The local government is the closest government to the youths; many of their socio-economic concerns can be quickly dealt with at local governance level.
Despite being the largest segment in Matabeleland South, young people have been sidelined when it comes to partaking in local government decision making processes..
One of the reasons for the exclusion of young people in decision making spaces was that they lacked knowledge, information and skills to partake efficiently. As a result, CYDT implemented activities that were designed to train young people on local governance.
In these meetings, young people got to know the principles of local governance and what they needed to do to meaningfully participate in decision making.
In the subsequent activities in which young people had the opportunity to table their concerns to the duty bearers, the organisation was pleased by the level of confidence and knowledge showed by the youths on local governance.
Young people showed that they were more than willing and interested to partake in critical local governance spaces. They showed that they wanted to be always engaged and involved in local governance policy and decision making, hence it was important that local leaders and authorities do not prevent young people from participating.
An official from the Ministry of Youth who spoke in one of the activities noted that the level of knowledge on local governance showed by the youths was evidence of efforts made by CYDT to compliment its efforts of empowering youth by making them understand that their voices mattered.
The organisation remains committed to uplift the lives of Matabeleland South youths by training and arming them with information on local governance; taking into consideration that the future belongs to the them!
ENDS.
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