As Namibia joined the world in celebrating International Youth Day, under the theme ‘Different Contexts, Common Aspirations’ on Wednesday, young people and youth advocates say the country must move beyond promises and consultations and deliver tangible opportunities.
Students Union of Namibia board chairperson Benhard Kavau says Namibia has good policies for young people, but the government is failing to turn those policies into tangible results.
Kavau points to sport infrastructure as one area he believes the government has failed to deliver on its promises to young people.
“Despite these policies being good, implementation is at lip service,” he says.
According to Kavau, the current administration promised the construction of at least seven sport fields, but he says little progress has been made.
“On paper, we are good, but when it comes to implementation, it’s a problem,” Kavau says.
Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture senior youth officer in the ǁKharas region, Annelien van Wyk, says Namibia has made progress in creating platforms for youth participation, but being allowed to speak does not necessarily mean young people are influencing decisions.
She says the key question is not whether young people were consulted, but what actually changed as a result.
Van Wyk has identified the main issues affecting young people as unemployment and socioeconomic challenges, notably the barriers they face when entering the labour market.
ISOLATED PARTICIPATION
Youth advocate and University of Namibia law student Ndayola Mulongeni told The Namibian on Wednesday that while platforms for young people to engage in decision-making are growing, participation remains limited because only a few young people are given access to these spaces.
Mulongeni said she had personally seen youth engagement work, but argued that more young people, particularly from outside the Khomas region, need to be included in decision-making.
