By Lamarana S. Jallow
The Minister of Youth and Sports has underscored the importance of involving young people in decision-making processes, noting that Government continues to believe in the slogan that ‘Anything for the Youth, without the youth, is not for the youth’.
Honourable Bakary Y. Badjie made this remark during the National Youth Consultation for the ‘Summit of the Future’ held last week at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijilo.
The two-day event, supported by the United Nations systems in The Gambia, attracted young people from across the nation to shape the country’s position at the upcoming UN ‘Summit of the Future’ in New York later this month.
Minister Badjie pointed out that the ‘Summit of the Future’ is not merely about the future of the United Nations or global economies but also about the future of the world’s youth.
He stressed that The Gambia could not afford to overlook the voices of its young people, as they are the ones who will inherit and shape the future.
The Youth Minister expressed pride in the government’s inclusive approach, noting that the consultation brought together a diverse group of young people, including the differently able, rural and urban youths, young entrepreneurs, activists, and others. He emphasised that the government’s objective is to ensure that Gambian youths can articulate their vision for a better future, contribute to sustainable development, and enhance the nation’s profile on the global stage.
Furthermore, Minister Badjie urged young people to take the issues discussed at the summit back to their respective communities and organisations. He assured them that their recommendations on what needs to be done to ensure a brighter future for them will be considered highly by the Government, not just at the UN Summit but beyond, in terms of planning government policies and programmes.
The Minister maintained that climate change remains one of the major challenges of our generation, and that every young person must play a role to mitigate its effect on humanity.
