Centre
for Constitutional Governance
PRESS RELEASE & INVITATION
LET THE YOUNG CHANGE UGANDA
Uganda has one of the largest populations
of young people with 21.3% between 18-30 years according to the UBOS
Statistical Abstract for 2010. The youthful population increases to 55.7% when
you take the age category 6-30 years. The centrality of the youth in Uganda’s
development therefore should be treated as a priority because our demographic
trends characterized by a very young and youthful population. According to the study on youths and unemployment
in Africa, 83.3% of the Ugandan youth are unemployed and 93.8% of these are
living on less than two dollars per day. This makes our youth one of the poorest
in the whole of Sub-Saharan Africa[1]
and has greatly contributed to the high dependency ratio of 1:1.17, the highest
in Africa.
The youths have been treated as a special interest
group and have political representation at different levels in local councils,
local governments and in the national parliament. However, their representation
sometimes has no clear and direct agendas that reflect the needs of young
people to integrate in national dialogues and debate. The need to recognize the
potentials and allow for the fulfillment of young people’s potentials as active
players in the transformation of the country. It is true that our society can make real progress if it
has an enlightened, informed and engaged youth prepared to build a brighter
future.
”We want to empower the youth on the duties
of their leaders so they are able to demand accountability from them,” says Rtd
Maj Okwiri Rabwoni, the Executive Director for Centre for Constitutional
Governance (CCG)
The
Center for Constitutional Governance and Action Aid Uganda envisage the role of
the Ugandan youth to be central in transforming Uganda by providing leadership
for the future and building a responsive citizenry.
On Thursday 15th March 2012 Centre
for Constitutional Governance and ActionAid Uganda will host a dialogue and
launch a national programme on youth rights and obligations: “The role of the Youth in National Transformation”.
Most scholars believe that “The fundamental problem in Uganda
today is an underdeveloped, suppressed political culture. Political parties as
well as the State and its institutions undermine the very basic democratic
foundations of the society.
The
Guest speakers are: Hon. Miria Matembe, Hon.
Gerald Karuhanga and Bishop Dr. Zac Niringiye.
The
half day dialogue will bring together the university students, youth organizations,
the academia and civil society organizations working on youth/governance issues
across the country. The dialogue
will address issues of perspectives on youths participation in governance
processes, youths and leadership and contribute towards empowering the youth to
shape the national transformation agenda in Uganda. The overall goal is to
promote highly intellectual and ideologically grounded discourse through debate
and other mechanisms that encourage exchange of ideas in institutions of
learning and the bigger society.
At
the dialogue, the GARUGA Declaration made by the section of young leaders
declaring/calling for ‘Love for uganda
and humanity’ as the cornerstone to development and national transformation
will be launched. (See attached copy of
the declaration)
Time: 15th March 2012, 2pm
– 5pm.
Venue: Makerere University, Senate
Conference Hall
For further information, please
contact …………….
Center
for Constitutional Governance Action
Aid International - Uganda
Convocation
Building, Makerere University Plot
2514/2515 Ggaba Road
P.O
Box 72340, Kampala P.O
Box 676 Kampala
Email:
info@ccgea.org Email:
info.uganda@actionaid.org
Website:
www.ccgea.og Website:
www.actionaid.org/uganda
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