By Maureen Agena

Women of Uganda Network.21/09/2011Swaziland

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

“Our world needs a paradigm shift in local and global thinking to go

from seeing challenges to viewing opportunities”. Erin

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

“My mum and dad always told me to work so hard at school and become a medical

doctor, engineer and Architect but never a veterinary Doctor or an Agriculturalist”.

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

“At School, My teachers always said that students who take on Agriculture as a course are failures as it’s always

the last resort when applying for courses at UNIVERSITY”.

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

“When my brother graduated with a Degree in human medicine, he was

congratulated and admired by all. But when I graduated with a Bsc. degree in Agriculture, I was CONSOLED and told

not to worry. That things will get better”.

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

“I am a digitalnative, web 2.0 Guru and a Techie. I have never been in an

agricultural class but I eat daily, drink and know how important Agriculture is

to me. How can I use my Technical skills to document and report on

Agriculture”?

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

“According to a recent World Bank report, Uganda has both the world’s youngest population, with more than half of Ugandans under the age of 18, and the highest youth unemployment rate”.

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

Ministry of finance allocated 44.5 billion shillings to create jobs among the youth, avail loans ranging from 100,000/= to start or expand their businesses, which would be implemented by DFCU Bank, a youth entrepreneurial training programme implemented by Enterprise Uganda among others.

(Source: The Newvision June 2011)FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by

Maureen Agena

How do these loans and initiatives get down to the youth? Are they involved

in policy formulation?

Youth need a holistic approach to empowerment and not only money.

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

Youth do not have the patience to wait

because they are so full of energy and want

to act immediately.FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by

Maureen Agena

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

Until recently, WOUGNET’s key area of focus was women. Youth have been added as a potential target group and some of the initiatives include.

ICT and Gender Youth ForumsICT4D Youth dgroupSocialmedia platforms (blogs, Facebook)Information Resource Centres

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

Dgroups

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

1. Land issues2. Finances 3. Education 4. Gender 5. Ignorance6. Job Culture

Why?Because ministries work in Isolation.

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

Involve youth in policy formulation Engage in holistic approaches to

empower youth Encourage youth to get involved in

budget tracking of relevant ministries. Involve youth from all walks of

life(Male/female, rural/urban, journalists etc)

Respect Youth. We deserve some respect from our parents and governments.

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

“A person is a person by the people” Ubuntu

So what you choose to do with or for the youth is what you choose to do to the Nation.

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena

Thank you & Thanks to CTA.

Twitter: @maureenagena

FANRPAN Policy Dialogue 2011 by Maureen Agena