National Youth Union blocking attempts to have MPs discuss Youth Policy, Activists
A row has been brewing over the past few weeks between youth rights groups and the National Youth Union over a delay in passing South Sudan’s youth development policy. Youth activists accuse the newly elected president of the National Youth Union of conspiring with parliament to delay passage of the youth policy, which was tabled in parliament nearly a decade ago. The head of the Youth Union denies it is conspiring with the government.
The Okay Africa Foundation, a key group advocating for passage of the youth development policy, alleges the newly elected chairman of the national youth union has blocked attempts to have parliament discuss youth policy.
“It is sad that few individuals are holding this process behind and delaying it. It is also painful that after spending all these years working on this policy mobilizing resources and putting energy on it, some people think they are more important youth than the others and have the last say on it,” says Michael the executive director of Okay Africa Foundation.
He says this is frustrating and hopes that the speaker of the parliament looks at the bigger picture of the policy as it strives to benefit the future generation other than the current.
Speaking in a panel during the United Nations Youth Envoy Jayathma Wickramanayake’s visit to American Corner in Juba, South Sudan on 20th January, 2020, Lupai Sambro, who is the director of I am Peace, a civil society organization advocating for peace in South Sudan says, the conflict among the young people is only dragging the country backwards.
Lupai who is a 2018 Mandela Washington Alumni advises the youth body to work in collaboration with youth led organizations to realize more success for youths in South Sudan.
National Youth Union chairperson Gola Boyoi Gola denies playing a role in the postponement, but acknowledges having concerns about some of the policy’s content.
“In our constitution as National Youth Union and also general regulation of the ministry a youth is someone from eighteen to thirty five years, in-line with our constitution. According to our constitution someone below the age of eighteen is a child. Number two they named the union, National Youth Council which is like copy and pasting from other youth organizations,” he says.
Gola insists his union is advocating for the rights of youth.
The government’s policy on youth development does not specify how the government should help disadvantaged, marginalized youth, or those living with disabilities.
The union’s secretary for external affairs Jacob Magai say the youth development policy should conform to the East African Community’s definition of youth which is 15 to 35 years.
MP David Unyo Demey, who heads the Committee on Culture, Youth and Sports in the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, says lawmakers have not discussed the youth policy because they had more important bills to discuss.
This policy went to the council ministers, tabled by the minister of justice together with the minister of culture, youth and sports and shared by the president of the republic. So when we received it we knew that the bill is consistent with the laws of the republic of South Sudan, we don’t have a concern with the work of the youth union.
Augustine Deng Alier, coordinator of the South Sudan Civil Society Coalition, says young people are confused about the nation’s youth policy.
“When the issue of the policy came people were furious and emotional but that should not be the thing. We should develop a culture of always dialoguing amongst ourselves (and) understanding issues in a positive way,” Alier added.
The South Sudan youth development policy was first tabled for discussion in 2014. Since then, lawmakers have adopted no policy on youth. As a result, groups like the Okay Africa Foundation are pressuring lawmakers to come up with a youth policy and pass it into law.
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