ICT Link Botswana youth during world population day
Mpho Mokwape | Monday July 14, 2014 16:36
The cyber-dialogue was under the theme “Investing in the Youth: the Future We Want”.
It was facilitated by Botswana Television’s Omphile Sehuruntshe and Duma FM’s Cathy Malejane.
The dialogue gave the youth an opportunity to engage in live discussions on what was important to them and to receive messages from speakers during the celebrations of World Population Commemoration Day. The dialogue touched on youth challenges, solutions and successes.
In the keynote address, the Minister of Health, Dr John Seakgosing said that the use of ICT tools installed at the three sites was in recognition that many young people in the country are technology savvy. He said technology is an important tool in giving Internet access that can promote the social development of the youth. He said the access can help young people engage in debates on mapping their future.
Seakgosing said the day’s theme is an acknowledgment that the current generation of youth is a major resource for development who are better in tackling the challenges of provision of quality service and social amenities.
Seakgosing said the country has to adopt sustainable approaches to the development of young people into active and responsible future leaders. This includes promoting young people’s access to ICT, human sexuality education, gender equality and equity and access to sexual and reproductive health information, resources and products.
“In order for these innovative approaches to be effective, they should be implemented in and outside of schools with supportive policy and legal frameworks in place that leave no one behind,” Seakgosing stressed.
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) country representative in Botswana, Aisha Camara-Drammeh said investing in young people meant that the country was responding to challenges facing the youth like unemployment, and HIV/AIDS.
“By prioritising investments in this generation, the post 2015 global agenda will ensure that the human rights of all youth are protected and fulfilled adding that they would be well prepared to help create and to lead the world that they inherit,” she said.
However, Camara-Drammeh said there is still a lot that needs to be done for the youth in the country. She said Botswana is the only country that has not signed the African Youth Charter in Africa with Eritrea and Somalia.
She urged Botswana to sign the charter as a formality as it is already doing more to invest in the youth.