An analysis of voter registration results

This table shows the number of first time voters who successfully registered per province during the mobile registration exercise between 29 April and 19 May 2013.

PROVINCE                         NO. OF NEW REGISTRANTS

 Bulawayo                                                             5 068

 Matabeleland North                                            13 536

 Matabeleland South                                             9 403

 Midlands                                                             23 404

 Masvingo                                                            20 610

 Manicaland                                                         24 024

 Mashonaland East                                               35 266

 Mashonaland West                                             31 570

 Mashonaland Central                                          29 635

 Harare                                                               11 525

 

Statement by the NYDT on 16 days of activism against gender based violence

The National Youth Development Trust joins the world in commemorating 16 Days of Activism against Gender based violence. The campaign is aimed at raising awareness on gender based violence as a human rights issue at local, national, regional and International levels.

The commemorations also provide a forum in which various organisations develop and share effective strategies while demonstrating the solidarity of women around the world in challenging violence against women.  Gender based violence has profound socio- economic consequences for all of society. It undermines the possibility of gender equality and negatively affects women’s health care, education, political and economic participation.

This year the commemorations carry over the theme from last year, which is:  From peace in the home to peace in the world: Let’s challenge militarism and end violence against women. The theme could not have been more fitting as it comes at a time when women are still the major victims of gender based violence in Zimbabwe, and also when the country is preparing for an election and cases of harassment by the militia and other political players are expected to increase.

International Youth Day Commemoration

NYDT joins the rest of the world in commemorating World Youth Day under the theme Building a better world, partnering with the youth. This theme is commemorated in line with five priority areas under the UN System Wide Action Plan on Youth which include:

·         Employment,

·         Entrepreneurship,

·         Education (including sexual and reproductive health)

·         Political Inclusion

·         Citizenship and Protection of rights

As the world commemorates this day it is pivotal that Zimbabwe conducts introspection on the attempts at supporting the key youth priorities under the Youth Action Plan. The International Youth day is equivocal in recognizing and appreciating the youths as central towards the development of the world in general and country in particular.

As much as NYDT recognises attempts at youth inclusion and government supporting initiatives that are: The development of the National Youth Policy, the establishment of the Youth Funds and inclusion by the Indigenization and Medium Term Plan policies.

However efforts must be enforced by the government in partnership with other stakeholders in promoting Youth initiatives in Zimbabwe.

We strongly implore that political parties should mainstream the total inclusion of youths as key decision makers and proponents in party policy developments

We underline the critical need to implement the MTP in totality as it promotes entrepreneur development and attempts to reduce the unemployment rate from 80 percent to close to 55 percent

We encourage the Government to strategically partner with NGOs and Civic Society Organisations in promoting youth awareness on various issues that contribute towards national development.

We recommend that issues that promote youth development in totality should not be used as a smokescreen for political aggrandizement and machinations, instead they should be a base in developing a prosperous generation.

Building a better world, partnering with the youth

Press Statement on the Day of the African Child

National Youth Development Trust joins the continent in commemorating the 22^nd Day of the African Child under the theme The rights of children with disabilities: The duty to protect promote and fulfill. This particular theme come s within the context of a number of international conventions  that have been ratified by states to protect and uplift children with disabilities, chief amongst these conventions are Convention on the rights of the child  (CRC)in 1989,the African Charter on the rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) in 1999. The African Youth Charter in 2006 also contains provisions of youths with disabilities.

Elections in 2012: Is this possible under the current political and socio-economic environment in Zimbabwe?

The following is a brief summary of the outcome of a Youth Think Tank convened by the NYDT to discuss young people’s views on the feasibility of holding general elections this year.  

Context

The debate on elections has been tossed across two main political parties with each political party creating media hype on when Zimbabwe will be best suited for elections. One of the proposals underlined by the Zimbabwe African National Party-Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) is that the elections will be held this year ‘with or without a new constitution’. The party argues that the collapse of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) is long overdue and as such, President Robert Mugabe should use the powers accorded to him through the Lancaster House Constitution to call for the elections immediately. On the other hand, the Movement for Democratic Change led by Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai has indicated that elections will only be conducted in March 2013.

Given the fact that elections in general tend to affect the youths in Zimbabwe by turning youths into susceptible tools for political machinations, the National Youth Development Trust (NYDT) conducted a youth think tank meeting meant to get the views from young people on their view regarding the elections in Zimbabwe.

Young women in Magwegwe speak out on low participation.

Women have often taken the back seat particularly when it comes to participation in national processes and civic programming. This is largely prevalent in Africa where women have blamed culture for silencing them; as women are viewed as inferior and are not accorded space to air their views.

At a young women’s study circle organized by the National Youth Development Trust in the western suburb of Magwegwe, young women spoke out on why they do not actively participate in national processes and civic programming.

Apology Not Enough For Transitional Justice In Zimbabwe: Solusi youths

Retributive justice must be the result of an appropriate national healing process in Zimbabwe, Solusi students said.

During a public lecture organized by the NYDT on the topic: Confronting a culture of violence: challenges opportunities and gaps in the national healing process in Zimbabwe., students at Solusi University argued that any meaningful National healing process must have both retributive and restorative justice as its ultimate goal.

“A simple apology will not bring back the skilled labour that was killed during the Gukurahundi Massacres,” said one of the students.

Young people stated that there is need to full calculate the economic cost of the Gukurahundi genocide and use that as a starting point for national healing in Zimbabwe. They argued further that Gukurahundi marked the beginning of the marginalization of Matabeleland which has lasted since then .

Youths challenged to nurture peace

The play 1983 that left the audience with innuendoes

Hundreds of young people thronged the Gwanda District Club for the Arts for peace festival to witness various artistic presentations under the theme Youth Building Lasting Peace in Zimbabwe.

The Festival, hosted by National Youth Development Trust (NYDT) brought together artistes from Bulawayo, Gwanda and surrounding areas; these included Sithandazile, Protest crew, Ghetto Smurfs, GDA, Mgcini Nyoni among other artistes who scintillated audiences with informative artistic presentations. Some of the art forms showcased were Music, Dance, Theatre and Poetry.