Statement on Re-instatement of National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM)
The National Youth Taskforce, mandated by a cross section of youth organisations and groups in all parts of the country, would like to commend the State President, Ngwazi Professor Bingu wa Mutharika, for directing that Government should rescind its earlier decision of dissolving the National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM).
The National Youth Taskforce was, through a consultative process, instituted by youth organisations and groups that are affiliated to the Council to lobby key Government authorities, including the State President himself, not to implement an announcement made in Parliament last year on Government’s intention to dissolve the Council.
We believe that the State President’s announcement at the public rally held on Sunday, 20th March 2011, in Mangochi, is not only a significant step in the right direction as regards the development of youth in the country, but it is also a milestone towards uplifting the majority of youth who are reeling behind poverty and high unemployment. We truly believe that this is a demonstration of Government’s commitment to recognise the youth as agents of positive change who are capable to contribute to the development of the country.
We believe that Government recognises the role and capacity of the youth in the country to bring unique perspectives that need to be taken into account in the development agenda of the nation, and that their involvement in national development, in decision-making, and in the implementation of national programmes is critical to achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Dissolving the Council should have, therefore, contradicted Government’s efforts in designing and implementing laudable programmes aimed at economically empowering the youth, such as the Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF). The decision to dissolve NYCOM could have watered down most of the positive efforts and significant gains achieved so far as regards youth development, participation and empowerment in the country.
However, the National Youth Taskforce would also like to take the opportunity to bring to the State President’s attention that since he has rescinded the decision to dissolve the council, the youth across the country will now be anxiously looking forward to see how the issues – which are both administrative and structural in nature – which, in the first place, influenced the Government’s decision to dissolve the Council will be sorted out. The youth in the country are now crying for a revived and revitalised Council. Indeed, while we sympathised with Government’s worries concerning the undesirable performance of NYCOM, the general view of the majority of youth practitioners was that the best solution should not have been necessarily dissolving the Council per se, as that would be killing the spirit of “youth participation” whose very concept is what the Act of Parliament that establishes the Council actually sought to promote in the first place. The dissolution would have undermined the service delivery of the 131youth organisations that are affiliated to NYCOM.
As such, we therefore believe that there is need to critically and collectively look at the sustainability of the Council for it to make more meaningful impact than before. For this to be achieved we have identified a set of recommendations, on top of what Government already has in store, as follows:
1. There is need to appoint a strong, visionary and vibrant Board for the Council that should ensure that all regions and sectors are represented, and one that is capable to address the voices of youths at all levels, equally.
2. There is need for a comprehensive functional review of the Council. Government should initiate a process of restructuring the Council so that it begins to deliver according to its aims and functions as stipulated in the Act. Such a consultative exercise, which would also involve the youth themselves, could expose critical gaps requiring urgent redress. The views/suggestions from the youths in particular could be useful in the whole restructuring process.
3. There is need for the review of both the National Youth Policy and the Parliamentary Act no. 22 of 1996 which created National Youth Council. The review will help to reposition the Council so that it ably responds to the contemporary demands, realities, and trends in the youth development sector.
SIGNED:
NATIONAL YOUTH TASKFORCE
The National Youth Taskforce was, through a consultative process, instituted by youth organisations and groups that are affiliated to the Council to lobby key Government authorities, including the State President himself, not to implement an announcement made in Parliament last year on Government’s intention to dissolve the Council.
We believe that the State President’s announcement at the public rally held on Sunday, 20th March 2011, in Mangochi, is not only a significant step in the right direction as regards the development of youth in the country, but it is also a milestone towards uplifting the majority of youth who are reeling behind poverty and high unemployment. We truly believe that this is a demonstration of Government’s commitment to recognise the youth as agents of positive change who are capable to contribute to the development of the country.
We believe that Government recognises the role and capacity of the youth in the country to bring unique perspectives that need to be taken into account in the development agenda of the nation, and that their involvement in national development, in decision-making, and in the implementation of national programmes is critical to achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Dissolving the Council should have, therefore, contradicted Government’s efforts in designing and implementing laudable programmes aimed at economically empowering the youth, such as the Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF). The decision to dissolve NYCOM could have watered down most of the positive efforts and significant gains achieved so far as regards youth development, participation and empowerment in the country.
However, the National Youth Taskforce would also like to take the opportunity to bring to the State President’s attention that since he has rescinded the decision to dissolve the council, the youth across the country will now be anxiously looking forward to see how the issues – which are both administrative and structural in nature – which, in the first place, influenced the Government’s decision to dissolve the Council will be sorted out. The youth in the country are now crying for a revived and revitalised Council. Indeed, while we sympathised with Government’s worries concerning the undesirable performance of NYCOM, the general view of the majority of youth practitioners was that the best solution should not have been necessarily dissolving the Council per se, as that would be killing the spirit of “youth participation” whose very concept is what the Act of Parliament that establishes the Council actually sought to promote in the first place. The dissolution would have undermined the service delivery of the 131youth organisations that are affiliated to NYCOM.
As such, we therefore believe that there is need to critically and collectively look at the sustainability of the Council for it to make more meaningful impact than before. For this to be achieved we have identified a set of recommendations, on top of what Government already has in store, as follows:
1. There is need to appoint a strong, visionary and vibrant Board for the Council that should ensure that all regions and sectors are represented, and one that is capable to address the voices of youths at all levels, equally.
2. There is need for a comprehensive functional review of the Council. Government should initiate a process of restructuring the Council so that it begins to deliver according to its aims and functions as stipulated in the Act. Such a consultative exercise, which would also involve the youth themselves, could expose critical gaps requiring urgent redress. The views/suggestions from the youths in particular could be useful in the whole restructuring process.
3. There is need for the review of both the National Youth Policy and the Parliamentary Act no. 22 of 1996 which created National Youth Council. The review will help to reposition the Council so that it ably responds to the contemporary demands, realities, and trends in the youth development sector.
SIGNED:
NATIONAL YOUTH TASKFORCE
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