Youth

  • The legal framework must provide for youth participation as voters, candidates and as decision-makers.

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    Assessment:
    The Constitutional Amendment number 2 proposes adding 10 reserved seats for the youth in the lower house of Parliament. Youth Organisations such as the National Association of Youth Organisations (NAYO)   and Youth Empowerment and Transformation Trust (YETT) argue that the youth were not consulted when the government came up with the provisions for youth participation in Constitutional Amendment Number 2.  Youth organisations believe the proposed youth seats should come from the existing 210 seats and that;

  • Youth quotas should be provided for in Provincial Councils.
  • Youth should be included in 20-50% of government structures.
  • There is need for a National Youth Policy which informs a Youth Act, which is yet to be established.
  • There is need to lower age thresholds to allow for youth to be eligible to run for national assembly as well as presidential races[1].

    • [1] https://www.zesn.org.zw/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ZESN-Position-Paper-on-Youth-Participation-in-Elections-and-Governace-Processes-in-Zimbabwe.pdf

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