SPEAKERS' CORNER Participation of young people to civil society: which is the level of engagement?

Se debe entender que a nivel nacional (Bolivia) hay pocas políticas destinadas a dinamizar la participación de los jóvenes, se reduce a la generación de algún programa de empleo temporal para los profesionales que necesitan hacer sus primeras experiencias laborales. En el caso del gobierno municipal de Oruro, se generó un programa de empleo juvenil para bachilleres que aprovechan la temporada de vacaciones para realizar trabajos de aseo y mantenimiento de vías, plazas y parques. Ambos programas tiene una muy reducida cobertura y por ello el impacto también es muy pequeño.

En algunos gobiernos municipales, se vienen ejecutando por más ocho años, el Programa de Formación Laboral para Jóvenes Bachilleres, destinado a la formación de mano de obra calificada en función a la demanda laboral existente en el medio, por los costos que representa también tiene una reducida cobertura.

Se tiene la experiencia del Centro de Jóvenes y Empleo que en su creación está apuntar a orientar a la juventud en empleabilidad y emprendedurismo, pero esta trunco el trabajo por la falta de interés de los actores locales, lo que hace que la propuesta quede trunca.

Como podemos hablar de compromiso de los jóvenes si vemos que las políticas y las mismas autoridades no lo tienen con este grupo etareo. A pesar que el 2013 se promulgó la Ley de Juventud, a la fecha no hay programas claros y masivos destinados a este grupo meta.

Hay esfuerzos aislados de muchas instituciones por hacer algo, pero no hay resultados concretos, cada vez la juventud es más apática con su entorno y la sociedad.

Youth participation in Tanzania had for a long time been a theory and not a practical thing. In one of its specific objectives, the National Youth Development Policy of 2007 states that the government has to create a conducive environment for youth participation in decision making. Nevertheless, the government has not yet formed youth councils which will enable young people to make and influence decision making at various levels despite having passed The Youth Council of Tanzania Act 2015

If the government will implement what the law states, a new dawn will have come in Tanzania. The law has the following objectives:(a) provide a platform for implementation of youth issues at District, Regional, national and international levels; (b) promote volunteerism and self-reliance among youth; (c) advise the Government on matters relating to youth development; (d) facilitate youth to accept responsibilities so as to enable them to practice good values, ethics and good conduct; (e) create conducive environment for youth participation in matters relating to decision making; (f) build networking among the youth and other stakeholders; and (g) promote solidarity among the youth, despite of the differences in race, ethnics, political, social, economic, religious, cultural, gender and geographical locations.

The youth are currently involved in the civil societies movements,where they have hopes of winning their status in the society where they form over 65% of the total population. but still the government is cracking down these societies and media where they pass their voices(for instance Newspapers have been closed and civil societies de registered).

I do however concur with Nicodemus, in Tanzania this is still a nightmare. The government led by old 'guards' is aware of the power of the youth, to influence, inspire,instigate and galvanise the public demand of working systems to steer for things(as recently evidenced by the few youth who have managed to break the ranks and joined the parliament),but is adamant to give them the platform (National youth councils) well aware they would disturb the status quo. What is done is to keep them abay and economically weak as a strategy to use them using the power of 'money' to campaign for them whenever the so called elections are held aganst their fellow youths.  

The youth with Despite being in print the systems and policies, transforming pragmatically is shelved still.However, through strengthened civil societies and NGOs, strong opposition parties and, the youth who are rising up to demand for their place, someday may have their influence and voice felt. In especially the current government, there is a ray of hope youth getting their status quo as described by laws and policies of the land.

Dear Zegers,

I agree with findings of evaluation on the UNICEF project in Tanzania, Youth actual/meaningful participation is very low, Most of the time, their participation is either Symbolic or tokenism one, They participate only to be reported participated, their contributions and suggestions are rarely taken into consideration as most of the time, final decissions are made by adults from family to national level, For example, I had a discussion with one of the youth who participated in gathering comments for the Country Youth Development Policy, she said "we gathered lots of informations that youth prefered to be included in the Policy for their fully participation" although what came as final policy droped all important comments that was infavour and promoting youth participation.

 I can say that, Youth participation is still low in Tanzania and efforts are needed to promote for meaningfull youth participation

"even when they are able to participate in community/national discussions, their actual inputs are rarely considered in decision-making".

Very true that they have means nowdays "mobile phones" but as stated earlier is somehow implicated by socio-cultural issues (from family level their voices are ignored) and so they dont believe if their voices can make a diffrence through smooth ways, They need to be empowered to detect that means they can use for their voices to be heard. As for now most of Youth dont see mobile phones as a means for transforming their lives rather than a means to socialize (facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp),

A Madagascar, culturellement les adolescents et les jeunes n'ont pas leur mot a dire face aux aînes, aux adultes, quel que soit le sujet. C'est une culture qui est encore presente aujourd'hui bien que la jeunesse commence a se lever. En effet, des groupes de jeunes et des associations se creent de plus en plus pour defendre une cause, pour apporter leur contribution au developpement du pays, que ce soit au niveau economique, social ou politique. 

Mais l'aspect culturel n'est probablement pas le seul et unique facteur qui empeche les jeunes de se faire entendre (la corruption et bien d'autres facteurs egalement).

Personnellement je pense que la jeunesse doit definitevement participer dans la societe civile parce que le temps evolue et la societe de demain appartient a la jeunesse d'aujourd'hui.