Africa-Press – South-Sudan. On Tuesday, the Minister of Labour, Public Service and Human Resource Development in Eastern Equatoria State called on the United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations to observe recruitment guidelines.
Agnes Florence Udwar said during the verification exercise, that some NGOs declined to give them data on how they conduct their recruitments.Last year, a group of youth from Torit, Lafon, and Ikwoto petitioned the state minister of labour over what they called ‘‘employment discrimination’’ in United Nations Agencies and International Non-Governmental Organisations.
The youth who call themselves Monyiemiji complained of what they described as tribal employment that denies them employment rights.
Florence was addressing delegates during a three-day dialogue between the youth and stakeholders on Tuesday in Torit.
The meeting was aimed at creating a safe environment for humanitarian operations on Tuesday in Torit.However, in a meeting with the partners, she urged the UN and NGOs to follow recruitment guidelines.
Meanwhile, in Western Equatoria State, Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, James Severino, reportedly accused the NGOs operating in the states of job discrimination against the local youth of the area.
“You can see if an NGO is headed by a person from Azande, Mad’i, or Dinka; three-quarters of the workforce there will be from the same tribe,’’ James reportedly said.
In the past few years, we have all witnessed how the youth have been rising against the NGOs and humanitarian workers in the country. Some have led to the destruction of property, looting, and loss of lives. While the issues seem to have died from the minds of the youth, the statements from the Eastern and Western Equatoria state officials reveal that nothing has been resolved.
Secondly, it tells us that the authorities would support any NGO this time around should the youth resume protesting against them. The authorities are now convinced that the youth were on the right side when they demanded equal employment in the NGOs.
The statements also served as an early warning to the NGOs that the authorities needed to address the issues to avoid further attacks on the NGOs. We should learn to address conflict when it arises. Sometimes keeping silent may help in reducing tension, but it will not resolve the conflict.
However, it is also important for the state governments to find sustainable solutions to the problem of youth employment instead of just blaming the NGOs for what is not their responsibility. Each state should ask itself what it is doing to empower the youth?
The government should invest in projects that create employment opportunities for the youth, and agriculture is one of the best sectors that can employ many young people if it is prioritized.
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