Malawi has a new National Youth Policy which supersedes the one which was introduced in 2013.
The new National Youth Policy will be launched in Lilongwe on Tuesday 31 October by President Dr Lazarus Chakwera.
According to Minister of Youth, Uchizi Mkandawire, the new Youth Policy empowers youths to contribute positively to national development through their energy, creativity and innovations and to make them beneficiaries of investment and creators of wealth.
Mkandawire further said with the 2013 Youth Policy, some youth in the country felt sidelined or left behind hence the revision and introduction of the new one which embraces all youth and encourages creativity and innovation, self-reliance among the youth but most importantly it encourages youth to take up leading roles in local councils, villages and parliament. He said that currently there are only a few Members of Parliament below the age of 35 and expects a change with the new policy.
“Imagine up to now there are only a few Members of Parliament below the age of 35, we want to see an improvement come 2025. We want more youth to contest for Parliamentary seats,” said Mkandawire.
To make the policy a success there is a need for coordination between the government and all non-state actors and Mkandawire urged all NGOs to align their programs with the new National Youth Policy. The new policy supersedes the 2013 national youth policy.
The launch of the National Youth Policy coincides with celebrations of the United Nations. According to UN Resident Coordinator to Malawi Rebecca Adda Dontoh, youth will showcase what they are doing on reproductive health, mental health, on skills development besides being given a chance to voice out their frustrations and how various players will address them.
Donto for more youth engagement
” We want to celebrate the resilience of Malawian youth and assure them that we consider them a development partner, ” said Dontoh.
The launch of the National Youth Policy and celebration of the UN Day will be held at BICC in Lilongwe and will be spiced up by acrobatics and music performances among others.
Reported by Isaac Jali.
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