National Youth Policy and Advocacy

Welcome to the discussion;

Does your country have a national youth policy or framework? what are the key elements in the policy that promote youth entrepreneurship?

Provide responses with examples to the question above. Reply to this post to post your comment.

Nmunala (talk)‎

I am Kafui Aheto from Ghana. I am an Educationist by profession and an Educational Advocate by passion.

Ghana has a national youth policy that came into being in was signed 2010.

Entrepreneurial development, among other factors, propels and accelerates socio-economic development. However, its development is limited to a small section of the youth. Government realizes the need to mainstream entrepreneurial development into school curricula to give it the necessary impetus. In Ghana, such entrepreneurial development is earmarked to be achieved through:

integration of entrepreneurial skills into youth development activities.
facilitation of access to credit for the youth.
creation of corps of young entrepreneurs to serve as role models.
celebration of successful young entrepreneurs.
(Source: National Youth Policy of Ghana,pg 11 & 12)--Kafuiaheto 21:32, 16 February 2011 (UTC)

Kafuiaheto (talk)‎

Thanks Simon Peter for your response.

I should start by commending Ghana for enacting the national youth policy last year, I know it has provided a 'legitimate' framework for young people to pursue entrepreneurship with some support from Government and other key stake holders. I note that you mention the policy is limited to a small section of the youth and I believe that it may be worthwhile to explore how best a policy integrates a larger section of the identified population - food for thought.

I notice you talk about mainstreaming entrepreneurial development in the education curriculum as well as providing the necessary start up capital for youth - do we have a model youth credit facility in place? Creating young entrepreneurs to serve as role models should encourage peer learning.

I trust that other countries have similar or very different initiatives from Ghana, lets hear from others.

I would like to request that we introduce ourselves as we respond.

Nellie

Nmunala (talk)‎

Thank you Nellie.

I am not reliably informed about any model youth credit facility yet in place, but I am also not sure if we have something like that.--Kafuiaheto 06:48, 17 February 2011 (UTC)

Kafuiaheto (talk)‎

Thanks Kafui Aheto, would you know how accessible the credit is to young people? The Commonwealth Secretariat has a youth credit model, the Commonwealth Youth credit Initiative (CYCI), it will be worthwhile to read about it and identify with some of the pillars that are recommended for a successful youth credit initiative. The CYCI has been tested and adapted in a number of countries in the Africa region

Nmunala (talk)‎

Thank you once again Nellie. Can you please make available to me the Commonwealth Secretariat youth credit model? It will be of great service to me.--Kafuiaheto 17:15, 17 February 2011 (UTC)

Kafuiaheto (talk)‎

Nellie, Thanks for your moderation on youth policy issues. I am Ekanath. I have already shared my views on it. Regarding the special credit facility for youth, I could not find any special country specific module .There is lot of demand on it at policy level like Kenya National youth policy 2006 document talks about it , hopefully the recent credit IFC credit facility in general could be the outcome of this policy issues in Kneya. I am not so sure about it hope our colleague from Kenya will highlight this issues more explicitly

For Zambia case, for a good start we can take the example of the current CEEC approach for youth investment .The CEEC has already aside some special investment model for youth entrepreneurs in Zambia which eventually may grow in future.

Ekanath (talk)‎

Thanks Ekanath, we await to hear more on the Kenyan experience from the other participants

Nmunala (talk)‎

Generally, the National youth policy should be aimed at creating opportunities that can explore the hidden talent of the youth force of the country and inspire them to develop their genius in their respective sectors. The youth policy should also centre on protecting and respecting the youths who could specialize in various market oriented entrepreneurial activities .

As per the he SEED Series on Youth and Entrepreneurship working paper 2006, the policy should explicitly address the issues of entry barriers by providing enough Incentives to Enterprise Start-ups by Young People" .

Nepal Government Youth policy 2006 ( draft) includes various subject matters on how to make the present education system technical and income-oriented and how to orient a larger number of productive youths to involve in development of the country and in positive works. The proposed policy also includes the career counseling and are engulfed either in insurgency or in educational unemployment focusing on producing innovative youths armed with skills and technology

Ekanath (talk)‎

Zambia has had a youth policy as far back as 1994 whose main interest was to take care of the young people's welfare and interests. for me the policy fails short of addressing main stake of the youth challenges that the youth of today are facing. We do appreciate the need to provide a policy that is more protective but then it should be very broad enough to address the needs of today's world. Many zambian youths will agree with me that there is no link between the Enterprenuership policy and Youth policy ...What is there is to day in Zambia is a fragmented piece meal that has been and is still failling the majority in Zambia(52%). Many Zambians who are enterprenuerial minded have been not until this year january very left in the dark. All the policy frameworks and iniatives including the implementation startegies does not support young people both at nation and community level. I will comment more letter. Zambian- BWALO

Isaac.fwemba (talk)‎

Thanks Bwalo for your contribution. I take note that you mention that the Zambia youth policy fails short of addressing the main challenges of young people - were young people consulted in the policy development process? maybe their participation would have provided a realistic check on what young people's challenges are. You have raised an important issue regarding the link between entrepreneurship policy and the national youth policy - without the synergy it becomes a huge challenge to coherently prioritise as well as maximise on use of resources on implementation of entrepreneurship initiatives that as well could address general youth development challenges. The debate can go further, how far have youth policies been integrated into national development policies/plans?

Nmunala (talk)‎

Isaac, most of our policies in Africa seem to always enjoy fine political will and the desire for its implementation by governments. Like in Ghana, I totally agree with you that there is no link between the Entrepreneurship policy and Youth policy. Personally and practically, there is a very natural dichotomy between the policy itself, and its implementation. --Kafuiaheto 17:32, 17 February 2011 (UTC)

Kafuiaheto (talk)‎

Thanks Ekanath for sharing the Nepalese Youth Policy scenario, again I note that like in Ghana your country's Policy is attempting to utilise the education system to inculcate an entrepreneurship culture in young people - how has this approach worked in your situation?

Sorry, I didn't pick your name

Nmunala (talk)‎

Thanks Nellie for your respond,

Still this policy has not been institunalised at all level academic system . However, in boarder perspectives, education has been made qualitative, skill and vocational oriented and most the school have adopted the vocational skills curriculum as well. Right now most of the business schools/universities are also incorporating the minimum entrepreneurship skills development curriculum. For example one of the agriculture college (AIS, Rampur) has adopted the community development and entrepreneurship course as one of the mandatory course up to MSc level course.

Most important policy adopted is, free education up to Grade X under the theme “education for all “

Ekanath (talk)‎

Institutionalising entrepreneurship in the education system is a process. I note that entrepreneurship skills are taught at various institutions and levels which is a good practice in inculcating an entrepreneurial culture in the community. There are lessons here for other countries to emulate. Does the Government have a framework to follow-up/monitor how useful the entrepreneurial skills acquired at school come handy later on in life/after school - in essence what percentage of school leavers venture into entrepreneurship?

Nmunala (talk)‎

Peter, Congratulations! I can see, Ghana had just reviewed the Youth Policy and have considered entrepreneurial development into school curricul, my questiopn is: What about the Out-of- School youth that you have in the country? Is there a separate curriculum for them? Janet

Ubandoma (talk)‎

Ubandoma, thanks so much. I will have to study the policy and get back to you. What I can say now is that the policy also seeks to facilitate access to credit for the youth. For now, this is the only thing I can say that the Out-of-School youth can benefit from. I don't know of any separate curriculum for them but I don't think such a policy exists.--Kafuiaheto 20:30, 18 February 2011 (UTC)

Kafuiaheto (talk)‎

Leah T Olu-King from Namibia, Namibia got a National Youth Policy since 1993 and it was reviewed in 2006. The new version of the ducument based on human rights and social justice while emphasising employment creation, financial support for young entrepreneurs and access to agricultural land.

Empowering young people means creating and supporting the enabling condition in which they act on their own terms rather than at the direction of others. These include an economic and social base political will , adequate resource allocation, stable environment of equality, peace and democracy.The policy illustrate's Namibia readiness to aproach youth -related matters from provinding practical support, training and financial assistance in enterprise development and to address the barriers to self employment for men and women and assist them into self employment.

The new policy has stated that, the private sector should get involved in the development of young people in education , training enterpreneurship, job creation and skills transfer. the Government intends to make micro- loans available to young enterpreneurs. The new policy also recognaises that the majority of young Namibians live in rural areas, and Agriculture is recognaises as employment , livelihood and food security therefore, land will be made available to young people for economical activities.

Leah (talk)‎

Leah, I find your presentation very interesting but I quickly want to find out about the political will of your government in pushing this agenda since 1993. Has there been any physical commitment by your government in relation to the policy both in 1993 and the reviewed on of 2006.--Kafuiaheto 09:54, 17 February 2011 (UTC)

Kafuiaheto (talk)‎

Thank very much for the inspiring information and a very clear explanation about the current youth policy and all range of opportunity windows that do exist for thr youth. Zambian brothers lets face it. If am to challenge all of you to really provide examples of the youth movement that have made it using the suggested windows. C.E.E.C , or Youth empowerment Fund the truth is still stands that the clear link of a broad based strategic framework of deliberately empower the youth in Zambia is still not meant. Zambia has nine provinces and about 72 districts (many more districts being added) please kindly provide nominal figures in real terms that have accessed and are still accessing these funds. If the many brothers out there that us civil organization represent do even know about them. C.E.E.C funding when was established and for what purpose? has it met the intended objectives or not if not why do you think it has failed to deliver many Zambian youths from the bottom less pit of poverty.? Again the answer brothers is what i suggested there is no directly link between these wonderful policies for the youth and enterperenuership. If you read my posting earlier i was saying that , Zambia has had this policy as far back as....i did not say that , that is the current document in use... But then one point to note for sure is that the core ministry responsible with the youth affairs and empowerment have not really helped the young people to attain entrepreneurial dreams. May be because Issues of doing business and trade is in another ministry, and the Ministry to deal issues of the young people is also a different ministry. There seem to be a very big institution problem to realign.. sorry brothers i will be back for more comments Regards Isaac

Isaac.fwemba (talk)‎

Woderful comments Isaac, I hope that among us there is someone from the ministry, or someone who has knowledge about the 'Youth FUND' to comment. I would adge you to read the Zambia National Youth Police - 2006 I think its at page 35, 36 and 37. the police provides for to work with different stake holders such as Ministry of Science, Technology and Vocational Training, Ministry of Education they are many about 19 line ministries trying to adress this most important matter. Now I know that even this training we are accessing online subsquently for those who will make it at Siavonga, the responsible ministry must have a hand in this activity,so its the question of knowing what is their for the youth and inform the youth access it.

my own example is this; I work for the Chawama Youth Project and I do Instruct in carpentry and I also am a Trainer in ICTs. I took this oppotunity to read the Policy and found this qout about ICTs and Youth, Then we did a talk to an International Institute for Communication and Technology IICD about this policy and they got interrested and we walked to meet the PS at MSYCD and a programme was agreed and we commenced the ICT for Instructor programme. the Ministry may have put in place the good policies but there can not be a policy maker to be the very policy implementer. I think you and me has to take this same policy and implement if you need funds if you are a youth worker I think we can then convince the responsible ministry. Its just a matter of knowing your rights and what is put there on table for the youth.

RABROD (talk)‎

You raise an important point about familiarity with the Youth Policy/entrepreneurship policy. Many surveys conducted indicate that young people are not familiar with policies that directly affect them. It is prudent that, in this instance, youth policies are disseminated as extensively as possible so that as many young people understand programmes and interventions in place to support them and how best to access opportunities available for assistance. Do young people in your respective countries know whether there exist policies/plans to support them in their entrepreneurship ventures?

Nmunala (talk)‎

Nellie, I agree perfectly with you that most young people are not familiar with policies that directly affect them. I am happy with submissions of our Nigerian colleagues who say their ministry started the distribution of the policy last year,awaiting the implementation of the content.My biggest hope is that, the policy would be read by the youth to the latter. In the case of Ghana, the policy after been launched in 2010, was put on the internet for easy access by everyone. It was is available on the government portal on the internet. Reading contributes largely to our knowledge base but it is something most youth hardly do.--Kafuiaheto 18:05, 17 February 2011 (UTC)

Kafuiaheto (talk)‎

Experience in my Youth policy advocacy is very humble. I serious got engaged in the issues of advocacy when i was at a University representative for the International Forestry Student Association(IFSA)in Zambia . At this time though not very firm advocated for the youth participation in the management and utilization of natural resources at policy level coordinating activities that would influence policy decisions and demand. This initiative how ever could only be done half way through and it was abandoned because of lack of political will from the stakeholders involved. Two year later i was elected Copper belt University MDG Student Chapter president and hosted a series of activities aimed at pressuring government to prioritize issues of the MDGs in all the sectors of the economy as stipulated in MDG Charter of 2000. This events were so successful that the United National Millennium Campaign Policy Ad visor for Africa demanded to be part of the movement to deliver the petition on Behalf of the students to Government. Same of our demands were included in some of the policy documents that are being used today.(among them Fifth National Development Plan).During the same year advocated for enactment of the policy that reprimands people who deliberately infect young people with the virus. The list is endles. MDG Campaign Program Manager ....i will comment more later sorry iam going into a meeting

Isaac.fwemba (talk)‎

This a very important issue and i agree with most of the contributions especially from Zambia, in teams of having a the National Youth Policy, however i strongly think that for the Zambia of African countries to create enabling environments for youth entrepreneurship it must be beyond having a National Youth Policy and the Action planes. we need to start creating the enabling environment by promoting Entrepreneurship in schools so that the youth grow up with the motivation of creating jobs.

Ckluchembe (talk)‎

Isaac, I can see that you have highlighted important points in regard to core ministry responsible with the youth affaires, in your opinion what do you think should be done in order to ensure youth benefit? and how should it be like?

RABROD (talk)‎

Thanks Leah for your response. I note that you mention your country has reviewed its National Youth Policy (NYP), it will be interesting to find out how effective the past policy was in terms of promoting youth enterprise and whether in fact the new policy has built on lessons learn't from the previous plan. I realise your current policy attempts to promote 'social inclusion' by giving prominence to sectors e.g. Agriculture that a majority of young people may not necessary explore as employment generating sectors.

Nmunala (talk)‎

Leah, I like the effort your country has made in the policy which captured alots of youth needs and aspirations, especially the rural youth and the involvement of private sector in the education of young people.

Ubandoma (talk)‎

Am Rodgers Mulenga from Zambia.

According to the Zambian ‘National Youth Policy – 2006’ point number 3.3.2.1 0n page 16 and 17, “youth Entrepreneurship Development is aimed at promoting sustainable livelihood among youth in order to reduce poverty, and enhance living standards.

Youth entrepreneurship has also been recognized as an integral part of development. Entrepreneurship development can be attained through enterprise training, micro financing, provision of market outlets and advisory services as well as research.” As the Policy state I looked at some elements that promote entrepreneurship on specific objectives;

To provide financial and material resources for entrepreneurship development.
To promote enterprise training in order to give an opportunity to the youth to improve their livelihoods.

And some of the strategies that have been put in place to promote entrepreneurship are

V) Develop and strengthen the market outlets for the youth’s products at all levels
vii) Establish youth friendly credit lending facilities and micro-financing schemes
x) Strengthen NGO activities in youth enterprise development
xiii) Provide the youth with ‘START UP’ capital
xiv) Develop entrepreneurship skills among the youth.
xv) Establish and maintain an entrepreneurial Development Fund for skilled youths in order to contribute to their successful entrepreneurship.

I just saw some contribution from my Zambian Brother, who is looking at a document that is very far from the current one please you can walk to the MSYCD HQ they will indeed provide one Youth Policy-2006 for free or any provincial office in the country.

I have seen some these strategies being implemented by our government, there are funds such as CEEC which has a youth component which supports the objective "i." above the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development also has a Youth Fund which some of the youths last year managed to access. This year I understand that the budget was upgraded to about K5bn. this in itself is promoting entreprenurship.

RABROD (talk)‎

Thanks Roger's for your contribution that has provided some updates on the Zambian youth policy scenario. I note that you have cited examples of a fund that is operation - CEEC - for the benefit of all of us elaborate on the initiative including what the acronyms stand for (CEEC). Do we have a youth group/individual that has benefited from the fund, how accessible is it to young people, and how long has the fund been in operation?

Nmunala (talk)‎

Allow me to chip in and say that CEEC stands for Citzens Economic Empowerment Commission. CEEC was set up by an act of Parliament. This is a body that has a role of uplifting targeted citizens who have suffered marginalization by faciltatiing acceess to financing so the playing field is leveled for citizens for then to effectively participate in the national economy. Special targets groups for the Fund are women, youth and physically challenged. The Citizen s Economic Fund aimed at supporting the development of broad based empowerment programmes. More information can be obtained from: http://www.ceec.org.zm and http://www.mcti.gov.zm/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=60&Itemid=9

[Gabriel Konayuma, Zambia]

GabKon (talk)‎

Thanks Gabriel for giving us the link to CEEC, I trust that we will be able to learn more about the Fund. I note that 'marginalised' groups like the physically challenged are catered for in this fund - any other country with similar visibility of 'hard to reach' communities in their policies?

Nmunala (talk)‎

Thanks. In my Ministry we have a Youth Inventors Fund which the Government created. The Fund is used to finance innovations by the youth that can be commercialised with specific focus on inovations that are relevant to wealth and employment Creation.

GabKon (talk)‎

Gabriel, I really appreciate what your government is doing in terms of youth empowerment. I am really touched about the considerations given to the physically challenged and the HIV and AIDS guys. I anticipating that in the near future the approved funded projects will grow bigger like that of the women. Thanks for the elaborate info.--Kafuiaheto 22:51, 18 February 2011 (UTC)

Kafuiaheto (talk)‎

Aheto is very right.In Ghana, little emphasises is laid on the youth who are disadvantaged. It is time the youth also consider doing something for their counterparts who are in such positions.

Agyapongdan (talk)‎

I think we need to do a lot of advocacy in our countries, sorry to say that we may have a lot of good policy and also sign a lot international agreements but how do we really implement this. the CEEC that we have in Zambia how many young people have accessed funds from their even our own so called youth funds how many have accessed the funds, these funds are miss applied year in year out because we have agreed to have structure that don't initially promote an enabling environment.

Ckluchembe (talk)‎

Thanks, chiping in Gabriel, I have not yet known who or which youth group has so far acceed the CEEC FUND,my coleague sits on the lusaka district appraising board, I will be able to contribute if am given information, but I have in mind of two Youth groups who were funded by the Youth Fund under the ministry of sport youth and CHild Development (MSYCD) these are:

Chifundo Youth Project based in Lusaka
Ndola Resource Centre based in Ndola
This fund is available even to the groups that are established and very flexable and the conditions are freindly. they have minimised on the issue of collateral, this is as far as I know

RABROD (talk)‎

Thanks - following on Gabriel's info - how can we ensure that the enterprise available are accessible to young people? any experiences that have worked in your country?

Nmunala (talk)‎

CEEC is just a stone's throw away from my office. I will walk down there and see if I can get some information on the youths that have benefitted.

GabKon (talk)‎

I got this information from the CEEC website: http://www.ceec.org.zm

In 2010 the following target groups had their applications for funding approved:

Target Approved

Youth 53

Women 105

HIV/AIDS 4

People with Disabilities 5

Total 458 (Source: CEEC, 2010:1)

GabKon (talk)‎

GabKon, I find something very interesting on the CEEC website.Under its Vision, specifically, strategic direction, the CEEC hopes to empower disadvantaged groups such as Youth, Women, Disabled and citizens living with HIV/AIDS. This is to encourage increased participation in economic opportunities without discrimination. Why is the Youth classified as disadvantaged. Don't their voices get nowhere in your country?--Kafuiaheto 22:42, 18 February 2011 (UTC)

Kafuiaheto (talk)‎

Reading through most your view and that of the others, it looks there is little governmental intervention in youth policy matters, especially in Zambia. This obviously could make the policy work better. But what I am emphasizing here is that a youth policy should dwell more on skill development than giving money to people who may not be able to manage it well

Agyapongdan (talk)‎

A question to Gab,how many of those were actually funded and was there any follow up in tems of how they ultilised thwe money given?

Ridge15 (talk)‎

I want to aya that although the MSYCD has allocated 5b for youths in Zambia, not many youths are able to access this or worse still aware of its exisitance. It is therefore our role as youth advocates to educator youths about such government intiatives.

Ridge15 (talk)‎

Am Ebiho Agun from Nigeria: My country (Nigeria) has a National Youth Policy, which was recently reviewed in the year 2009. During the process of developing the policy, a number of priority themes that pose the greatest challenge to youth in Nigeria were identified and strategies were designed in the policy to deal with these issues. Youth and Employment is one of those priority themes and self employment creation (Youth Entrepreneurship) is listed as a strategy to promote youth employment in Nigeria.

Other priority themes that promote youth entrepreneurship are the Youth and Agriculture Component, which outlines strategies to promote youth involvement in the Agricultural sector in order to boost the Nigerian economy, while also providing opportunities for the emergence and sustenance of youth agro-business entrepreneurs.

Providing quality education for young people is another priority theme in the policy which has strategies outlined to promote youth entrepreneurship by providing vocational opportunities for youth to make them self reliant

A segment in the policy also outlines the institutional framework that will ensure effective implementation of the policy and one of the components of this segment is the establishment of a Youth Development Fund. The Youth Development Fund when fully established by the government of Nigeria is expected to provide the funds to finance all youth development programmes conceived in relation to the implementation of the National Youth Policy, Youth Entrepreneurship inclusive.

Shining Star (talk)‎

Thanks Am Ebiho Agun for your response. It is interesting that your discussion has also highlighted on the institutional frameworks proposed to implement the youth policy, in a majority of instances very good policy ideas get 'killed' because of the absence of institutional/structural frameworks for implementation. This is a very critical point that advocacy messages should incorporate - development of policies and 'effective' institutional frameworks. Again like Namibia there is mention of the non-traditional youth sector - agriculture. Are there any indications that Government is providing adequate incentives to make young people venture into Agriculture?

Nmunala (talk)‎

Thanks Nellie,

Presently the government of Nigeria has earmarked a certain amount of money to provide loans for entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector, but these loans are for the general populace and are not youth specific.

However, the Federal Ministry of Youth Development in Nigeria does have some youth specific incentives to encourage young people to venture into the agricultural sector, and these are in form of skills acquisition training in diversified agricultural production and processing, as well as provision of small grants for trainees to set up agricultural enterprises. The government is also working on expanding these initiatives

Shining Star (talk)‎

Thanks Am Ebiho, I note that the Federal Ministry of Youth has programmes focussed on encouraging young people into agriculture - are young people receptive to the idea? In a majority of instances young people associate agriculture with 'dull' life, no fancy city life etc.......has the Government carried out some effective advocacy to influence young people towards positive thinking about agriculture?

Nmunala (talk)‎

Thanks Nellie, You got that right. Young people in Nigeria are not different; they also find agriculture very dull, especially sectors like crop production. Some of them find fish farming interesting because it is less associated with 'Farm Life'(you can actually set up a fish pond in your home). Still, the interest is very minimal, they prefer being in an office setting than being on the farm.

For now, the ministry is presently planning on shifting focus to training youth to establish businesses in processing of agricultural farm produce(e.g.: Fruit juice Production), but it still at planning stage. The young people would prefer mechanized farming, but it is capital intensive and no funding for that yet.

Shining Star (talk)‎

I am Gabriel Konayuma from Zambia working in the Department of Vocational Education and Training in th Ministry of Science, Technology and Vocational Training as a Senior Vocational Education and Training Officer. My duties include promotion of Entrepreneurship development.

Zambia does have a National Youth Policy of 2006. The key elements in the policy that promote youth entrepreneurship are:

Strengthening youth enterprise programmes incorporating small scale business management, basic skills and business training.
Strengthening systems and structures for coordination and management of entrepreneurship.
Developing and strengthening the market outlets for the youth’s products at all levels.
Establish youth friendly credit lending facilities and micro-financing schemes.
Strengthen NGO activities in youth enterprise development.
Providing the youth with ‘START UP’ capital.
Developing entrepreneurship skills among the youth.
Establishing and maintaining an entrepreneurial Development Fund for skilled youths in order to contribute to their successful entrepreneurship.
Developing entrepreneurship skills among the youth.
Linking youth enterprises to multi-lateral companies as well as franchise holders.

GabKon (talk)‎

Thanks Gabriel on your elaboration of the key elements in the Zambia youth policy that promote youth entrepreneurship - anyone of us who can identify with Zambian elements in their own policy?

Nmunala (talk)‎

Thanks Gabriel for the info. There is also a strategy for implementing the policy. Although I am not sure why it is not being implemented to a greater extent.

Remmy (talk)‎

Farai from Zambia here. Zambia does have a National Youth Policy. The goal of this policy is to promote the welfare of the youth by safeguarding their rights,highlighting the problems that the youth are facing and developing programmes that can address these problems, create an enabling environment for the the youth to develop and reach their full potential. One of the strategies is to develop youth enterprise programme by incorporating basic skills and training as well as small scale business management. It also seeks to provide basic skills training facilities (through consolidation of existing skills training centres), infrastructure, finance, business advisory services and extension services to youth entrepreneurs. Another initiative that the national youth policy endeavours to do is the incorporation of basic skills and business training in the school curriculum.

Faraic (talk)‎

Hi,

In Zambia we are currently using the National Youth Policy of 2006 which was a revision from the 1994 National Youth Policy which was the first. The reason for the revision was because of the changes in Zambia and the rest of the world and emerging challenges of poverty, HIV & AIDS, unemployment and other health and health related issues that have negatively affected the youth.

The guiding principles of our youth policy are • Equity, accessibility and gender inclusiveness • HIV & AIDS, Impact Mitigation • Youth participation • Communication • Human rights

As to whether the youth policy identifies youth entrepreneurship as a key element towards national economic development it can be said to a large extent it does. It can be said that it identifies youth entrepreneurship as one of the key elements. It is believed that youth entrepreneurship development would promote sustainable livelihood among the youth to reduce poverty and enhance living standards. It is through the National Youth Policy that in 2010, the government and cooperating partners set up a youth development fund amounting to 5 billion kwacha, which was released for the youth businesses. Other components on the entrepreneurship components are the skills trainings and resettlement schemes of the youth.

Apart from the national youth policy of 2006, there are other national policy frameworks that complement the youth policy. One such document is the recently launched 6th National Development Plan. This policy framework is supposed to be used for the next five years (I stand to be corrected) and it has a component that addresses youth employment/ entrepreneurship. Another policy framework that is currently being used in promoting entrepreneurship/employment is the Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission. This is a fund that has been set up to provide financial resources to business people and it has a component specifically for youth, women, agriculture etc. As to whether these three policies are working in tandem is really hard to tell for reasons of implementation.

Mwaba (talk)‎

--Luckyluka 15:52, 17 February 2011 (UTC)

Nigeria, my country has a National Youth Development Policy. The key elements in the Policy that promote Youth Entrepreneurship are :

Youth in Agriculture;
Youth and Employment;
Youth Self-employment;
Vocational Training and Apprenticeship and
Youth and Information and Communication Technology(ICT)

Luckyluka (talk)‎

Hi Colleagues,

My country, Nigeria has a National Youth Policy which was reviewed 2009.The reviewed Policy involved the Youth, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Donor Agencies, Communities and Youth Officers in the ministry. The ministry started the distribution of the policy last year,awaiting the implementation of the content. The key elements in the policy that promote youth entrepreneur are:

Youth in Agriculture;
Youth and Employment;
Youth Self-employment;
Vocational Training and Apprenticeship
Youth and Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Youth and Poverty
Youth and Science and Technology
Youth Sports and Recreation

Ubandoma (talk)‎

The Zambian Youth Policy does exist as a document only but lacks implementation on the part of our Government,the following is an extract from the Zambian Youth Policy on Entrepreneurship development:

Youth Entrepreneurship Development is aimed at promoting sustainable livelihood among youth in order to reduce poverty,and enhance living standards.

My comment:The Youth Council is a toothless organ,that cannot speak for the youths of Zambia,even when the Youths have been called to various meetings to discuss ways and means they can work with government to reduce poverty among the Youth,nothing seems to be working for the youths of Zambia,unemployment and poverty levels are still very high.

The Youth Policy also states that entrepreneurship is recognized as an integral component of development,entrepreneurship development therefore can be attained through enterprise training,micro financing,provision of market outlets and advisory services as well as research.

My comment:Not until now when we are going for elections that government decided to move the Youth empowerment funds from the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission to the Ministry responsible for the Youths,only a fraction of the youths managed to access the funds when they were administered under the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) due to unfavorable conditions that the Youths could not meet.

Samuel,Zambia.

Samipyet2011 (talk)‎

Thanks Samuel, I see an opportunity for advocacy here - to enhance young people's access to the fund

Nmunala (talk)‎

I think the National Youth Development Council for Zambia is doing a lot of good work in pushing for the issues of youth in Zambia. I agree that it was once upon a time a toothless entity, that was when it was still operating under the old act of parliament, but after efforts to amend it, it has now become more active.Although the fact that it is still under government authority, I dont see it being proactive on most issues. It is also hard for it to implement decisions because they have to pass through the government structures which can sometimes be tedious.

Remmy (talk)‎

Hi everyone

Just wanted to agree with Rodgers Mulenga and Gabriel Konayuma from Zambia that we have a national youth policy which was launched in 2006 after revising the first youth policy of 1994. The colleagues have given detailed provisions of the revised youth policy as regards promotion of youth entrepreneurship.

Of course there are several challenges when it comes to implementation of the policy. More often than not, the budgetary allocation to the Ministry responsible for youth falls far below the requirements. This calls for serious advocacy for the government to "walk the talk'

Mulakom (talk)‎

Hi Nellie, & hi everyone! My name is Susiku Nasinda from Zambia. Its so nice to read through and learn from what the others have posted. Im really enjoying.

Zambia has had a National Youth Policy since the mid nineties. It was last reviewed in 2006. Implementation of the policy however remains a challenge.

Susiku Nasinda (talk)‎

hi Sisiku, i may want to know some of the challenges facing the youth in your county. in my country the main challenge is unemployement.

Sang (talk)‎

Hi Every one,My Names are Paul Sang, my country Kenya does have a youth policy the objectives, The Objectives of the policy are: i. To sensitise national policy makers on the need to identify and mainstream youth issues in national development. ii. To identify ways of empowering the youth in order to exploit their potential. iii. To promote a culture of volunteerism among the youth; iv. To explore and suggest ways of engaging the youth in the process of economic development; V. To identify constraints that hinder the Kenyan youth from realising their potential; vi. To propose ways of mentoring the youth to be just and morally upright citizens; vii. To promote ethos of honest hard work and productivity; among the youth.

Sang (talk)‎

hi all, sorry for the lateness in responding to issues, Kenya do have a youth policy, in fact we have a government ministry specifically to address youth issues,this is the Ministry of Youth Affairs.The policy is know as the Kenya National Youth Policy. according to the policy as at 2002 The population age bracket of 30 years and below constitutes about 75% of the Kenyan population. This segment forms the highest source of human resource and therefore the need for a national youth policy. for more on the policy see www.youthagenda.org/pdf/Kenya%20National%20Youth%20Policy.pdf

Sang (talk)‎

Class,

Along the National Youth Policy which my colleague from Kenya has already given a link to, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has also developed the Youth Employment Marshall Plan that seeks to create 500,000 jobs for the youth anually. Both the NYP and YEMP give a lot of prominence to Youth Unemployment and Under employment.

Marcosmburu (talk)‎

Hi everyone. Zambia has a National Youth policy framework as already indicated by my Zambian colleagues. I believe that the key elements that promote entrepreneurship are the provision of skills development, access to financial resources through the CEEC youth product and the Youth Fund.--Smauye 13:09, 14 April 2011 (UTC)

Smauye91 (talk)‎

Yes Zambia has a National Youth Policy that encompasses skills development for youths and access to funds/funding as already elaborated by my colleagues

Kasonde (talk)‎

Ghana has a Youth Policy. But the problem is that it is more of providing job for the youth than enabling the youth create and run new venture for themselves. What is more is that it is more of a political policy than social or national policy. I think a youth policy should promote, train and equip the youth to create and run ventures to assist other economically labour force.

Agyapongdan (talk)‎

National Youth Policy and Advocacy

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