The Democratic Republic of Congo's Minister of Youth and Patriotic Awakening launched the process to revise the country's national youth policy on October 26 in Kinshasa. This initiative aims to create a more inclusive and effective policy for the country's youth. The representative of UNESCO in the DRC, Fatoumata Marega, expressed her hopes that the process will result in a policy that is realistic, operational, and oriented towards tangible results.
Fatoumata Marega emphasized that an ideal youth policy should focus on developing young people's skills, facilitating access to decent employment and entrepreneurship, and ensuring their participation in decision-making processes that affect them. The policy should also promote culture, digitalization, volunteerism, innovation, and recognize the role of young people in maintaining peace, social cohesion, and environmental protection. By doing so, the policy can transform the demographic potential of Congo's youth into concrete opportunities for development, peace, innovation, and shared prosperity.
The UNESCO representative highlighted that revising the national youth policy presents a strategic opportunity to define a common vision and strengthen the coherence and impact of public and partnership interventions in favor of the youth. This policy should enable the transition from sometimes scattered initiatives to a shared national framework, complete with clear priorities, defined responsibilities, coordination mechanisms, and a credible implementation and monitoring-evaluation system.
Fatoumata Marega stressed that the future policy must be firmly grounded in Congolese realities and aligned with national development priorities, while taking into account the country's regional and international commitments. The policy should be characterized by precise strategic orientations, measurable expected results, realistic actions, responsible institutions, and resources to be mobilized. It should also be based on evidence, informed by the analysis of existing policies and programs, and attentive to disparities between provinces and different groups of young people.
The UNESCO representative outlined three key principles to guide the process: real and continuous participation of young people, a multisectoral and coordinated approach, and inclusion and equity. She noted that UNESCO's experience with many states shows that a youth policy is more effective when it is based on a solid diagnosis, a shared vision, measurable objectives, active participation of young people, and clear mechanisms for implementation and monitoring.
Mathy Musau reported on the launch event, where stakeholders gathered to discuss the revision process. The Minister of Youth and Patriotic Awakening and Fatoumata Marega were among the key attendees. The event marked an important step towards creating a more effective and inclusive youth policy in the DRC.
The revised youth policy is expected to address the needs and aspirations of young people in the DRC, providing them with greater opportunities for development, employment, and participation in decision-making processes. The policy's success will depend on the active engagement of young people, government agencies, and partners in the implementation and monitoring process. Key stakeholders will need to work together to ensure that the policy is effectively implemented and its impact is regularly assessed.
Key points
- The Democratic Republic of Congo's government has launched a process to revise its national youth policy, aiming to create a more inclusive and effective policy for the country's youth.
- The policy should focus on developing young people's skills, facilitating access to decent employment and entrepreneurship, and ensuring their participation in decision-making processes.
- UNESCO's representative in the DRC, Fatoumata Marega, emphasized the importance of a solid diagnosis, a shared vision, and active participation of young people in the policy-making process.
