Africa-Press – Botswana. The government and United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF Botswana) have signed an Annual Joint Workplan for 2025/26 geared toward advancing adolescents and youth development empowerment.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, themed: Reimagining Youth Development in Gaborone recently, the UNICEF Botswana acting country representative, Dr Kimanzi Muthengi said this was in line with government’s agenda for sustainable development, aimed at having all adolescents and youth, regardless of age, gender, geography or social economic status, educated, healthy, thriving, prosperous and their potential fulfilled. The annual joint workplan, Dr Muthengi said was also meant to ensure that the objectives of the collaboration were executed in an accountable, collaborative and effectively coordinated and participatory process that would deliver desirable results.
He expressed concern that currently, adolescents and youth faced challenges that hindered their development, such as limited access to quality education, healthcare and nutrition, adding that the partnership was aimed at addressing such problems. Therefore, in recognising the significance of adolescents’ well being in achieving sustainable development, due to their youthful population, he said it was critical to secure a sustainable future for them.
The collaboration follows extensive discussions that the ministry previously conducted with UNICEF Botswana on youth development, while the signing ceremony marked the finalisation of the workplan for various initiatives designed by the Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs in partnership with other ministries, organisations and UNICEF Botswana to advance adolescent and youth development.
Some of the key components in the annual workplan include, revamping the National Volunteer Programme, establishing partnerships for mentorship, apprenticeship and internships and enhancing youth forum on unemployment and participation. Other components, are; six build-up sessions in districts, Botswana National Youth Council board members training, inter-ministerial platforms on youth development and a situational analysis of children, adolescents and youth.
The collaboration led by the ministries of youth and gender affairs, labour and home affairs and trade and entrepreneurship, brings together industry giants like; ABSA Bank Botswana, Stanbic Bank Botswana, Local Enterprise Authority, Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency and Botswana Digital and Innovation Hub to create new pathways for entrepreneurship, skills development and economic inclusion.
Given the many challenges of poverty and unemployment faced by young people in the country, the Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs deputy permanent secretary, Mr Tshepo Mophuting and Youth Department director, Ambassador Nkoloi Nkoloi thanked UNICEF Botswana for the collaboration, saying the partnership would go a long way in helping government advance youth development.
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