The World Assembly of Youth (WAY) is the international coordinating body of national youth councils and organisations. The full members of WAY are national youth councils. WAY has 120 member organisations from all continents. In this bulletin: Ireland, Namibia, Fiji, St. Lucia, The Gambia, Swaziland, Botswana, Australia, Angola, USA, Pakistan, Rusia, Denmark, Taiwan, Jordan, New Zeland, Malawi, Belgium, Slovenia.

IRELAND : Alcohol ad code should go farther, say groups

NAMIBIA : New sex journal for youth ; Minister launches youth week at Oshakati ; Favourites for youth seat await nominations

FIJI : National youth council needed

NIGERIA : Don't incite youths, NYCN warns politicians

ST. LUCIA : April is national youth month

THE GAMBIA : Secy Gai inaugurates NAYCONF NOC 2008

SWAZILAND : Tractor for Dlangeni, laMgabhi youth

BOTSWANA : Campaigns foster change on youth ; Youth complain about Khama cabinet ; The disabled feel left out in AIDS war

AUSTRALIA : Teens living rough double

ANGOLA : Government to build 2,000 houses for youths ; Youth council calls for adherence to registration posts

USA : Roper wrangles youth service award

PAKISTAN : Draft national youth policy 2008 finalised ; Programme for unemployed young people ‘to be improved’

RUSIA : Deputies of Primorye youth council adopt amendments

DENMARK : Youth council to speak english

TAIWAN : Youth policy white paper symposium held in Taipei city ; Ex-lawmaker KMT named to lead youth affairs council ; After-school cramming' top worry among youths

JORDAN : Al-Aman fund hosts beneficiary lunch and workshop on the occasion of Arab orphan day

NEW ZEALAND : ‘Urge’ for young people

MALAWI : Malawi launches youth sexual health and HIV action plan

BELGIUM : Changes in youth policy urgently needed

SLOVENIA : EU youth event opens in Ljubljana

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IRELAND

Alcohol ad code should go farther, say groups

Dublin, 25 April - TOUGHER restrictions on alcohol advertisements designed to protect young people do not go far enough, youth support groups argued last night.

Codes of practice were unveiled yesterday for the promotion of alcohol on TV, radio and in cinemas.

The Department of Health announced the changes a day after the Government unveiled stricter laws for the sale of alcohol.

Under the changes to the voluntary advertising code, alcohol promotion will be restricted to 25% of all TV, radio, cinema and billboard advertisements.

The previous limit was 33% of all advertisements.

Other changes include:

* Restrictions on times and places where alcohol advertisements can appear.

* Limits on alcohol sponsorship during broadcasting of sports programmes.

* In line with existing practices, the alcohol industry cannot sponsor under-18 sporting games or leagues.

* A working group will look at the sponsoring of large events like concerts.

* Breakfast TV (6am-10am) to be treated as children’s viewing and will not carry alcohol advertising.

* No TV “sting” or “whistle” advertising spots for alcohol during game breaks.

* Advertising banned during programmes where under-18s make up more than 25% of the audience.

* No outdoor alcohol advertising within 100 metres of a youth club, scouts or girl guides venue. This rule already applies to schools.

Launching the changes, Health Promotion Minister Pat “the Cope” Gallagher said the restrictions were part of the Government’s “ongoing response” to the problem of alcohol misuse in society.

But youth interest groups said there was nothing new or more stringent in the measures.

Alcohol Action Ireland said it was “extremely disappointed”. “We know advertising has an input on young people’s attitude, perceptions and expectancy of alcohol. These [codes] do not go in any way far enough to make a difference,” said executive director Marion Rackard.

The group, which highlights drink-related harm, said the Government was tackling the issue of alcohol misuse at a “snail’s pace for a greyhound problem”.

They want alcohol ads banned on TV from 7am to 10pm and more public health officials and young people advising on advertising changes.

The National Youth Council of Ireland said any restrictions needed to be statutory and not just voluntary. The new code was a “window-dressing exercise”. A code was just self-regulation for the industry, said director Mary Cunningham.

The Department of Health said the changes would be published in the next four weeks and implemented as soon as possible.

The Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland claimed the codes were among the toughest in the world and would “shield” under-18s from alcohol ads.

Director Rosemary Garth said the federation was glad “inflexible and ineffective legislation” had not been used for the restrictions.

[IrishExaminer]

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NAMIBIA

New sex journal for youth

Windhoek, 10 April - A journal aimed at educating school-going youths as well as adults on their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS infections will be launched this morning at the Hage Geingob School by the National Social Marketing Programme (NaSoMa).

According to a press release, this organization was established in 2000 in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Social Services.

The current programme activities are funded by the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW and the Namibian Global Fund Programme.

"NaSoMa's key objective is to improve access to quality male and female condoms at affordable prices through an effective and responsive service delivery. A further aim is to disseminate information and educate target groups with relevant information, and to prevent HIV transmission through its Behavioral Change Communication (BCC) strategy," the executive director of the organization, H. Gowaseb said in the statement.

In implementing its Behaviour Change Communication strategy, NaSoMa uses a risk-reduction approach to target vulnerable groups who are at high risk of HIV infection and transmission.

"These groups include commercial sex workers (CSWs), mobile workers as well as in- and out-of-school youth. The youth journal has been developed for in-school youth collectively with contributions from the National Youth Council (NYC) and selected schools across the country," he said.

The main objectives of the journal are to:

* Enable youth to identify and understand their vulnerability to STI's, including HIV/AIDS infection;

* Create dialogue on reproductive health issues, complementing life skills activities at schools;

* Reinforce messages around positive behaviour change.

"The journal is targeting both urban and rural school learners in all 13 regions of the country, and will be distributed at no cost. It provides an opportunity for youth to learn more on making informed decisions about sex, relationships, peer pressure, alcohol and drugs, causes of STI's, including HIV/AIDS amongst young people, and other health related matters.
"Youth have the right to be involved and their valuable contributions make programmes relevant and sustainable. It further allows them to build confidence and gain problem solving skills which will ultimately allow them to survive high-risk situations," he concluded.

[New Era]

Minister launches youth week at Oshakati

Oshakati, 23 April - THE First National Youth Week was launched by the Deputy Minister of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture, Pohamba Shifeta, at Oshakati on Monday.

Youth Week will end on Sunday, and is being attended by youth representatives from all 13 regions.

Shifeta said April 27 would from now on be celebrated as Youth Day and Youth Week will become an annual event.

Shifeta said the National Youth Council Bill had been drafted and was ready to table in Parliament.

"This is something we as youth of Namibia have to be proud of, because our contributions, as youth organisations, accelerated the process " he said.

He called upon all Namibian youth to contribute to social and economic development.

Shifeta also called upon the youth to respect their elders and not to insult them, for example on radio talk shows.

Like our Founding Father, he has retired and needs to rest; he wants peace in his retirement days.

Why molest and disturb him in his retirement?" he said.

At the same occasion, National Youth Council Secretary General Juliet Kavetuna, who is also a Member of Parliament, called upon all young people attending Youth Week to go for HIV testing this week.

[Oswald Shivute]

Favourites for youth seat await nominations

Windhoek, 24 April - ALL candidates except one, that are understood to be vying for the position of Secretary General of the National Youth Council, have come out in public regarding the vacant post.

Former youth officer, Sydney !Ganeb, currently studying in South Africa is the only candidate who confirmed to New Era that he has no real interest in the position.

"My studies take centre stage at this point, so I am not running," revealed !Ganeb in a telephone interview.

Whilst !Ganeb is not running, the other candidates Algerian-based youth activist Mandela Kapere, Veiko Nekundi and Julius Nyerere Namoloh have noted that "as individuals" they no interest in the position but will consider applying for the position if approached by the SWAPO Party Youth league or any other organisation.

"All I can say on record is that I am a member of three organisations affiliated to the National Youth Council and these are the SWAPO Party Youth League, NANSO and the Young Peoples Division of the African Methodist Church (AME-YPD), and I have a close association with the Erongo Regional Youth Forum. None of them have approached me to serve, so no, I am not standing.

Should I be approached by the SWAPO Party Youth League, I will be strongly inclined to consider such a proposition seriously," announced Kapere.

Namoloh, currently the Senior Accountant at the NYC, echoed similar sentiments.

"If people ask me and nominate me, of course I will consider to stand for the position. If any entity feels that I am competent enough, I will take up the challenge for the position," said Namoloh.

He was quick to point out that preferably, he would like the endorsement of his nomination to emanate from the SPYL.

"Preferably, but not necessarily, any organisation in the structure if it feels that they want me, it is fine with me," said Namoloh.

Namoloh's situation is precarious in the sense that if elected, he would have to relinquish his position as a senior accountant.

Concern has been raised about Namoloh's situation, but he assured New Era that it is not the first time this has happened. Namoloh said that if he gets to act until the General Youth Assembly (GYA), they would have to hire someone to take care of the finance division in close consultation with the SG.

In 2005, Namoloh acted briefly in the position. However, this time if the same scenario repeats itself, Namoloh will have to act for a longer period, as the GYA is only expected to meet in December 2009.

Nekundi, employed with the City of Windhoek at the Community Development Division, has also indicated that he will only stand if the SPYL nominates him.

Nekundi, the current Secretary for Economic Affairs of the SPYL, said, "I would consider the position if the party wants me to take over the position. I don't have a problem with that, but it should come from the structures," said Nekundi.

The structure Nekundi is referring to is the SPYL, which is also affiliated to the NYC.

The NYC has a variety of affiliated organisations, ranging from youth groups, youth forums, church-based youth organisations, local chapters of international youth groups such as the Young Christian Women's Association (YCWA) and also political youth organisations such as the youth leagues of various parties.

Approached for comment, SPYL-SG Elijah Ngurare said the SPYL cannot make any pronouncement on the issue at this stage. He said procedurally, the NYC's outgoing SG would have to initiate correspondence and only then will the youth league identify a candidate within its ranks.

"There are procedures to be followed and procedurally it must first come from the NYC to the youth league, requesting for our position - only then will we avail ourselves," he said.

Outgoing SG of the NYC Juliet Kavetuna has not initiated the correspondence yet.

"I am still to write that letter and currently, it is just names that are coming in and going out," said Kavetuna in reference to candidates whose names are being speculated for the position.

The General Youth Assembly, the highest decision-making organ in the NYC, is likely to sit next year in December.

However, the time might be cut short if the National Youth Council Bill still to be tabled in Parliament comes into effect. Should that happen, an Extraordinary General Youth Assembly will be summoned. All this depends on the Bill being signed into an Act before December 2009.

Should this happen, it means that the National Youth Council will dissolve and re-establish itself as an entity established under an Act of Parliament and not a Cabinet resolution, as is the case presently.

[ New Era]

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FIJI

National youth council needed

Suva, 20 April - YOUTHS of Fiji should start lobbying for a national youth council, the Young People's Concerned Network said.

Spokesman Peter Waqavonovono made the comments today following revelations that Youth ministry staff Rupeni Silimaibau represented the interests of youths at the National Council for Building a Better Fiji.

He said a national youth council should be a body that could clearly represent youths and hold the mandate of youth.

We the YPCN only hold the mandate of youth activists, who come from a wide spectrum of NGO's and civil society. Even we cant clearly say we represent youths. But Rupeni is under the impression that he does, Mr Waqavonovono said.

He refuted Mr Silimaibaus earlier claim that the Provincial Youth Forum nominated a representative from its members to join the NCBBF.

Mr Waqavonovono said as far as he knew, Mr Silimaibau was on the NCBBF in his individual capacity.

The PYFFI did not nominate a representative. The PYFFI consists of youth representatives of different provincial councils.

Rupeni is the government employed project officer. He is not an executive of the PYFFI as we know it. The PYFFI executives should have at least met to decide whether they want to support the charter there has been no clear mandate to do so. Rupeni is a classic opportunist, he has no clear mandate to be on the NCBBF, he said.

Mr Waqavonovono said the presidents mandate had no links to the Peoples Charter.

If Mr Silimaibau has justified his position on the charter on the president's mandate, he has lied to the nation once again. We call on him again to stop saying that the youth of this nation support something that is not legal and unconstitutional like the charter, he said.

Mr Waqavonovono said Mr Silimaibau should be serious and ask the PYFFI executives to validate his position.

He called on Mr Silimaibau to stop making statements that youths wanted the charter.

The youths of this nation want employment, better health services, a more effective education system, a stable economy, and better opportunities, Mr Waqavonovono said.

Mr Silimaibau could not be reached for comment.

[The Fiji Times]

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NIGERIA

Don't incite youths, NYCN warns politicians

Lagos, 22 April - THE National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), has warned politicians in Edo State against inciting youths against what it described as constituted authorities, just as it urged the youths to shun politicians who use them as thugs.

The Council also expressed support for the desire of the Governor Oserheimen Osunbor led administration in the state to transform the state from its underdeveloped level.

In a press conference jointly addressed by the NYCN Chairman, Mr. Sidney Osawaru and Secretary, Mr. Omokhodion Gerry-Boi in Benin, the council added that as a stakeholder in Edo State, it had noted with satisfaction the positive impact which the Osunbor administration had made in the lives of the people of the state since he assumed office as Governor.

It therefore regretted that politicians would want to destabilize the prevailing peace in the state by calling out youths to cause mayhem because of their ambitions, declaring, however, that the youths are now wiser than they were in the last few years and nobody could use them for their own selfish interest any longer.

According to Osawaru, "It is worthy of note that in just eleven months of  the present administration of Governor Osunbor, it has impacted on the life of every Edo man and woman. Furthermore, the youth in Edo State would agree with us that this present administration has in these eleven months transformed Edo State.

"That is why we are of the view that the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal, having observed gross violation of the Electoral Act 2006 in the 14 April 2007 governorship election in the state, should have nullified the poll and called for a fresh election.

We specifically commend the Governor for the ongoing construction and rehabilitation of over 40 roads in the state, such as Textile Mill Road, Benin - Iguobazuwa, St Saviour, Okhokhuo-Ekiadolor Road Upper Sokponba and the Okpoji-Ugbegun-Igueben Roads .

[Vanguard]

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ST. LUCIA

April is national youth month

Castries, 7 April - The Ministry of Social Transformation, Public Service, Human Resource Development, Youth and Sports in collaboration with all major stakeholders in youth development, such as the National Youth Council (NYC), the Uniformed groups and the District and Community Youth Organizations acknowledges the month of April as National Youth Month.

This year’s celebration is being held under the theme established for the Independence Celebration: Progressing in the face of Global Challenges.

The national program for the celebration of Youth Month commences with messages to youth at church services island-wide this Saturday and Sunday.

Other activities on the schedule include:

April 5: A Strategic Planning Workshop for Youth, at the Palm Haven Hotel from 9:30 am. The activity is in collaboration with the Commonwealth Youth Program Caribbean Centre. The facilitator is Dwynetter Eversely, Program Officer from the Commonwealth Youth Program Caribbean Centre. The activity is of significant importance to the Ministry of Social Transformation. It will provide a forum for stakeholder organizations to review and dialogue on the Strategic Planning Framework for the Department of Youth and Sports.

April 12: A Youth ExposÈ in partnership with the National Youth Council. This activity will be staged in the village of Anse la Raye. The event is aimed at harnessing and encouraging the talents of young persons through calypso, steel band, dance, ex-tempo, reggae etc. Young persons from all communities are encouraged to showcase their cultural and artistic abilities. The department has also partnered with some of St Lucia’s top reggae and calypso artistes in staging this event

May 3: The National Youth Awards. A gala event to recognize and reward the achievements of young persons contributing towards the development of St Lucia. Of major significance this year is the establishment of an Awards and Recognition Committee. Among its terms and references the Committee is mandated to make recommendations to the department on appropriate recognition and compensation for outstanding youth.

April 10-11: Dance of the Village. A theatrical presentation will be hosted and directed by Barry George and the Silver Shadows Dance Academy at the National Cultural Center

April 13: A Musical Drama Presentation by Kiddies Adventure Pre-School will be held at the National Cultural Centre. Also forming part of the activities is the National Youth Parliament and the on- going National Schools Debating Competition. Youth month activities will be celebrated in communities around the island and the public is invited to support the activities in their respective communities.

[The Star]

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THE GAMBIA

Secy Gai inaugurates NAYCONF NOC 2008

Banjul, 10 April - The Secretary of State for Youth and Sports, the Honourable Mass Axi Gai, presided yesterday over the inaugural ceremony of the National Organising Committee (NOC) for the National Youth Conference and Festival, NAYCONF, scheduled to take place at Farafenni in December, 2008.

Addressing the committee at Independence Stadium, SOS Gai said that President Jammeh has put youth matters atop the agenda of his government noting that the government and its partners will do everything possible to support the upcoming event.

Secretary of State Gai told the committee that the success of NAYCONF lies entirely on the hands of the NOC and called on them to make sure that they properly plan and implement the activities of the event.

“NAYCONF has not been budgeted for but I will do everything possible with the help of my able technicians to raise funds for the program,” he said.

Speaking earlier, the chairperson of the National Youth Council, Mr. Alhagie Kebbeh, said that in 2006 when the event was hosted in Brikama, the major constraints were financial and organisational problems at the regional level. He added that it is the responsibility of the host region to better prepare itself for the task that lies ahead.

He also used the occasion to commend President Jammeh for his generous support during the last NAYCONF in Brikama.

Mr. Malang Jassey, Director of Youth and Sports, said NAYCONF is a forum where the views of young people are taken into consideration and talents are identified in the area of sports.

Other speakers at the occasion included the executive secretary of the National Youth Council, Pa Malick Ceesay.

The biennial event brings together five hundred young people from all over the country and the world and enables them to have a greater understanding of the issues affecting them. It also teachers them to accept each other more readily and to explore means through which they can contribute to national development. The components of this years NAYCONF include the conference, Cultural shows, performances, a carnival, award ceremony, sporting activities and a beauty contest.

The theme for this year is; “Invest in Youth for Sustainable Development.”

The 2008 NOC has Mr. Fabakary Kalleh of YAP as the chairperson of the Accommodation and Health sub-heath committee, Mr, Musa Mbye Director NYSS as the chairperson of Feeding Sub-committee, Mr. Lamin Camara as the conference sub-committee chairperson, Director Youth and sports Malang Jassey as Protocol and transportation chairperson with Mr. Donal Sock chairing the Sport Sub-committee. Meanwhile, other sub-committees include security and safety, finance, marketing, publicity and fundraising as well as culture and award sub-committee.

The sub themes of the conference include a report on the progress made on the review of the national youth policy, youth PRSP II strategies and the MDGs, youth migration, employment creation and sustainable livelihoods, sexual reproductive health, youth and HIV/AIDs, child protection and girls empowerment in nation building.

[The Point]

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SWAZILAND

Tractor for Dlangeni, laMgabhi youth

Mbabane, 4 April - THE Ministry of regional development and youth affairs has donated a tractor to the youth of Dlangeni and laMgabhi communities, under the Hhukwini constituency.

The presentation was made on Wednesday at laMgabhi High School during a Youth Maize Block Farming project field day.

The Taiwan Technical Mission, in its overall objective to join the local government’s efforts to increase the national agricultural productivity through the provision of technical and financial assistance, donated E95 000 towards the projects. These involve maize, sweet potatoes, sorghum, sunflower, cassava and poultry farming.

The youth Chairperson Waley Dlamini said the area's youth were part of the Swaziland National Youth Council (SNYC) empowerment programme running in all the 54 constituencies of the Kingdom. He added that they engaged in the project as a result of consultations with the Hhohho extension officer, who negotiated with the Taiwanese mission for financial assistance.

“We are grateful to Her Majesty the Indlovukazi, who believed in us and gave us a portion of land at the Royal farm in Dlangeni," said Dlamini, adding that they had used 30 hectares for the maize and vegetable project.

He mentioned that the area's youth were very excited about the support they had been receiving from the two ministries, the Taiwan Technical Mission staff, especially the Hhohho specialist, Shiau, as their advisor in the project and SNYC as the youth coordinator. “Other people who have contributed to the success of this project involve our MP Quinton Zwane, who appealed to Her Majesty the Indlovukazi for the land we are using for the project," Dlamini said.

The chairperson further revealed that for their poultry project, they have a stock of 200 chickens, which were ready for selling, also urging the Hhukwini youth to take part in such projects for they were promising.

Minister of Regional Development and Youth Affairs Chief Sipho Shongwe described the Dlangeni and laMgabhi youth as people with a vision and deserved the support. Speaking at Hhukwini High School hall later in the day, he said the time for 'cheese boys and cheese girls' had elapsed. He added that young people should put more effort in their lives because it was in such projects that employment was found.

Shongwe urged the Taiwan Technical Mission Chief Chang Ching Yeh to assist with an irrigation plan for the project, adding that this comes after a plea made by the youth to have an irrigation system for their fields. The minister further implored the area's MP to make sure that the tractor was delivered, also requesting that they forward the quotations to the ministry.

Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Mtiti Fakudze said the Hhukwini youth should use the land for producing more income generating projects, adding that the area was good for farming.

He praised the youth for their good work and encouraged them to engage in diversified farming. Fakudze said they should also involve the rearing of goats and cows for milk as they could make even more money out of it.

“Do not be misled by the people who say goat milk causes scabies because it does not. Take it from me, I use that milk and I have no scabies," said the minister, adding that goat milk was actually medicinal. He added that goat milk penetrates the body in 20 minutes and yet cow’s milk takes six hours to do so.

Fakudze advised the youth to produce more of sweet potatoes than maize because they generate a higher income compared to maize. He added that they should aim for profit and avoid crops that are expensive to grow as this minimises their profits.

“Avoid doing things on your own, continue to listen to the advisors available to you and you will succeed,” he said. The minister also warned the youth to avoid jealousy, pointing out that the country was not developing at the desired level because of such.

“Where there is jealousy there is no success and as you are here, one may feel that if only the project was his or hers alone, it would give them more money,” he stated, adding that jealousy put a person in no better situation.

Fakudze further urged the youth to take care of the tractor and use it to generate income for the youth club through giving service to the community.

. . . SNYC contributes E16 000

THE Swaziland National Youth Council (SNYC), as an organisation that empowers the youth with life skills, offered Hhukwini Youth Club a sum of E16 000, with E11000 being spent on the Youth Maize Block Farming project field day on Wednesday.

SNYC CEO Maxwell Jele said the organisation has been supportive to the youth club from the very beginning, mentioning that on August 17, 2007 they hosted a youth day at Hhukwini to encourage the youth from rural areas to partake in youth activities.

He assured the youth that the SNYC would continue supporting them, further revealing that for yesterday’s event, the organisation spent E11 000 on transport and refreshments.

Jele expressed gratitude to Her Majesty the Indlovukazi for giving the land to the youth, saying it was encouraging for the young people to be provided with such assistance.

“We decided to bring all the chairpersons of the other 53 constituencies' youth clubs to come and witness what the Hhukwini youth has done,” Jele said, adding that this was so that they could also be motivated to work hard in their respective areas.

[The Swazi Observer]

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BOTSWANA

Campaigns foster change on youth

Gaborone, 7 April - OTSE Deputy Executive Director of Botswana National Youth Council has challenged the youth and the public to take personal responsibility in the fight against HIV/AIDS and lead in accessing services.

Speaking at the commemoration of Month of Youth Against HIV/AIDS (MYAA), Mr Anthony Morima, said time had come for everyone to share information about HIV/AIDS, raise the nations awareness levels and enhance the citizens resolve to fight the pandemic.

Mr Morima said MYAA campaigns together with the national efforts towards community mobilisation had raised the necessary awareness for the envisioned changes in policy, legal and general implementation environment for youth HIV/AIDS programmes.

He said over the years, the campaigns were geared towards creating a supportive environment towards youth reproductive health projects and programmes, increasing community involvement in the programmes and sensitising the political and community leaders on the legal and policy environment affecting youth reproductive health.

The focus now has to shift towards behavioural change communication campaigns targeting young people, he said.

Mr Morima said recent NACA surveys showed that prevalence of HIV infection among the youth has declined. The results indicate that people, especially the youth, took a right direction in ensuring that they cut the numbers of new infections and keeping the promise not to infect or being infected.

He said they should all be a proud and healthy nation, adding that it was a challenge for all to ensure that there would be no new cases of HIV infections.

The question now is are we going to reach this goal if at the time we do have unplanned pregnancies coupled with unprotected sex with partners of unknown HIV status especially among the youth? Mr Morima said the theme: Commit to a Zero Transmission Lifestyle: Youth Leading by Keeping the Promise to Stop AIDS, required all to know their status, and thereafter keep the promise not to infect others.

He said time had come to reflect on the personal promises of stopping HIV/AIDS and keeping the promise. Regarding HIV testing by men, he said figures indicated that men tested in small numbers and were not using the programmes designed to fight HIV scourge, yet they had the power to decide on issues of sexual relationships.

He commended South East Men Sector for organising campaigns to encourage men to go for HIV tests. He encouraged the youth to abstain from sex and concentrate on their studies and refrain from wayward behaviour until they were ready to make their own families.

A member of the police college health club, Mr Tibawot Mputshane, said young people were faced with challenges such as unemployment, high cost of living and HIV/AIDS infections.

Mr Mputshane said the youth were the mostly worst affected and infected by the virus, adding that despite all those challenges, youth should not give up.

He urged them to be focused and take interest in their individual development by having personal vision and not to engage in high risk behaviours.

He said they should use available government schemes to improve their way of living. Mr Mputshane advised the youth to take the lead in increasing awareness of the impact of HIV/AIDS and in rooting out stigma and fear.

He said fear was a barrier in preventing people from getting tested.

It is high time HIV/AIDS is treated like any other illness and the youth should be front runners in this regard since they are the future of this country, he said. BOPA

[Republic of Botswana]

Youth complain about Khama cabinet

Gaborone, 9 April - PRESIDENT Ian Khama made no consideration for the youth last week when he appointed his new cabinet, complain youth organisations.

In his cabinet appointments, the President left out youthful MPs like Botsalo Ntuane, Edward Raletobane, Ronald Ridge and Kavis Kario who all hold degree qualifications in various fields.

Khama even appointed an old veteran, Gladys Kokorwe to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. Kokorwe, who was the deputy Speaker of Parliament prior to the appointment, served as an assistant minister before.

The fact that Khama has overlooked the youth has not gone down well with organisations that represent the youth.

The chairperson of the Botswana National Youth Council (BNYC), Elias Rantleru said they wanted a young person appointed to the cabinet.

He said Ntuane has been an outstanding MP who addresses issues with a broad mind. "We need people like him. Even elderly people need him," he said.

He said youthful ministers could cater for the interests of the youth. "It is high time that we have youth representatives," he said. However, he has not lost hope as he said the new Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture might do things 'like a mother'.

Rantleru called on the youth to take a more active part in politics.

However, he lamented that political parties do not take young people seriously. He cited the issue of youth leagues, which, he said, were not sponsored by the main parties. He said even resolutions that are passed at youth league congresses are not discussed at the mother body level.

He said young people are used to campaign for old politicians. But he said it is high time that young people use their skills to bargain for more political power. Rantleru said the youth should also take advantage of their numerical strength to vote for one another.

The president of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP)Youth League, Sethibe Sethibe expressed disappointment that Khama did not consider young people in his cabinet reshuffle.

"We thought he was going to do something about youth empowerment. But now it is very clear that he does not want to empower the youth," he said.

Sethibe said Khama's government is going to turn military since he seems to be only interested in working with soldiers.

The publicity secretary of the Botswana National Front (BNF) Youth League, Arafat Khan, said the fact that Khama did not appoint any young person to the cabinet, shows that he is not interested in the youth. "We expected him to appoint youthful MPs like Botsalo Ntuane," said the BNF youth activist.

Over all, Khan dismissed Khama's cabinet as the weakest ever in the country's history. He said some people who do not have a background inhealth like Utlwang Matlhaphiri were appointed to that ministry.

Matlhabaphiri is the new assistant Minister of Health, whilst Lesego Motsumi has been moved from works and transport, to head the ministry.

Khan said Khama was only picking his yes men. He said the President did not explain why he dropped the other ministers.

He charged that even the appointment of Khama's deputy, Mompati Merafhe was based on the fact that they belong to the same faction in the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP)and they are both Bangwato. He added that Khama considered Merafhe because he is also a former military man like him.

He argued that if the appointment of the vice president was based on merit, then Ponatshego Kedikilwe could have been the right person for the job. However, he said, the only problem is that Kedikilwe is from the wrong faction in the BDP.

He described Khama as a dictator because he has appointed his "friend", Isaac Kgosi, as the director of the Directorate on Intelligence and Security Services. "This country is heading for a monarchy and dictatorship," he charged.

[Mmegi]

The disabled feel left out in AIDS war

Gaborone, 17 April - Disabled persons in Botswana have said they have been left out in the fight against HIV/AIDS. 

They said at a two-day workshop this week that it is unfair for anybody to talk about success stories in the fight against AIDS without mentioning young people with disability. The theme of the workshop organised by the Botswana National Youth Council (BNYC) was: 'Commit to Zero Transmission Lifestyles: Youth with Disabilities Leading by Keeping the Promise to Stop AIDS'. It was held at Kagisong Centre in Mogoditshane.

Speaking at the workshop, Shirely Keoagile said it is sad that while people are saying HIV/AIDS rates are now declining, people with disabilities have not been reached.

She said that in the just ended Month of Youth Against AIDS (MYAA) campaigns, no youth with disabilities was reached "which means we are not part of the society". Keoagile said the laws seem to address the problems of non-disabled people. She added that Botswana's response to AIDS is not serving the disabled. "We cannot make significant progress on national AIDS statistics unless government and community efforts better respond to the needs of people with disabilities," she said. She called for an urgent comprehensive national strategy. She said people with disabilities have been silent for many years and it is time to speak out.

"We need to take pride in our national anthem to wake up and rise and tell our government about our rights and concerns," she said.

She said major HIV/AIDS intervention and gender violence programmes do not take into account the specific conditions, needs and experiences of the disabled.

She said it is important for people with disabilities to target and challenge their negative self-image and to raise their voices to be heard. Other disabled people at the workshop shared her sentiments.

[Mmegi]

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AUSTRALIA

Teens living rough double

Canberra, 8 April - The number of Australian teenagers living on the streets has doubled in 20 years to 22,000, and addressing the problem will cost $1 billion over the next decade, according to a report released today.

Society had failed in its duty of care towards its youngest and most vulnerable citizens, the National Youth Council said in its youth homelessness study.

A range of measures were needed to reduce the growing trend, including a national homelessness strategy and early intervention programs, it said.

Mission Australia Queensland director Tony Stevenson agreed and said homelessness was a blight on society that needed to be urgently addressed.

"When the number of homeless teenagers doubles in 20 years, despite us achieving record levels of prosperity in that time, something is seriously wrong," Mr Stevenson said.

"But while the problem is on the increase, it's not insurmountable and the recommendations in the report provide us with a good start for bringing homeless numbers down."

Half of young people who seek emergency assistance are turned away because of inadequate facilities, and a recent study of homeless adults found almost half had spent time in state care and protection programs when they were young.

The system had failed many young people, which indicated a strong need for early intervention, the report said.

Almost half of homeless youth surveyed said they became homeless after a relationship breakdown with their parents or step-parents.

Families at-risk or in conflict needed support at the earliest possible stages, and early intervention was the best way to prevent homelessness, the report said.

Financial difficulties were cited by one-in-three young people as the reason for their homelessness, but the figure is expected to soar in coming years.

As the current housing affordability crisis pushes rents beyond the capacity of most young people, homeless rates are expected to explode, the report found.

The Federal Government's national housing affordability strategy should have a special focus on the needs of young people, it said.

The NYC proposed increased funding for existing programs and the establishment of new services which provided early and on-going support.

Complex issues involving years of neglect could not be resolved with a limited stay at a youth refuge, it said.

Putting an end to youth homelessness would require a total investment of $300 million for the first three years, and an additional $20 million each year after that.

Mr Stevenson said he believed the NYC was "on the money" when it came to the proposed support programs and costing.

"The thing to keep in mind through all this is that we can't treat homeless youth as one homogenous group," he said.

"The needs of a homeless young person in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley are going to be different to a young homeless Indigenous person in a remote Northern Territory community."

[Brisbane Times]

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ANGOLA

Government to build 2,000 houses for youths

Luanda, 12 April – ANGOLAN Government will build over 2,000 houses for youths, in an attempt to meet needs.

This was announced Friday in Luanda by Angolan deputy minister of Youth, Gonçalves Manuel Muandumba.

 The official made the announcement during a meeting he had with leaders oforganisations affiliated to the national youth council held in the capital.

According to him, the official launch of the programme will be done in northern Uige province, as part of the celebrations of the April 14, the ruling MPLA party youth wing day, where the main event will be held.

The project dubbed "youth social compounds" will be a public undertaking, in tended to address the housing problem facing the country and provide a home to about 10,000 people.

[AngolaPress]

Youth council calls for adherence to registration posts

Luanda, 16 April - THE Chairman of the Provincial Youth Council (CPJ) in Cunene has exhorted youths of the region to adhere to the ongoing electoral registration updating process ahead of next September's legislative elections, ANGOP learnt.

Sergio Leonardo Vaz, who was speaking on Monday at an event to commemorate the National Youths Day, April 14, said every youth turning 18 years old until the voting date must be registered.

He underlined that youths are ready to participate in tasks of national reconstruction, fight against illiteracy and defend national sovereignty.

Sergio Leonardo Vaz also urged youths illegally owning firearms to hand them over to the national police.

Presided over by the local governor, Pedro Mutindi, the event was also attended by deputy governors, representatives of political parties, churches, youth associations, among others.

[Angola Press Agency]

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USA

Roper wrangles youth service award

Indiana, 29 April - IN A room full of qualified students, Hamilton Heights High School senior Elizabeth Roper was deemed the most worthy as she was named the 2008 Hamilton County Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs Youth Service Award Winner at a presentation Monday afternoon.

“It’s great. I’m ecstatic,” Roper said. “I was not expecting this at all.” Each Hamilton County public high school, with the exception of Noblesville, submitted one applicant to represent their school.

Hamilton County Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs Executive Director George Kristo said the criteria was based on how active each of the students were in activities the promoted alcohol- and drug-free lifestyles. He said that this year’s group contained seven excellent choices and that the decision was not an easy one.

“Two were very, very tight,” he said.

Not prepared to make an acceptance speech, Roper instead congratulated her peers, the work and accomplishments they have received.

“I applaud you all – being the amazing people you are,” she said. “There are people out here working hard to make their communities drug and alcohol-free.”

Roper is a member of the Hamilton County Teen Drug Advisory Board. She and other board members have conducted the Hamilton County Battle of the Bands the previous two years. The event provides a place for students to meet and have fun without using alcohol and other drugs.

At Hamilton Heights, Roper is involved in her student government, Key Club and is a National Honor Society member. She also plays on the school’s basketball, volleyball and tennis teams. Roper said she is so active because she wants to experience all she can.

“You only have one chance to make the most out of your high school experience,” she said. “It’s worth it.”

Bill Trachtman, Roper’s high school guidance counselor, said that she has worked diligently in both her academics and personal achievements. Roper is ranked first in her graduating class and has devoted countless hours to programs to reduce alcohol and other drug use.

Roper is a member of Point of Youth (POY), the governor’s task force for a drug-free Indiana. She is one of 30 students from across the state that creates the three focus areas that Students Against Destructive Decisions chapters around the state focus on.

She is currently creating a service project entitled “Kick Butt” Day to show unity against smoking and its harmful effects. The community event is scheduled for May 17. Roper said her greatest accomplishment is organizing the event because it not only brings people together for a common cause, but finding support for it has been a learning experience for her.

“I believe that smoking education is a worthy cause since I have seen the effects in my own family,” said Roper, who has two grandparents who have lung cancer. “The more people that I can educate, the more families that will not be affected by lung cancer.”

[Noblesville Daily Times]

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PAKISTAN

Draft national youth policy 2008 finalised

Islamabad, 22 April - YOUTH Affairs Ministry has finalised draft National Youth Policy 2008 this month after hectic efforts of 17 years as the preparation of the draft started in 1990.

The 26-page youth policy covers all segments of rural and urban youths, which are 27 percent of total population.

The policy set out 14 main principles. The first principle is about instilling a sense of pride in youth through awareness of history, national heritage and achievements, and motivation for competition.

Character building is the second principle, which envisages that the youth should adopt Islamic values, ideology of the country, sense of good citizenship, and high standards of morality, gender equality, laws and religion.

National integration through friendship, tolerance and mutual understanding is the third principle. Promotion of sports and intellectual development through scholarships for rural areas and mainstreaming of madrassas are the fourth and fifth principles.

The sixth principle suggests income generation for youth through skill development, entrepreneurship and micro finance. Then comes the youth health and social volunteerism.

The policy also calls for incentives to facilitate talented youth, arrange their marriages, offer incentives to the handicapped, and assist marginalised and vulnerable youth.

It says that youths should be appointed as ambassadors in foreign countries and councillors in local governments.

Organisational structure: An organisational structure has been built for implementation of the policy. According to this structure, the National Youth Council (NYC) will bead the implementation process. The council consists of the prime ministers of Pakistan and AJK, governors and chief ministers of four provinces, youth affairs minister, two representatives of NGOs and five of youth.

The Youth Affairs Ministry will work as a catalyst and co-ordinator between the NYC and ministries of labour and manpower, health, sports, culture, education, population welfare, narcotics control, information, women development, social welfare and special education besides NGOs, philanthropists, and provincial youth councils.

National Youth Fund: The draft envisages that philanthropists, corporations and NGOs would contribute to build National Youth Fund (NYF), which would have seed money from the government, to implement the youth policy.

Critics: Experts feared that involvement of so many ministries would make implementation of the policy next to impossible.

Environment Minister Hameedullah Jan Afridi told Daily Times that the centre had little control over provinces, which caused failure of policies in general.

A senior bureaucrat said monitoring and accountability were vital to make any policy a success. She advised that the Youth Affairs Ministry should run a pilot protect at first before implementing the youth policy.

Others say basic role of NGOs is capacity building but they fail to do so because of shortage of funds and other problems.

[Daily Times]

Programme for unemployed young people ‘to be improved’

Islamabad, 25 April - THE Ministry of Youth Affairs plans to submit a proposal to the Establishment Division for further improving the ongoing National Internship Programme (NIP) that was initiated in March last year.

A project to provide training opportunity to young unemployed graduates, NIP was an initiative of the previous government. Under this programme, unemployed fresh graduates are accommodated on various assignments in the public sector on a monthly stipend of Rs10,000 for one year.

Currently the second batch of students that joined offices in September is working in different government departments at national, provincial and district levels. Candidates are awarded experience certificates on successful completion of internship.

The programme was welcomed by the youth, as unemployment is the one of the biggest issues they currently face. Almost 80,000 applications were received when the program was announced and 20,000 were selected for the first batch.

The past government considered NIP a great success and a feather in its cap. On the other hand critics point out that though the programme provided training to candidates, it had failed to address the issue of unemployment for those who complete one year become unemployed again.

Rumours are current in official circles that the project might be shut down by the new government. But Minister for Youth Affairs Khawaja Saad Rafique negated this and said that he was considering steps to arrange jobs for interns in public and private sector.

Talking to journalists, he said that Ministry for Labour and Manpower would also be involved in chalking out a plan for making this programme address unemployment among youth effectively. He assured that a clear policy regarding youth and culture would be announced within the next three months.

A source in the ministry told ‘The News’ that involvement of private sector in the programme had also been suggested in the recommendations prepared by the ministry’s research section. “We have also demanded that data be collected from each ministry regarding the staff they require in order to have a fair idea as to where these trained youngsters could be accommodated in future,” said the source.

Another suggestion put forth is that interns be given preference in public sector jobs. While pointing out some of the problems faced by interns, the proposal recommended that more facilities be given to them during training. “In addition to lack of training facilities, there were complaints that interns were not given enough importance by the seniors as they joined in for only a little time,” said the source.

Forming a special cell in every ministry has also been suggested in which senior interns will train juniors. The research section has also suggested assessment tests for those selected for jobs within the ministry on successful completion of their internship programme.

[The News]

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RUSIA

Deputies of Primorye youth council adopt amendments

Vladivostok, 15 April - A number of amendments to a bill "On the Youth
Policy" were discussedThe extended session of the Deputies of Primorye
Youth Council of the Primorsky Territory Legislative Assembly was held in
the conference hall of the Primorsky Territory Administration.

As Maya SHALUNOVA, a member of the Federal Political Council of "The Young Guards of the United Russia" informed RIA PrimaMedia, the Deputy Chairman of the Youth Council of Primorye was elected at this session. Natalia KASYAN, a Deputy of Dalnegorsk Municipal Duma, accepted the post.

Besides, the amendment to regulation on the Youth Council establishing the term of the Youth Council membership was adopted; it will expire when the term is served, not when the deputy is 35 as it used to be. The regulation of the YC of the Primorsky Territory Legislative Assembly was also adopted.

The deputies also made an agreement with the inter-regional public youth movement "Students for the future of the country together with the President," discussed a number of amendments to a bill "On the Youth Policy in the Primorsky Territory," formed a working group on development of the draft agreement on cooperation with All-Russia Council of Local Government and Youth Public Chamber of the Magadan Area Duma.

The regular session of the Youth Council of Primorye of the Primorsky Territory Legislative Assembly will be held in mid May.

[Vladivostok Times]

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DENMARK

Youth council to speak english

Copenhagen, 14 April - ON The grounds that it considers inclusion more important than language, the Nordic Youth Council has decided that it will work in English whenever necessary, a move that runs counter to official Nordic language policy, which specifies Norwegian, Swedish and Danish as the working languages.

"Nordic co-operation has to be open to all, not just an exclusive club for Scandinavian speakers," the Nordic Youth Council (UNR) said in a statement on 14 April.

"If language leads to exclusion, then it's time to change the language," according to the Youth Council. The UNR Presidium has accepted the consequences and decided to use English in its work whenever necessary. The UNR is gathered in Stavanger in conjunction with the Nordic Council's

April meetings.

"We need to understand each other," says the UNR President, Lisbeth Sejer Gøtzsche. "Some people don't understand what is being said at the meetings. No matter where people come from, they have trouble understanding the Scandinavian languages," she added.

As President, she believes that language lies at the very core of the Council's work. "I've come to the realisation that it won't make me any less Danish or Nordic if we use English at UNR meetings," she says. She adds that it would be easier to work in the Scandinavian languages if the UNR was to receive greater financial support for interpreters.

"We must accept the fact that knowledge of Scandinavian languages  continues to diminish among the younger generations, and that globalisation has made the Nordic countries more diverse. As a result, we shouldn't take it for granted that everybody in the Region understands and communicates in Scandinavian," the UNR statement says.

The UNR also wishes to draw attention to the need for better coverage of Nordic history and society in the education system.

[Nordic Council]

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MICRONESIA

Chin selected as 2008 youth service supporter of the year

GUAM, 9 April - VICE President Elias Camsek Chin was selected as a 2008 Youth Service Supporter of the Year.

Chin was chosen for his exemplary and continued service to the youth and communities in Micronesia.

Chin was among the top ten individuals and companies who were honored at the 2008 Micronesian Youth Services Network conference recently held in Guam.

Each year, MYSN gives honor to those who have supported youth services and programs throughout the region.

Jennifer Anson, the Vice President’s Executive Assistant accepted the award on his behalf.

The MYSN conference was held from April 1 to 5 2008, and each year the MYSN honors those who have supported youth services and programs throughout the Micronesian region.

The delegates from Palau include Jennifer Anson from the Vice President’s Office, Kenny Reklai from the Koror State Youth Council, Wilson Ngirausui, Chairman of Koror State Legislature Youth Affairs, Vanessa Salii, from Koror State Youth Affairs, Alan Marbou, Chief of the Koror State Youth Division, and Gino Smau, Ivan Blesam, and Apol Adelbai, also from the Koror State Youth Division.

The member countries, of MYSN include Palau, Guam, CNMI, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM).

[Marianas Variety]

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SIERRA LEONE

MEYS to setup national youth commission in Sierra Leone

Freetown, 15 April - THE Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports on Monday 14th April 2008 held a press conference at the National Stadium Hostel, Brookfields in Freetown. The purpose of the briefing was to use the media as partners in development, and to also help the ministry circulate the information of government’s intention to set up a National Youth Commission in the country.

In his speech, the Deputy Minister 1(one), Algasimu Umarr Jah said one of the key challenges facing this country today is the productive engagement of youths. He said to give hope and certainty to the youth, government has pledged to positively support the development youths. He went on to say that during the government retreat at Bumbuna past January, government proposed the setting up of a National Youths Commission to among other things initiate, co-ordinate, implement and monitor youth development programmes countrywide in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders. He said this will ensure a more systematic and comprehensive approach to addressing the numerous challenges faced by youths in Sierra Leone.

The Deputy Minister also disclosed that the ministry is planning to organize a national consultative workshop on youth issues to discuss divers issues including strategies for youth employment and empowerment in line with the government agenda on youth development, provide guidance and direction for the institutional framework for youth development and to secure consensus and generate support both locally and internationally for the purposed commission.

He concluded by calling on youths and all stakeholders to make their inputs by forwarding suggestions as to how the commission should be set up and what should be its undertakings.

The Director of Youths in the ministry, Mr. Anthony Koroma chaired the briefing.

[Awareness Times]

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TAIWAN

Youth policy white paper symposium held in Taipei city

Taipei, 13 April - THE "2008 Symposium on the Results of the Youth Policy White Paper Guidelines" was held Saturday, with government leaders, scholars and youth representatives discussing topics related to youth development, participation, health and protection.

The symposium, sponsored by the National Youth Commission, the Ministry of the Interior,the Ministry of Education and the Department of Health, was held at the Civil Service Development Institute in Taipei City.

Speaking at the opening of the symposium, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung expressed the hope that the conclusions reached at the gathering will help the government in formulating and implementing policies that are more in line with the needs of the nation's youth.

"By promoting such policies, it is hoped that an environment where all Taiwan's young people have an equal opportunity to develop will be created, and the competitiveness of the nation's youth will increase with each generation," he said.

A National Youth Commission official said at the symposium that as youth affairs and policies cannot be handled by a single department, the commission in 2002 invited a group of scholars and representatives of various ministries and agencies to establish the "Youth Affairs Advancement Committee."

He added that the Youth Policy White Paper Guidelines were put forward in 2005 to provide a foundation for the government's general plan for youth affairs, in the areas of youth development, participation, health and protection.

The official further said that youth representatives have been invited to the symposium to give them an opportunity to have their voices heard in order to allow the government to gain a better understanding of the real needs of Taiwan's young people.

Among the many proposals made by youth representatives at the symposium was one related to Internet crime put, forward by Wu Pei-chi, a student at Beitou Junior High School in Changhua County, who took part in the discussion on youth protection.

Wu noted that although Internet crime involving youth, including online dating scams and online fraud, has become more serious in Taiwan, the government has yet to come up with adequate measures to deal with the problem.

She suggested that the government give greater priority to formulating policies and laws to prevent online crime involving young people.

Meanwhile, Liou Hsin-hsiang, a high school student in Hualien County who took part in the discussion on youth health, complained about the lack of literature and fine arts resources in eastern Taiwan and the fact that schools there do not place much importance on the cultural development of students.

She suggested that the government take measures to address these inadequacies in order to create an environment where youth around the country may have the opportunity to develop into well-rounded individuals.

[China Post]

Ex-lawmaker KMT named to lead youth affairs council

Taipei, 21 April - Wang Yu-ting, former legislator of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), was named chairwoman of the National Youth Commission(NYC) by Premier-designate Liu Chao-shiuan yesterday.

Wang, who was elected a legislator representing the constituency of Tainan City, southern Taiwan in 1999 at the age of 26, said she was approached by Liu early last week on the possibility of taking up the post. Wang said that after discussing the offer with her mother, with whom she lives, she decided to accept the challenge.

"Now I'll have to put aside my plans to travel around the world," said Wang, who lost her re-election bid in the Jan.12 legislative poll that elected half the original number of members for the newly revamped 113-seat legislature. Wang served three terms as a KMT legislator from 1999-2007.

Wang said she made a sightseeing trip to the historical Angkor Wat, Cambodia in March and had planned to tour Europe, starting April, as part of her objective to slow down and reflect after having worked non-stop for nearly 10 years.

Wang, a graduate of the Department of Law of Catholic Fu Jen University, said she will try her utmost to implement President elect Ma Ying-jeou's youth policies after the incoming KMT administration takes office May 20.

[China Post]

After-school cramming' top worry among youths

Taipei, 25 April - The results of a recent survey on youth policy conducted by the National Youth Commission (NYC) reveal that most of the youths surveyed would prefer to have no after-school cram studies, the NYC reported yesterday.

The issue was chosen by the country's youths in an online poll authorized by the NYC in a bid to tap the thinking of the younger generation, their likes and dislikes.

The youths' choice of "no more after-school cramming" as their favorite policy indicates that the younger generation crave more leisure and relaxation time in addition to the time they spend studying, NYC officials said.

"My future is not just a dream" was another issue chosen as the No. 2 concern of the youths who responded to the survey, according to NYC officials.

Twenty issues were available in the survey for the youths to list in order of importance, with sex and relationship issues also close to the head of the list, the officials said.

[China Post]

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JORDAN

Al-Aman fund hosts beneficiary lunch and workshop on the occasion of Arab orphan day

Amman, 5 April - ON The occasion of Arab Orphan Day, Al-Aman Fund for the Future of Orphans celebrated by hosting a lunch and interactive workshop for its beneficiaries on Friday, April 4th, 2008. The Fund, an independent non-governmental organization founded by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah in 2006 with the mission of providing a brighter future for Jordan’s orphaned and abandoned youth, organized this event to honor these young men and women on this special occasion, while simultaneously presenting them with the opportunity to interact with each other, gain knowledge, and develop new skills that will help them reach their future goals.

Arab Orphan Day, which falls during the first week of April, was allocated by the League of Arab States as a day to remember this cherished segment of society. It is also an opportunity for society to show appreciation to all those who, on a daily basis, provide care and support to orphaned youth, from devoted care center workers to mothers struggling and sacrificing in order to raise their orphaned children in the best way they possibly can.

During the event, Ms. Samar Dudin, theatre director & writer who is actively engaged in youth culture, headed the interactive workshop entitled “Commitment & Self Responsibility”. Beneficiaries were divided into groups to be able to effectively participate in activities, problem solving and sharing of suggested solutions & opinions. The workshop was followed by a lunch buffet and the distribution of self-development books to beneficiaries.

Also invited to the event were the heads of several Jordanian orphan care centers as well as members of Al-Aman Fund’s Board of Directors and Board of Trustees. In addition, a number of volunteers who are part of the “We Are All Jordan” Youth Commission and currently enrolled in post-graduate studies at the Hashemite University joined this event, in an effort to give beneficiaries the chance to share experiences with other groups of Jordanian youth.

Ms. Maha Saqqa, Executive Director of Al-Aman Fund for the Future of Orphans, said, “It is the duty of society to educate and empower this group of youth so that they are able to flourish into productive and independent adults. The programs offered by Al-Aman Fund to these youth are sustainable, and the education and skills they receive do not only last them a day, but rather a lifetime.”

Ms. Saqqa added that the reason that “Commitment & Self Responsibility” was chosen as a topic for the workshop is that although the Fund’s beneficiaries greatly need the help and support of society, they must learn that they have a responsibility to themselves as well as to the community members supporting them. After these youth are armed with the tools they need to build a brighter future, the responsibility falls on them to achieve their goals and depend on themselves.

[Al-Bawaba]

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NEW ZEALAND

‘Urge’ for young people

Wellington, 17 April - “Ensuring young people have access to good information is important and a key priority for this government” says Youth Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta.

“The Urge/Whakamanawa website provides health information young people can trust in a language they relate to”.

Nanaia Mahuta today welcomed the youth website, which has been re-developed and now provides more information to support young people.

Popular with teachers, parents and youth workers, the website includes sections on alcohol, drugs, relationships and sexuality, and provides a nationwide directory of support services.

Urge/Whakamanawa was first developed eight years ago as an interagency initiative which included the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Health, and the Alcohol Advisory Council, and managed by the Youthline counseling service since 2002.

The website was re-developed following an evaluation last year that found Urge/Whakamanawa helpful and easy to understand, and provided ideas for improvements for the site.

“The Ministry of Youth Development is pleased to have been involved with this valuable resource since its inception,” says Nanaia Mahuta.

“The changes made during this redevelopment will ensure it continues to remain relevant and useful to young people and those who work with young people

Nanaia Mahuta says the changes are part of the Labour led government’s commitment to young people.

“Every young person in Aotearoa/New Zealand deserves an opportunity to reach their potential, and to be provided with the right information so they can make sound life choices,” says Nanaia Mahuta

“The Urge website is a direct example of young people’s voices being heard, and this highlights again the fact this Labour-led government cares for our youth.”

[Scoop]

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MALAWI

Malawi launches youth sexual health and HIV action plan

Lilongwe, 1 April - GOVERNMENT through Ministry of Youth Development and Sports last Thursday launched a National Plan of Action for Young People in Lilongwe.

The document is aimed at improving sexual and reproductive health and prevention of new HIV infections among people aged between 10 and 24.

The 67 page action plan has six main strategic objectives, which it would address in order to meet its main goal.

The objectives include improving policy environment and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and HIV programmes for young people, enhancing skills for adoption of safer sexual practices among young people and increasing utilisation of youth friendly sexual and reproductive health services.

The last three objectives include increasing accessibility of integrated SRH and livelihood skills development tertiary institutions, strengthening programming and coordination for SRH and HIV prevention and strengthening institutional capacity to sustain evidence based SRH and HIV prevention programmes.

Minister of Youth Development and Sports Simon Vuwa Kaunda said the action plan should be taken seriously because if things are left as they are now among the youth, Malawi would not achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

Kaunda said the biggest problem in the fight against HIV so far has been lack of coordination and harmonisation among groups and programmes aimed at fighting the scourge.

“Each one of us now is working as an island. If this goes on, we’ll not achieve what we want and young people will continue suffering while millions of dollars are being spent on HIV/Aids programmes,” said Kaunda.

Minister of Finance Goodall Gondwe, who attended the launch upon invitation from Vuwa Kaunda said things have changed nowadays and we do not only have to worry about the youth’s health and growth but we have to look at ways of reducing their deaths.

Gondwe bemoaned that Malawi has lost many young professionals like ministers and doctors who can hardly be replaced.

“I am trying to stress how a gathering of this kind is important because it will help prevent the country from losing its flowers and jewels of the future,” said Gondwe.

Gondwe also pledged that his ministry would do everything possible that funds are readily available for the smooth implementation of the action plan.

According to the action plan report, Malawi is one of only 10 countries in sub-Saharan Africa which has an adult HIV prevalence rate of over 10 percent, with 12 percent of the population of the 15-49 age group living with HIV/Aids.

[Malawi's Daily Times]

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BELGIUM

Changes in youth policy urgently needed

Brussels, 22 April - The Meeting of Directors-General for Youth, chaired by Zorko Škvor, the Slovenian Director-General for Youth, concluded the 21 April 2008. The main topics of the meeting were future youth policy and young people with fewer opportunities.

The meeting began 20 April 2008, when the Directors-General had a meeting with the participants of the youth event and listened to what the young people had to say. Today, the Directors-General were addressed by Dr Milan Zver, the Slovenian Minister for Education and Sport and current President of the EU Education, Youth and Culture Council, who expressed concern regarding demographic changes.The Minister pointed out that young people should be given more opportunities to be involved in shaping the fundamental instruments and strategies of youth policy.

The Directors-General also discussed the issue of young people with fewer opportunities. Certain countries presented examples of good practices, and a proposal for a resolution on young people with fewer opportunities comprising individual actions to be deployed by the EU Member States in this area was also discussed. The resolution is expected to be adopted at the EU Council of Ministers in May.

At the end of the meeting, the Directors-General adopted conclusions that would serve as guidelines for the Council of Ministers for Education, Youth and Culture to be held in May.

[EurActiv]

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SLOVENIA

EU youth event opens in Ljubljana

Ljubljana, 18 April - THE "Promoting the Participation of Young People with Fewer Opportunities in Society" event was launched in Ljubljana on Friday with Slovenian Education Minister Milan Zver and EU Education, Training, Culture and Youth Commissioner pointing to the importance of the young.

Zver said in his opening address that the young were the future and that no young person should be forgotten or lost in the system. "This threat is particularly pressing for those who do not have a good starting position," he said.

Zver also underlined the importance of such conferences as providing a splendid opportunity for the decision makers to listen to the young and for conveying the to the young the message "that they can and must decide their own fate".

Figel meanwhile said that it was important that both EU and its members listen to the young, their initiatives, wishes and proposals and take the latter into account in youth policy.

The event is attended by more than 150 youth from EU members, EFTA and Western Balkan countries. They are to take part on Saturday in various workshops on the topic of the young people with fewer opportunities and the role of the young in intercultural dialogue.

The event will conclude on Sunday, when the participants will present the conclusions of the event at a meeting of directors-general responsible for the implementation of youth policy in Brdo pri Kranju.

[STA]

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THIS news bulletin is a service of the World Assembly of Youth (WAY).Although all efforts are made to ensure accuracy and reliability of reports, the content and opinions expressed within this bulletin are those of the authors/news agencies and are not necessarily shared by the publisher.

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