Concord Times (Freetown)
Abdul Karim Koroma
3 December 2008
Four United Nations agencies will soon launch a project to support youth employment in the Mano River Union (MRU), which includes Sierra Leone, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea and Liberia.
The project is part of a four-year programme by the Youth Employment Network (YEN), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to improve youth unemployment.
The MRU countries have experienced violent conflicts resulting in major challenges for the societies in preparing their young workforce for employment as well as creating decent work for youth.
Tendai Pasipanodya, the Programme Officer for YEN in West Africa, said, "One of the objectives of the project is for national organizations to participate in the employment creation of young people in the region."
The coordinators hope the project will create jobs for youth in the four countries, and create opportunities for youth groups in the sub region to network.
"Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia are interconnected," Pasipanodya said, adding, "The purpose of the project is to create linkages between the four countries."
Ngolo Katta, the coordinator for Centre for the Coordination of Youth Activities (CCYA), a local non-governmental organization, said the project is a welcome idea.
"One of the main problems is that youth are unable to enter the job market. Youth in the sub-region are unskilled with low capacity," he said.
According to Katta, results from a random survey show that youth make up 56% of the population, and two-thirds are unemployed.
"This is a very serious concern for the sustenance of peace and security in the country," he said.
The challenge of youth unemployment is a crucial issue to the government of Sierra Leone, Katta said. The government is in the process of setting up a youth commission, but since it hasn't been done yet, dealing with issues of policy aimed at addressing their concerns is still difficult, he added.
The coordinators are looking for proposals that contribute to youth employment in the areas of community projects and services, youth entrepreneurship, the transition from school to work, vocational training for young people, and the economic empowerment of young women.
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