Zambia deliberates at the Summit of the Future Action Days meeting during the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York, dubbed #YouthLead for the future – ‘We believe in the promise of a better world for all’.

Speaking during the meeting, Community Development and Social Services, Permanent Secretary, Ms. Angela Kawandami, who was representing Honourable Minister for Youth, Sport and Arts, Mr. Elvis Nkandu, highlighted processes which the Government of the Republic of Zambia undertook in formulating the National Youth Policy.”

Ms. Kawandami explained that nationwide consultations were conducted to give the young people an opportunity to provide feedback into the Policy and a bottom – up approach was used to have an inclusive policy in order encourage as many youths as possible to participate.

Further, Ms. Kawandami iterated that young people were leaders of today and tomorrow and that government recognized the intelligence, energy and passion of young people as a great resource in addressing challenges of today and of the future.

This process of consultation was therefore recommended to other states in order to obtain full participation of the youth.

Also speaking at the same event were youth representatives from several countries which included the Namibian Minister of Information, Emma Theofelus, who stated how leveraging on ICT infrastructure could be used to engage the youth and disseminate information.

“The youth do not want anything for them that excludes them”