Papua New Guinea

Mr Joe Mukuya  

Commonwealth Youth Programme South Pacific Regional Youth Caucus Representative

Joe Mukuya, 27, has a big job.

He’s the Regional Youth Caucus representative for Papua New Guinea – a country with a population of over six million people and 820 indigenous languages. Half of that population are under the age of 20, and some 60 percent of Papua New Guineans between the ages of 15 and 28 are unemployed.

It’s lucky then, that Joe’s passionate about youth potential.

“Youths are not the people who create problems – they are the ones who solve problems.

“Youths are the future leaders and should be given a chance to participate very actively in the decision-making for the benefit of their personal development and that of their families and communities,” says Joe.

Joe, as well as being PNG’s Regional Youth Caucus rep, is a policy research officer with the National Youth Commission. He landed the job after graduating from the University of Papua New Guinea with a degree in Public Policy and Management.

He’s got a varied role in the job, doing everything from policy and administrative work on the HIV and AIDS desk to undertaking social policy research on youth development issues.

The youth issue that gets Joe really fired up is unemployment.

“I believe it’s an issue that youth are facing globally. Unemployment leads to many other issues, such as crime, HIV and AIDS, exploitation, poverty, and law and order problems.”

Joe is currently working with the National Youth Commission to re-establish PNG’s National Youth Council and organise a National Youth Parliament for later this year.

Joe Mukuya

c/o National Youth Commission

PO Box 1028 

Waigani, NCD

Papua New Guinea

Phone: (675) 323 4372

Fax: (675) 323 6745