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Day of African Child commemorations
Youth Alliance for Democracy
June 16, 2010
Youth Alliance for Democracy
joins fellow pro-democratic forces in commemorating this year's
Day of the African Child commemorations. It is quite an important
day in the history of the struggle for equality and justice.16 June
1976 saw hundreds of students being killed, maimed, arrested, injured
and tortured at the hands of apartheid regime following protests
which were led by students. They rejected the imposition of the
draconian Bantu Education Act which reduced black students to third
class citizens as the proposed education curricular entailed teaching
black students to be servants of the apartheid masters.
We envy the bravery,
determination, organizational skills and unity exhibited by Congress
of South African Students, African national Party and the generality
of youths in making their voices heard despite the limited democratic
space prevailing during this dispensation. The 1976 Soweto Massacre
has a lot of reflections to the current political, social and economic
landscape of Zimbabwe and as youths we derive a lot of inspiration
from this historical event. The fact that South Africa is the host
for 2010 world cup is a clear testimony that change can never be
stopped no matter how those in power try to delay it. In 1976 South
African students led protests against apartheid, today they occupy
over 30% of the seats in the ANC, and the ANC Youth League is led
by solely young people.
In Zimbabwe
young people are recipients of oppressive laws such as Public
Order Security Act (POSA), Zimbabwe Broadcasting
Act and Access
to Information Protection and Privacy Act which, inter alia,
infringe on the freedoms of speech, movement and expression. Youths
are also second class citizens, being down trodden rather than decision
makers, employees rather than employers, voters rather than candidates
and ultimately the ruled rather than the rulers. Youths continue
to be used as agents of political violence rather than assets for
national transformation and development. There is no respect for
human rights as exhibited by clean up campaigns of political rivals
in the interest of clinging to power by those in power.
As Youth Alliance
for Democracy we strongly prescribe in line with our overall goal
that the primary struggle for youths is to be equally represented
in all electoral processes and political leadership positions that
is, in all decision making bodies at every level of governance.
As long as youths are not policy makers issues of empowerment and
participation will remain rhetoric, fallacy and mere wishful thinking.
The new constitution must enshrine a provision of a Quota System
that strategically positions youths to take responsible positions
in all decision making bodies from the administration of the elections
to representation in political structures. We also call upon regional
and international bodies such as Southern Africa Development Community
and Economic Community of West African States and the African Union
and the United Nations to develop international statutes or protocols
that will push for the adoption of a Quota System by member states
with clear Civil and Political Rights of Youths.
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