By Bongiwe Dube
For a long time, policies regarding youth health and well-being were made by older adults sitting in distant offices. Young people were merely expected to accept whatever decisions were handed down to them. However, through social accountability forums organized by the Community Youth Development Trust (CYDT), the youth of Matabeleland South are changing the rules. They are demanding a permanent seat at the decision-making table, refusing to let anyone else dictate their future.
The message from the youth is simple: they understand their own struggles better than anyone else, and their voices must be included in local budgets and development strategies. During these powerful public forums, organised by CYDT, young people met face-to-face with local leaders to demand gender-sensitive budgets, localized health services, and clear youth-friendly health centres.
In Umzingwane, for example, a forward-thinking youth named Zibusiso Ndlovu highlighted that local health plans must align directly with the country’s main laws. He pointed out that the Constitution of Zimbabwe explicitly guarantees the right to basic health care, including sexual and reproductive health. He reminded authorities that local council plans must reflect these constitutional promises.
Supporting this view, Blessed Dube, also from Umzingwane, spoke on the power of collective youth action. He explained that these accountability forums give young people a rare chance to share their deepest concerns and hold their leaders answerable to their promises. He urged the youth to continue putting pressure on their leaders until real action is taken to improve access to sexual and reproductive health services.
From Gwanda, Langelihle Tshuma sent a sharp warning to policymakers who tried to exclude the youth under the cover of national crises. She stated boldly that authorities should not use national lockdowns or emergencies to dictate what constitutes health policies and laws without consulting the younger generation. She emphasized that making decisions blindly without listening to the youth always leads to terrible consequences for the community.
Through these dialogues, the youth have shown that they are ready to lead, govern, and ensure that local resources are used to protect the health of every young person.