, MDC-T and MDC stated that they were ready
for elections this year, the two MDCs flagged some issues that they
said needed to be addressed before the election, even after the
completion of the constitution
making process. These issues include security sector transformation
and media reforms. They indicated that as long the structures of
political violence are still in place it will not be possible for
the next election to be free and fair. They also alluded to the
fact that as long as the media is still polarised, information dissemination
will continue to be biased and this has a negative effect on people's
electoral participation.
With regards
to the draft
constitution, the youth representatives from the three political
parties in the Inclusive
Government (ZANU PF, MDC-T and MDC) declared that they were
mobilising young people for a yes vote in the upcoming referendum.
They however said that once elected they will amend certain provisions
in the current draft which they know were not said by the people.
ZAPU on the other hand outlined that the final contents of the draft
constitution were yet to be made public hence they could not declare
how they would vote as yet.
Worth noting
at the meeting was the fact that all political parties encouraged
youths to contest in the next election. They also encouraged each
other to unite in promoting youth issues regardless of political
party orientation. Thus, the meeting served as a platform for promoting
unity of purpose, political tolerance, interaction and peaceful
coexistence amongst young people from across political divides.
It is the hope of NYDT that the political party forums will help
promote peace ahead of the general elections.
Matobo
Young Women's
Study Circle: Young women in Silozwe village in Matobo ward 16 held
a study circle facilitated by National Youth Development Trust.
The meeting was meant to serve as a platform for young women to
deliberate on issues that affect them in order to enhance their
capacity to identify and articulate specific advocacy issues for
young women.
Amongst the
issues identified was migration that most claimed was increasing
the burden of care amongst the young women who remain behind after
their relatives leave them with children to look after. This was
said to be affecting them financially as well as adding to time
that these young women face thereby reducing their ability to engage
in economic activities. Linked to the issue of the burden of care
was the fact that the nearest clinic was said to be at least 10
kilometres away from the village while the nearest referral hospital
is almost 100 km away. This was identified as a major challenge
because in the event of someone getting sick, either it is these
young women who have to travel that distance to take them to hospital
amid transport challenges, or they are left behind to make domestic
decisions and do all household chores in the absence of their mothers.
As such they felt that the absence of a clinic or hospital that
is accessible to them was an issue that compromised health care
service delivery and hence requires urgent attention.
Unemployment
and poor economic activity was also said to be a major issue as
most of the challenges faced by these young women were tied to lack
of income. They identified the Matobo National Park as a key resource
around them yet raised concerns over the fact that the National
Parks and Wildlife Authority was importing employees from outside
rather than employing locals even for positions they qualified in.
The young women also highlighted that assistance in the form of
capital to initiate income generation projects would be a noble
idea. The NYDT will hold more such meetings in different villages
in Matobo to identify common advocacy issues to be taken up by these
young women with the assistance of the organisation.
Visit the National
Youth Development Trust fact
sheet
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