By HOMELAND MEDIA TEAM
Uganda will join the rest of the world in commemorating this year’s International Youth Day at Kaunda grounds, Gulu City, on Friday August 26th 2022.
According to the Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, Hon. Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi, the celebration will be under the theme proposed by the United Nations, “Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for all Ages.”
She however noted that Uganda has modified this year’s theme to, “Inter-generational Solidarity: The Role of Youth in the Implementation of Parish Development Model.”
The Minister said that the objective of the theme is to raise awareness of the importance of all generations in achieving holistic development and to highlight the key roles youth play in the implementation of national programs.
“The theme for this year’s international Youth Day is to raise awareness of the importance of all generations in achieving holistic development and to highlight the key roles youth play in the Implementation of national programs, “Minister Mateke said.
She added that the Parish Development Model (PDM), aims at uplifting 17.5 million Ugandans in 3.5 million households out of poverty through the total transformation of the subsistence households onto the money economy.
The PDM is expected to stimulate job creation for Ugandans including youth who are adversely affected by unemployment.
The state minister noted that successful implementation of PDM requires intentional and deliberate strategic involvement of the youth for the program success given their numerical strength as we harness the demographic dividend.
Hon. Mateke advised that for the youths not to be marginalized or left behind, 30% allocation has been set aside for the benefit of youth.
“This I can confirm as the Minister responsible for the pillar of community Mobilization and Mindset Change in PDM that 30% allocation has been set aside for the benefit of youth,” she confirmed.
She added that the youths will only require to be trained to understand the PDM and how it works and to know their roles and responsibilities.
She further advised the youth to pledge and position themselves to play an incredible role in the implementation of PDM.
“Youth can engage in the PDM and seek beneficial information that can be relayed to all the young people for uptake, spearheading the formation of SACCOs, leverage the power of ICT, strengthen implementation capacity for youth,” she said.
She instructed the youth to encourage fellow youth to embrace PDM to improve their quality of life by engaging in on-farm and off-farm income generating activities and also Sensitizing the public, educating communities and other stakeholders for buy-in, collaboration and networking.
According to a statement, the Minister has developed and designed a number of programs aimed at empowering youth and ensuring their participation in national development processes that include Reviewing the National implementation Action Plan on Youth, developed the out of school youth sexuality Education guidelines, designing a National Service Scheme for Uganda and, working towards consolidating the gains of the Youth Livelihood program among others.
The International Youth Day is commemorated every year on the 12th of August since its approval at the 1st World conference of Ministers responsible for youth in Lisbon-Portugal.
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