Stakeholders championing for youth inclusion in governance and democracy have joined forces to draft a policy that will address the issues affecting the young budding generation in a bid to propel them to tables of decision making.
This was announced during a workshop that convened both government and civil society actors to synergise efforts in drafting the policy.
The co-chair of the Kenya Coalition on Youth Peace and security Christine Odera has said the program set to take be implemented for a period of five years, is poised to address inclusion of the youth in the political processes, reintegration of convicts back to the society, partnerships and their protection against harm.
”When it comes to taxing the creative economy, what are you doing to ensure that the environment is peaceful? We want to have it peaceful so that if you’re starting a small business at a common ground,” Christine remarked.
Her co-chair Felix Oruwaka has expressed his belief in the power of young people at the grassroots level.
”How can we look on young people in agricultural sector having their voices being heard at a national level. How do we work with the Ministry of Youth to ensure that they harmonize the positive energy of young people because we believe that peace is not just the conflict that we are looking at as a society but we are looking on the energies that are not being utilized.” Oruwaka said
The youth make up a significant majority of the population across the globe – and an even larger proportion of the population in conflict-affected societies. Despite this fact, they are still largely marginalised and excluded from political, economic, and socio-cultural spaces that shape their lives.
State actors participating in the workshop include the department of youth affairs and creative economy, the national youth service and the other civil society groups
More to follow…