PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Gambia: 10th Anniversary of the African Youth Charter commemorated in Banjul
Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - The African Union Commission (AUC), in collaboration with the Gambian government, and with the support of partners - UNFPA, UNESCO, UNAIDS, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative (GESCI), and the Commonwealth - on Saturday began celebrations commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the African Youth Charter.
According to a report on the African Union (AU) website, the Commission said the five-day event (21-25 May, 2016) is called Banjul+10 AYC commemoration.
It said the main objective of the Banjul+10 AYC commemoration is to provide a common platform for Member States to conduct a peer review of their investments to “prepare the future” for Africa’s youth.
Other objectives are:-
• To provide a high-level political forum for inter-generational discourse and advocacy, stakeholders’ interaction, agenda setting and celebration of African youth Initiatives.
• To showcase the progress Africa youth are making across all fields of human endeavour surviving against all odds, leading innovation, creativity and public service.
• To ensure and facilitate broad based and inclusive consultations that will set the baseline for assessing progress in the youth development targets of Africa’s growth and development paradigm beyond 2015.
• To provide an avenue for discussion on the proposed Africa’s demographic framework that will guide the application of a youth lens at all levels and in the rollout of the AU 2063 Agenda, and
• Commemoration of the African Liberation Day in Banjul, The Gambia, in May 2016.
Member States of the African Union Commission, the Pan African Youth Union, Regional Youth Organizations, National Youth Councils, Civil society, Diaspora Youth; Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Partners in Youth Development, Youth Champions, and the Media, are attending the event.
Official sources said the expected outcome from the event will be as follows:-
• Renewed impetus for the implementation of the African Youth Charter, towards Youth Development and Empowerment in Africa.
• Banjul+10 declaration and two years action towards accelerated implementation of the African Youth Decade Plan of Action.
• Draft of roadmap of activities for the commemoration of AU 2017 theme on “Harnessing Demographic Dividend through investments in youth”.
• Raised awareness for promoting youth employability, entrepreneurship and innovation, and
• Propose mechanisms for the establishment of the African Union Chairperson’s Envoy on Youth.
Adopted by African Union Heads of State and Government at the Seventh Ordinary Session of the AU Summit in Banjul, Gambia, in July 2006, the African Youth Charter (AYC) is a political and legal document which serves as a strategic framework that gives direction for youth empowerment and development at continental, regional and national levels.
The AYC aims to strengthen, reinforce and consolidate efforts to empower young people through meaningful youth participation and equal partnership in driving Africa's development agenda.
So far, 42 countries have signed the charter, and 38 have ratified it. It was one of the fastest ratified legal instruments of the African Union for recognizing and honouring the place of youth. Beyond Africa, the African Youth Charter is well known and has inspired international youth Forums, organizations, and policies in Europe, South America, UN agencies amongst others.
-0- PANA VAO 22May2016
According to a report on the African Union (AU) website, the Commission said the five-day event (21-25 May, 2016) is called Banjul+10 AYC commemoration.
It said the main objective of the Banjul+10 AYC commemoration is to provide a common platform for Member States to conduct a peer review of their investments to “prepare the future” for Africa’s youth.
Other objectives are:-
• To provide a high-level political forum for inter-generational discourse and advocacy, stakeholders’ interaction, agenda setting and celebration of African youth Initiatives.
• To showcase the progress Africa youth are making across all fields of human endeavour surviving against all odds, leading innovation, creativity and public service.
• To ensure and facilitate broad based and inclusive consultations that will set the baseline for assessing progress in the youth development targets of Africa’s growth and development paradigm beyond 2015.
• To provide an avenue for discussion on the proposed Africa’s demographic framework that will guide the application of a youth lens at all levels and in the rollout of the AU 2063 Agenda, and
• Commemoration of the African Liberation Day in Banjul, The Gambia, in May 2016.
Member States of the African Union Commission, the Pan African Youth Union, Regional Youth Organizations, National Youth Councils, Civil society, Diaspora Youth; Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Partners in Youth Development, Youth Champions, and the Media, are attending the event.
Official sources said the expected outcome from the event will be as follows:-
• Renewed impetus for the implementation of the African Youth Charter, towards Youth Development and Empowerment in Africa.
• Banjul+10 declaration and two years action towards accelerated implementation of the African Youth Decade Plan of Action.
• Draft of roadmap of activities for the commemoration of AU 2017 theme on “Harnessing Demographic Dividend through investments in youth”.
• Raised awareness for promoting youth employability, entrepreneurship and innovation, and
• Propose mechanisms for the establishment of the African Union Chairperson’s Envoy on Youth.
Adopted by African Union Heads of State and Government at the Seventh Ordinary Session of the AU Summit in Banjul, Gambia, in July 2006, the African Youth Charter (AYC) is a political and legal document which serves as a strategic framework that gives direction for youth empowerment and development at continental, regional and national levels.
The AYC aims to strengthen, reinforce and consolidate efforts to empower young people through meaningful youth participation and equal partnership in driving Africa's development agenda.
So far, 42 countries have signed the charter, and 38 have ratified it. It was one of the fastest ratified legal instruments of the African Union for recognizing and honouring the place of youth. Beyond Africa, the African Youth Charter is well known and has inspired international youth Forums, organizations, and policies in Europe, South America, UN agencies amongst others.
-0- PANA VAO 22May2016
