Vusumuzi Dube
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
Cabinet says youth focal desks must be exploited by the public in order to identify and promote youth led interventions. This was said during a post Cabinet Briefing on Tuesday where a report on the Status of Youth Focal Desks in Government Line Ministries, was tabled by the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, as Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Social Services and Poverty Eradication, Honourable Professor Paul Mavima.
To date, all line Ministries have appointed Youth Focal Persons and established Focal Desks at national and provincial level, as required by section 20 paragraph 1 of the Constitution. The public is invited to note and exploit the following services offered by the Desks.
“Identifying and advertising youth evelopment and empowerment programmes and opportunities in their respective Ministries;Facilitating youth participation in the planning, implementation and monitoring of policies, programmes and projects; and preparing sectoral reports and policy briefs,” read the briefing.
The desks will also work on researching and advising on the relevance and effectiveness of youth-related Ministry activities. Cabinet also highlighted that there positive results recorded by the establishment of Youth Focal Desks.
“Youth empowerment opportunities have been availed in the agriculture, tourism, mining, manufacturing and social services sectors.Youths have been involved in and befitted from national projects spearheaded by Government such as national housing, road rehabilitation, public works, and land and livestock reform” further read the briefing.
It was also noted that youths have benefited from Government scholarships, education, vocational and life skills training,” Cabinet was told. A total of 1 186 241 youths have accessed opportunities and services in Government line Ministries as at 14 June 2023.
The proportion of youths involved in decision-making increased from 3.3 percent in 2020 to 5.2 percent in 2022; and ouths now constitute 34.8 percent of public and private sector employees and 42 percent of those in development processes.
The Desks and Focal Persons will also be further strengthened to ensure that they effectively address the national strategic intent through their activities. This will include concerted efforts to continuously build the capacity of Youth Focal Persons and youths in general to improve their communication skills, patriotism, national strategic thinking, advocacy and counseling.
Ministries, Departments and Agencies will continue to produce and publish comprehensive impact-based reports on implemented projects and other youth-related initiatives which are supported by evidence and statistics for the benefit of the public. @NyembeziMu
Online Reporter