Back and Next - Back and NextYouth task NYC -As 2008 NAYCONF wraps-up
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
The 2008 biennial National Youth Conference and Festival came to an end, last evening, following the presentation and adoption of resolutions to be implemented for the young people within the coming two years.
The moment also saw declarations by young people of new responsibilities for the National Youth Council. During a two hour protracted debate prior to the closing of the gathering, some young people strongly expressed disagreement with some of the resolutions.
As part of the resolutions, the national youth council is mandated to establish a task force committee by March 31st 2009 that will work to develop effective program frameworks to coordinate and implement the resolutions. Also, the Council is tasked to establish links with international youth organizations as well as to establish a national children assembly of the Gambia, before December 31 2009, with the sole aim of promoting children’s participation in national issues.
The central government was also tasked to adopt legislative measures to advocate for the rights of women and girls, in compliance with international obligations. This, they say, is because before the next Nayconf, most of today’s female youths would have become mothers, so they need to know their rights and responsibilities.
The young people also committed themselves to maintain loyalty to their country and the authorities, promising to ensure a peaceful environment, for the growth and development of young people.
‘We commit ourselves to taking concrete and effective action to address the challenges facing youth in the Gambia which include Illegal Migration, youth unemployment, drugs and alcohol abuse and HIV &AIDS and STIs.’ Lamin Camara, head of the conference sub-committee read out the statement passed by the conference to the delegates.
According to the statement, the young people also tasked the National youth council, as the representative body of the many youth and children’s organizations and groups, to make effective follow-up of the implementation of the stated resolutions.
At regional level, the young people unanimously agreed that the NYC submit annual reports to the Regional Youth Committees on activities and programmes implemented and promoting or initiating discussions on the MDGs and other development issues.
The young people also committed themselves to submiting annual reports to the National Youth Council on activities and programmes implemented by National Youth and Children’s Organizations.
The National Youth Council and its structures will also provide periodic reports to youth and children’s organizations and other stakeholders on the progress made in the execution of the resolutions and their mandates. From now onto the 2010 Nayconf, it is anticipated that if not all, most of this year’s resolutions would be achieve. It is now left in the hands of the National youth council with the collaboration from the youth and sport department, to work indefatigably in the attainment of those resolutions.
Prior to the commencement of this year’s NAYCONF, it was said that the resolutions reached in Brikama in 2006 were only partly implemented. However, in the review of the progress made on those Brikama resolutions, here in Farafenni, the young people insisted that there were absolutely no visible progress made on those Brikama resolutions.
‘Consider what you can do for your country’
Hon. Sheriff ML Gomez, secretary of state for Youths and Sports, has urged young people to consider what they can do for their country, rather than asking for what their country can do for them. According to him, everyone must be prepared to contribute his or her quota to national development.
Speaking during a question and answer session with young people, at the conference hall of Farafenni Youth Centre, last Monday, SOS Gomez stated that young people have supreme role to play, both individually and collectively, in the development process of their country. "We at the Youth and Sports department believe that this is the only way we can enhance development", he said.
When asked about some of the achievement registered by the National Youth Council (NYC) since its establishment, SOS Gomez responded that the creation of the NYC was a new development in terms of addressing issues affecting young people in the country. Since its establishment, he said, NYC was able to take the ideas of young people for the society to know their needs. He stated that they have not probably achieved all what the young people were anticipating for, but that there were greater realizations of common goal.
The Youth and Sports secretary of state then informed young people that the council has experienced multiple difficulties ranging from management capacity and mobility, among others. When asked about the issue of institutions that reject the employment of young girls who wear veils, SOS Gomez responded that such are issues that society ought to dialogue on, in order to address it.
He added that the decision to wear a veil is inline with an Islamic principle. "My department cannot stand to compel institutions to employ those youths," he said, but he sort to encourage young girls who are practicing the religious edict to exercise patience.
KMC to host 2010 Nayconf
The Kanifing Municipality is set to host the next NAYCONF, having been voted, last Tuesday, at the end of this year’s gathering. KMC was in contest with the Central River region. After announcement of the results, a protest emerged from Aziz Faal, the head of CRR delegates.
He argued that CRR should be given an automatic right to host the 2010 youth gathering, alleging that the election was held in a completely unprofessional manner. He noted that it was only the two competing regions (CRR and KMC) youth chairpersons who were consulted prior to voting.
Kanifing Municipality, he Faal argued, has already hosted the gathering since the inception. He said that for the same Municipality to host it again while the Central River Region has not hosted it for even once was ‘unfair.’ If considerations are not made for CRR to host the 2010 gathering, we are going to quit it’ he threatened.
According to Mr Faal, the NYC were saying that CRR did not have the capacity to host the NAYCONF, a point he categorically refuted, pointing at Janjanbureh and Bansang as possible places that could host the events.
Youth Chairperson of Kanifing Municipal youth committee, Bakary Badjie, said the election was free and fair, adding that it was done in an open manner. According to him, it was only Kanifing Municipality and Central River Region who had submitted their interest in hosting the events. ‘Even though we have hosted it in 1995 under youth & sports department, when the gathering was called ‘Youth Week,’ Badjie noted, it was then an open participation as to which region or municipality would like to host the 2010 Nayconf.
He assured that the 2010 Nayconf will be the best as far as KMC is concern. Lamin Camara, head of the conference sub-committee, argued in favour of CRR, saying: ‘I believe that we have to consider the participation of the rural areas in the activities.’ However, Seedy Njie, nominated youth representative in the National Assembly described the voting as transparent. To him, CRR lost the hosting due to the incapability of their youth chairperson to convince the electorates.
The moment also saw declarations by young people of new responsibilities for the National Youth Council. During a two hour protracted debate prior to the closing of the gathering, some young people strongly expressed disagreement with some of the resolutions.
As part of the resolutions, the national youth council is mandated to establish a task force committee by March 31st 2009 that will work to develop effective program frameworks to coordinate and implement the resolutions. Also, the Council is tasked to establish links with international youth organizations as well as to establish a national children assembly of the Gambia, before December 31 2009, with the sole aim of promoting children’s participation in national issues.
The central government was also tasked to adopt legislative measures to advocate for the rights of women and girls, in compliance with international obligations. This, they say, is because before the next Nayconf, most of today’s female youths would have become mothers, so they need to know their rights and responsibilities.
The young people also committed themselves to maintain loyalty to their country and the authorities, promising to ensure a peaceful environment, for the growth and development of young people.
‘We commit ourselves to taking concrete and effective action to address the challenges facing youth in the Gambia which include Illegal Migration, youth unemployment, drugs and alcohol abuse and HIV &AIDS and STIs.’ Lamin Camara, head of the conference sub-committee read out the statement passed by the conference to the delegates.
According to the statement, the young people also tasked the National youth council, as the representative body of the many youth and children’s organizations and groups, to make effective follow-up of the implementation of the stated resolutions.
At regional level, the young people unanimously agreed that the NYC submit annual reports to the Regional Youth Committees on activities and programmes implemented and promoting or initiating discussions on the MDGs and other development issues.
The young people also committed themselves to submiting annual reports to the National Youth Council on activities and programmes implemented by National Youth and Children’s Organizations.
The National Youth Council and its structures will also provide periodic reports to youth and children’s organizations and other stakeholders on the progress made in the execution of the resolutions and their mandates. From now onto the 2010 Nayconf, it is anticipated that if not all, most of this year’s resolutions would be achieve. It is now left in the hands of the National youth council with the collaboration from the youth and sport department, to work indefatigably in the attainment of those resolutions.
Prior to the commencement of this year’s NAYCONF, it was said that the resolutions reached in Brikama in 2006 were only partly implemented. However, in the review of the progress made on those Brikama resolutions, here in Farafenni, the young people insisted that there were absolutely no visible progress made on those Brikama resolutions.
‘Consider what you can do for your country’
Hon. Sheriff ML Gomez, secretary of state for Youths and Sports, has urged young people to consider what they can do for their country, rather than asking for what their country can do for them. According to him, everyone must be prepared to contribute his or her quota to national development.
Speaking during a question and answer session with young people, at the conference hall of Farafenni Youth Centre, last Monday, SOS Gomez stated that young people have supreme role to play, both individually and collectively, in the development process of their country. "We at the Youth and Sports department believe that this is the only way we can enhance development", he said.
When asked about some of the achievement registered by the National Youth Council (NYC) since its establishment, SOS Gomez responded that the creation of the NYC was a new development in terms of addressing issues affecting young people in the country. Since its establishment, he said, NYC was able to take the ideas of young people for the society to know their needs. He stated that they have not probably achieved all what the young people were anticipating for, but that there were greater realizations of common goal.
The Youth and Sports secretary of state then informed young people that the council has experienced multiple difficulties ranging from management capacity and mobility, among others. When asked about the issue of institutions that reject the employment of young girls who wear veils, SOS Gomez responded that such are issues that society ought to dialogue on, in order to address it.
He added that the decision to wear a veil is inline with an Islamic principle. "My department cannot stand to compel institutions to employ those youths," he said, but he sort to encourage young girls who are practicing the religious edict to exercise patience.
KMC to host 2010 Nayconf
The Kanifing Municipality is set to host the next NAYCONF, having been voted, last Tuesday, at the end of this year’s gathering. KMC was in contest with the Central River region. After announcement of the results, a protest emerged from Aziz Faal, the head of CRR delegates.
He argued that CRR should be given an automatic right to host the 2010 youth gathering, alleging that the election was held in a completely unprofessional manner. He noted that it was only the two competing regions (CRR and KMC) youth chairpersons who were consulted prior to voting.
Kanifing Municipality, he Faal argued, has already hosted the gathering since the inception. He said that for the same Municipality to host it again while the Central River Region has not hosted it for even once was ‘unfair.’ If considerations are not made for CRR to host the 2010 gathering, we are going to quit it’ he threatened.
According to Mr Faal, the NYC were saying that CRR did not have the capacity to host the NAYCONF, a point he categorically refuted, pointing at Janjanbureh and Bansang as possible places that could host the events.
Youth Chairperson of Kanifing Municipal youth committee, Bakary Badjie, said the election was free and fair, adding that it was done in an open manner. According to him, it was only Kanifing Municipality and Central River Region who had submitted their interest in hosting the events. ‘Even though we have hosted it in 1995 under youth & sports department, when the gathering was called ‘Youth Week,’ Badjie noted, it was then an open participation as to which region or municipality would like to host the 2010 Nayconf.
He assured that the 2010 Nayconf will be the best as far as KMC is concern. Lamin Camara, head of the conference sub-committee, argued in favour of CRR, saying: ‘I believe that we have to consider the participation of the rural areas in the activities.’ However, Seedy Njie, nominated youth representative in the National Assembly described the voting as transparent. To him, CRR lost the hosting due to the incapability of their youth chairperson to convince the electorates.
Author: DO
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