Participants at the launch
THE WEST African Network for Peace Building (WANEP) has called for increasing youth participation in decision-making processes to reduce youth vulnerability to violence in order to build resilient societies.
Speaking at the launch of the think-tank’s Youth Transformational Empowerment and Mentorship (Y-TEaM) programme in Accra yesterday, Josiane Sombo, Youth and Peace Education Programme Officer of WANEP, said the West Africa Region, which has one of the fastest growing and youthful population on the continent, has over 64 percent of its citizens under the age of 24.
This, according to him, presented both an opportunity and a challenge for the continent if appropriate investments were made in youth development to supports the continent’s development, and also should the states fail to turn their demographic assets into economic dividend-creating opportunities for youth development.
He said “In recent years, the region has witnessed a wave of instability predominantly fueled by unconstitutional political transitions, electoral disputes, communal and religious clashes among others in various contexts, young people as a result of manipulations due to their economic vulnerability have played key roles in conflicts acting as combatants or perpetrators of violence”.
Mrs. Sombo said the Y-TEaM programme is expected to be held annually targeted at about 30 graduate who are 18 years and above.
The graduate would undergo capacity building and training customized to meet the needs of young people, interactive lectures using case studies, expert discussions to enhance critical n thinking for sustainable peace.
For his part, Kennedy Zaro Barsisa, Head of Division, Youth Sports and Employment, Department of Social Affairs and Gender, ECOWAS Commission, said the programme would go a long way to guide young people to achieve their potential.
He, therefore, recommended that young people should be included in the fight against all forms violence to empower them towards sustainable peace.
Regional Coordinator for Monitoring and Evaluation, WANEP, Vincent Azumah, said though the initiative was piloted as a game changer across West Africa to harness the potential of the youth and prevent them from engaging in acts that had the tendency to undermine the peace of member states.
The launch brought together officials of WANEP in the sub-region.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah