BY IREEN KAYIRA
The National Youth Council (NYCOM) has embarked on a process of making sure young people realise the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This is being done in collaboration with Voluntary Service Oversees (VSO) and other stakeholders.
Speaking with Malawi News Agency in Lilongwe NYCOM Chief Executive Officer, Dingiswayo Jere said young people need to look at the commitments in the SDGs and what is it that as a country we are committed to achieve and how far it has gone.
“The process is starting now and I’m sure when we get the voices from the field we will be able to come up with how far we have gone in terms of implementing SDGs more especially those that affect the youth,” Jere said .
He said the success of the SDGs was a challenge because young people are not aware of them.
“The problem was with us leaders as we did not take the SDGs down to the people and make them understand them in the local context.
“With support from VSO, we will go in the communities to find out their views and how we have fared as a country on SDGs,” Jere added.
VSO head of programs, Jimmy Kawaye said their main aim is to make sure that the youth actively participate in the development of the country and in the implementation of the SDGs.
He said they will go across the country in all regions with a sample of districts where they will reach out to the youth in their clubs.
“We want to find out from them on how they have assessed the SDGs and where we need to improve.
“We hope that with this consultation, we are going to improve the implementation in terms of the structure and people involved and money to be channeled,” Kawaye said.
He said this will help develop an advocacy strategy in terms of what they should do to achieve the commitments Malawi government has made.
