Kigali hosts regional meeting to tackle youth joblessness in EA

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada in collaboration with the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (IPAR-Rwanda) has convened a high level conference on innovative approaches to incorporate youth into labour markets in the East African region.

The two-day conference began yesterday in Kigali, Rwanda with the aim to develop strategies that can be adopted to incorporate youth into labour markets in Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya and Uganda.

The conference brings together researchers, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers to explore options on youth employments in East Africa region.
Kayitesi said the conference will involve policy makers, youth representatives, entrepreneurs, and researchers from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Results from research conducted in the four countries will show innovations that have worked for youth and how these can be translated into practical solutions to create more job opportunities for youth in the region.

He pointed out that despite impressive growth rates in East Africa, poverty reduction and employment creation have not been optimised.
Given the extensive population growth in Africa and the inadequacy of the formal sector to generate employment opportunities for the youth, there is widespread fear that gains in poverty reduction achieved over time may be reversed.

“If East African governments are to cope with the pace at which new young entrants will come into the job market in the next decade, there is an urgent need for new innovative approaches to accommodate this youth bulge,” he said. 

Program Leader of IDRC’s supporting inclusive growth Arjan de Haan said: “It’s a global priority to support youth to make them find productive employment.

Research and evidence with experience have to be shared between countries in the region, and giving the youth a voice are all critical ingredients to providing policy makers and practitioners with the tools that are needed to address this growing challenge.”

“Our institute aims to alleviate poverty among low income earners. We’ve learnt that empowering a woman is a huge step towards developing the economy since women are responsible of keeping men in power,” he said.

Furthermore, he said presently there are organisations that are helping to combat Gender Based Violence (GBV) but that is just a fraction of the plight facing the people.

 

SOURCE: IPPMEDIA

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