AfriNYPE reviews youth policy situations on the continent. Policy matter is dynamic and constantly changing to meet current situations and challenges. In line with Baku declaration, the renewed commitment to youth policy implementation across the world is paramount to achieving global development in line with the priority areas of the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY). We are striving to ensure that youth policy situation in each African countries conform with standard that can facilitate development by UN country members in the entire region. Within the context of ongoing social transformations, sustainable human development depends on the well-being of youth and on how far their concerns and aspirations are addressed with and for them, through participatory and inclusive policies.
In every anticipated achievement, advocacy is crucial. Our advocacy works are in two phases – popularisation and implementation. AfriNYPE is committed to drawing attention of the continent’s youth, government and stake-holders to youth policy. Apparently, not up to 40% of African youth population are aware of existence of youth policies and how YP can affect their lives positively. As a regional network that federates youth policy issues on the continent, with growing country membership of 38 African countries and over 800 individual members, our base strength for advocacy is growing wider. We project that in 5 years to come, awareness of youth policy would have doubled with 80% growth at 60% implementation rate. Though the growing state of youth policy globally is encouraging,
“As of April 2014, of 198 countries, 122 countries (62%) have a national youth policy, up from 99 (50%) in 2013. Across all continents, 37 states (19%) are either developing a new or revising their current youth policy, down from 56 (28%) in 2013. 31 countries have no national youth policy at the moment (16%), down from 43 (22%) in 2013. Of those, 14 are in Africa, 9 in Asia, 5 in the Americas, and 3 in Europe.” Source – ‘state of youth policy 2014’.
…the rate is an indication that government of various countries are coming to the realities that youth policy is the right tool to respond to the needs of young people and their aspirations. But it is worrisome that Africa still tops the statistic of continents with least number of nations that have adopted youth policies.
AfriNYPE is a consortium of youth policy experts offering professional expertise to support countries in the continent for drafting, reviewing and drive for youth policy implementation. AfriNYPE will be providing technical assistance to governments, national youth councils, International Organisations on Youth Policy formulation, operationalization, Monitoring & Evaluation.
Through various programmes, events and activities, AfriNYPE intends to build capacity of Africa’s youth leaders and young people who are engaged in various thematic areas, knowing well that policy formulation is essential for the success of every thematic area in development work. Our efforts in this direction will include seminar, workshop and training programmes. The ground objective here is to pass on intellectual properties in youth policy matters to leaders of various youth organisations, networks and platforms for onward multiplier effects on larger membership of their organisations.
AfriNYPE is expanding its capacity base for research on policy matters concerning the youth. We have established research department that seeks to affirm real reasons that hinder youth policy issues in Africa. The research department provides fact file and updates about youth policy condition country by country, proffer solutions and drive process for improving the situation where possible. The fact file will be published online from time to time as knowledge house for evidence-based youth policy information in Africa.
