The European Union has launched its Youth Sounding Board in Uganda with 20 youths between 23 and 30 years old drawn from across the country.
The Youth Sounding Board in Uganda will aim to ensure that the voices of young people are heard and taken into account, including when shaping and implementing EU programmes and policies in partner countries like Uganda.
Speaking during the launch, the head of EU mission in Uganda, Amb. Jan Sadek said the new board will help strengthen engagement and dialogue with Ugandan youth and to advice on the relevance and effectiveness of its actions and development cooperation with Uganda.
"The voices of youth are recognised because the decision we make today will determine our world tomorrow. Being young is being full of dreams and ideas, it is believing that tomorrow can be better than today. Through our dialogue and interactions, I hope you will make the EU's action more participatory, relevant and effective for young people in Uganda. I also hope that this experience will enrich you, give you an opportunity to make new connections and contribute to Uganda's development path. I wish you a fruitful term of service during your tenure," Sadek said.
He noted that the Youth Sounding Board members will participate in their individual capacity, serve a mandate of two years and meet on a quarterly basis.
"They will advise the EU on issues related to youth empowerment and participation in development processes. The Youth Sounding Board will serve as a knowledge hub for the EU in Uganda to exchange information and share ideas on youth issues. It will also benefit from capacity building activities such as leadership, advocacy and networking."
The State Minister for Youths and Children Affairs, Sarah Mateke hailed the European Union for putting youths at the centre of decision making in the development of their own country.
I believe that listening to the voices of the young people is a very good start to have a solid future. For the youth of Uganda, I believe this initiative offers an inspiring example of what can be achieved when young voices are valued and included," Mateke said.
She however noted that expectations for the new board are so high, noting that they should live up to the expectations.
"We expect that as you dialogue with and advise the EU delegation, you will do it with integrity and the heart of the young people of this country. We expect you to propose critical areas and to advocate for projects and programs that are responsive to the needs and the rights of our young people."
" I therefore implore you, as you take on this new responsibility to ensure that you equip yourselves with the relevant and up to date information, especially from the thematic areas that you have selected. Look for the information the policies and laws about young people. This is not the only way you will be this will be the only way that you'll be able to inform our partners on how best the young people can change their lives."
Phiona Nyamutoro, a youth representative in Parliament hailed the EU for ensuring youths are considered in its decision making .
"Over time in Uganda, we have always advocated for the centralization of young people in impactful participation, not just in democracy, governance, but all decision making processes in the country and I must say, I was very pleased, listening to the different young people here, set out different thematic areas that they chose," Nyamutoro said.
" To me what that reflected on was that we get to have a breed of young people who are going to understand what makes up a society who are going to interest themselves in passionate issues that affect the day to day livelihoods of people."
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She urged the new members of the board to make a difference in society.
The chairperson of the inaugural Youth Sounding Board in Uganda, Howard Mwesigwa said this is yet another opportunity for youths to ensure timely intervention to the cross-cutting issues like human rights, gender equality, , digital agenda and support to civil society.
"In allusion to the Multi-annual Indicative Programme (2021-2027) of the European Union, the board would like to renew its commitment to working in concert with the EU to ensure the adoption of a youth-centric approach in the EU's targeted cooperation agenda as articulated in the three broad areas of green and climate transition, sustainable growth and jobs, democratic governance and social inclusion," Mwesigwa said.
