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National
Youth Policy
Ministry
of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment
June 2013
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Executive
Summary
The National
Youth Policy was developed in 2000 to provide an enabling framework
for the development and empowerment of youth in a comprehensive,
coordinated and multi-sectoral manner. The policy seeks to ‘empower
the youth by creating an enabling environment and marshaling the
resources necessary for undertaking programmes and projects to fully
develop the youths’ mental, moral, social, economic, political,
cultural, spiritual and physical potential in order to improve their
quality of life’.
However, since
it was developed in 2000, some important developments have occurred
at the national, regional and international levels that have necessitated
the Government of Zimbabwe to review the Policy to determine that
it becomes consistent with these developments and the current youth
situation. In reviewing the policy, extensive consultations were
held with youth organisations, sectoral groups as well as the young
women and men themselves. In addition, the Zimbabwe Youth Council
embarked on an extensive youth awareness and consultative process
involving provincial as well as sectoral consultative meetings as
well as launching electronic media programmes. Through these programmes
and the participation of these groups in the policy formulation
process, the revised National Youth Policy has been designed to
address the major needs, challenges and opportunities of young men
and women, accommodating provincial variations and specific sectoral
issues. The Policy has also received contributions from a number
of guiding frameworks that include the African Youth Charter (AYC),
the United Nations World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY) and
the Global
Political Agreement (GPA). It also incorporates aspects from
the Nziramasanga Education and Training Commission Report.
The policy is
consistent with the Constitution
of Zimbabwe and major regional and international Conventions and
Agreements that the Government of Zimbabwe is Party to. It is based
on a set of eleven guiding principles and values that have influenced
its design and direction. These principles and values lay the foundation
on which the goals, objectives and strategies of the policy have
been formulated.
By placing young
people as central to all development initiatives, the revised National
Youth Policy recognises and values young women and men as a key
resource and national asset and highlights the importance of youth
development to nation building and the creation of a democratic,
productive and equitable society. At provincial and local levels,
the National Youth Policy will ensure that government authorities
work in a cooperative and harmonious manner when designing and delivering
programmes and services that address youth development needs and
opportunities. In addition, the Policy is intended to encourage
an understanding amongst the youth of the processes of governance
and provide opportunities for their participation in provincial
and local programmes, thus enabling young women and men to play
a positive role in national development.
The National
Youth Policy seeks to achieve the following goals:
1. To empower
youth to participate and contribute to the socio-economic development
of the nation,
2. To develop
a coordinated response and participation by all stakeholders in
the development and empowerment of the youth,
3. To instill
in youth a clear sense of national identity and respect for national
principles and values, and
4. To promote
the health of young people and develop youth oriented healthcare.
A number of
strategies are outlined which comply with the multi-sectoral nature
of the Youth Policy and relate to a range of programmes that should
be implemented by a variety of institutions in order to achieve
the stated policy goals and objectives. The strategies are grouped
under twelve key strategic areas, namely:
A number of
strategies are outlined which comply with the multi-sectoral nature
of the Youth Policy and relate to a range of programmes that should
be implemented by a variety of institutions in order to achieve
the stated policy goals and objectives. The strategies are grouped
under twelve key strategic areas, namely:
i) Education
and Skills Development
ii) Youth Employment
and Sustainable Livelihoods
iii) Youth Empowerment
and Participation
iv) Youth Migration
v) Gender Equality
and Equity
vi) Information,
Communication and Technology
vii) Data and
Research
viii) Youth
Coordination and Mainstreaming
ix) Culture,
Sport and Recreation
x) National
Youth Service
xi) Youth Health
xii) Youth and
Environment
The implementation
of this policy depends on a sound institutional framework and active
political, administrative and technical support for the translation
of goals, objectives and strategies outlined in the policy into
actual programmes at all levels of society. A concerted and coordinated
effort is required by Government, non-government and private institutions,
churches, youth groups and community organisations to address youth
issues in a comprehensive way. This requires an identification and
elaboration of the mechanisms for collaboration and coordination
to implement a well-resourced and funded youth development agenda.
Immediately
after the approval of the Policy, a comprehensive National Action
Plan for its implementation will be developed with the involvement
of key stakeholders. Deliberate efforts will be made to utilize
existing structures of Government and civil society to implement
the Policy in order to avoid creating additional institutional frameworks,
unless they are absolutely necessary.
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