Youth Caucus calls for increased Govt funding

Remember Deketeke, Herald Correspondent

The Zimbabwe Youth Caucus on Friday held a youth-inclusive budget conference, advocating for increased Government funding for essential services such as health care and education to safeguard young people from the rising cost of living.

The two-day event, led by the Parliamentary Youth Caucus and the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, was aimed at ensuring youth inclusion in the drafting of the 2025 national budget.

Chairperson Stanley Sakupwanya emphasised that this inaugural conference aligned with Section 141 of Zimbabwe’s Constitution, which mandated public engagement, and Section 20, which guarantees youth participation in all sectors.

“We had a youth specific budget consultative process as a platform for young people to voice their opinions in all sectors, in every aspect where they feel that they are being left behind,” he said.

With the youths being over 60 percent of the population, Mr Sakupwanya said it was crucial that Parliament created this platform.

“As the mantra of the President always says, we should leave no one and no place behind. So, young people can get to liaise with their ministries, liaise with what they want to see coming out of the national budget that is youth specific,” he said.

“We want to create a youth friendly budget that is deliverable, and the young people who are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but the leaders of today that we can be proud of.”

This initiative demonstrated the Youth Caucus’ commitment to empowering young Zimbabweans and promoting their well-being. By prioritising youth inclusion in budget decisions, the Government could create a more equitable and sustainable future for all citizens.

Similar initiatives have been implemented globally, such as the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification youth engagement strategy and action plan.

This plan is aimed at promoting youth participation in decision-making processes and ensure their voices are heard.

Considering the 52 percent young female population, United Nations Population Fund country representative Mrs Miranda Tabifor said it was imperative that the 2025 budget be “girl child” sensitive.

“Let us, focus some of our energy on empowering the girl child with at least the basic services and needs for her to thrive, hence include menstrual health management to keep her in school during her periods and comprehensive sexuality education to build her knowledge and reduce teenage pregnancies,” she said.

The representative of the Portfolio Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education, Miss Passionate Fuza, a student from the University of Zimbabwe, urged Government to bring back student grants and loans.

“We need an increment to the budget under the Ministry of Higher Education so that there is restoration of student grants, for equity to accommodate those who come from poor income families so that they pursue and finish education,” she said.

“An increment to the budget will also help in investing in tech literacy as we are moving towards the fourth industrial revolution.”

Most youths called for an increment to the budget to put in place smart classrooms in rural areas for inclusivity and affordable education which would cement the NDS1.

Meanwhile, a huge debate arose on the issue of youth empowerment, especially when acquiring loans from youth empowerment bank, as they called for the relaxation of existing terms and conditions.

Chegutu West legislator Mr Shakemore Timburwa called on youths to have bankable proposals.

“Youths must understand that they should come up with bankable ideas and the more the loan one wants, the higher the stakes,” said Mr Timburwa.

Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Mthuli Ncube is next month expected to present the national budget, with Parliament now on a countrywide consultative process to gather views on what people want addressed in the budget.