Zambia Requests for Lead Country Status

The Lead Country Process is the flagship product of the Youth Employment Network’s (YEN) activities aimed to foster governments’ engagement in the development and promotion of improved employment opportunities for young people. Initiated in 2001 as a tool to prioritize youth employment on the development agendas of governments, the initiative has attracted 21 countries. If granted the Lead Country Status, Zambia will be the 22^nd YEN’s Lead Country. The signing ceremony took place as part of the activities during the 2^nd Zambia National Youth Symposium.

Speaking at the official opening ceremony for the 2^nd National Youth Symposium at Barn Resorts in Lusaka on Tuesday 18^th August 2009, the President of the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency Rupiah Bwezani Banda said that the employment challenge facing young people is of great concern to his government. In a speech read on his behalf by the Minister of Sport, Youth and child Development Mr. Kenneth Chipungu, President Banda said that he was pleased to learn that one of the outcomes of the symposium is a draft action plan for employment. He said that it was along that line that his government would sign a formal request to the Youth Employment Network seeking Lead Country Status.

This year’s symposium was held under the theme “Youth Empowerment in the Global Crisis, Zambia’s Response”. The official opening ceremony was attended by officials from the Government of the Republic of Zambia including the Minister of Sport Youth and Child Development, Hon. Kenneth Chipungu, Deputy Minister, Hon. Dr. Kalila, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development, Ambassador Susan Sikaneta and the Political Adviser to the President, Mr. Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika.  Also attending were the Chairperson for the National Youth Development Council, the Council secretary and other senior government officials. Cooperating partners included the International Labour Organization, The Commonwealth Youth Programme Africa Regional Centre, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank, STARZ, SNV and the International Youth Fellowship.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, CYP Africa Regional Director, James Odit said as an Intergovernmental organisation whose mission is to promote youth empowerment, CYP is proud of the commitment shown by the Government of Zambia. “We reaffirm our commitment to work in partnership with other development partners to ensure that Zambia receives the necessary technical assistance needed to ensure appropriate levels of youth development” - he added.

Mr. Odit applauded the government Republic of Zambia for creating a conducive environment for youth development and called Zambia’s youth to take advantage of this conducive environment to promote development not only at personal levels, but at community and national levels.

ILO Director for Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia, Gerry Finnegan said that the Global Financial Crisis had prevented school leavers and young University Graduates from getting employment. Speaking on behalf of the UN System in Zambia, Mr. Finnegan urged the government of Zambia to come up with a Labour Market Information System that could provide statistics for school dropouts, school leavers and graduates who may be in the labour market.

The Lead Country Status under the Youth Employment Network is a demonstration by a Country of its highest political commitment to prioritize Youth Employment at the highest development agenda. Lead Country status provides a number of benefits to a member country including Technical assistance in the development of youth employment initiatives with a strong focus on Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E), through the development of youth employment policies and programmes and it involves bringing to a Lead Country expertise and technical assistant from YEN and its core partners including the Commonwealth Youth Programme. The YEN further supports Capacity Building on how to engage youth in national youth employment initiatives, Support in devising fund-raising strategies for youth employment programs, and access to experiences and good practices from other countries. Lead Countries also benefit from peer review mechanisms and knowledge sharing in annual Lead Country Meetings as well as regional peer review meetings with participation of donors and partner agencies.

Apart from the benefits that will accrue to Zambia after attaining Lead Country Status, the government has expressed a strong political will to meet YEN commitments including Annual reporting on youth labour market indicators and policy and institutional achievements, Sharing key youth employment documents with other Lead Countries and the YEN Secretariat at annual Lead Country meetings, and Identifying a responsible agency or department for national youth employment initiatives and name a technical YEN focal person. Lead Country Status further requires that the government Develops action plans and other significant and strategic initiatives to mainstream youth employment at the national level.

The Commonwealth Youth Programme Regional Centre for Africa (CYPRCA) through its Youth Enterprise and Sustainable Livelihoods programme (YESL) will continue to monitor Zambia’s progress as a YEN Lead Country. CYPRCA will work with ILO and other partners to provide the necessary technical assistance to Zambia in meeting its Youth Employment commitments and objectives.

For more information on the YEN and why this is so important please follow this link http://www.ilo.org/yen