THE Southern Africa Youth Forum, under the patronage of the Sadc Parliamentary Forum, says there is need for a holistic approach to education to address a litany of problems faced by the youths.
Speaking during the forum’s sixth edition at the weekend, Sadc Parliamentary Forum secretary-general Boemo Sekgoma highlighted the challenges facing regional youths, including high unemployment rates, inequality and the impact of climate change, adding that there was need for a reformed international financial architecture to alleviate the debt burden on developing countries.
“A recent report by the United Nations secretary-general, presented on July 12, 2023, titled A World of Debt: A Growing Burden to Global Prosperity, paints a grim picture of the growing public debt burden and its impact on the provision of education and health,” Sekgoma said.
“The report reveals that, on average, African countries pay four times more for borrowing than the United States and eight times more than the wealthiest European economies. Currently, half of all developing nations spend a minimum of 7,4% of their export revenues on servicing external public debt.
“The rapid growth of interest payments is surpassing other public expenditures, with some governments being compelled to spend more on servicing debt than on critical sectors like education and health.”
The forum’s boss underscored the role of education in addressing complex issues such as HIV/Aids, gender-based violence and environmental sustainability.
Participants emphasised the need for comprehensive sexuality education and the importance of domesticating international treaties to ensure the implementation of youth-focused policies.
“The current skewed financial system contributes to inequalities and vulnerabilities among young people and exacerbates social challenges such as child marriages. Such inequalities and vulnerabilities worsen in crisis situations, as we have seen during COVID-19, in climate-related disasters like droughts and cyclones and in situations of political conflicts,” Sekgoma said.
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“The youth of today are simultaneously dealing with multiple challenges on different fronts, hyperinflation, unemployment, inequality, poverty, climate change and lack of adequate housing are concerns which impact negatively on the health and quality of life of the youth.”
As the world celebrated International Youth Day on August 12, the forum emphasised the importance of digital skills for youth empowerment and sustainable development.
The Southern Africa Youth Forum aims to come up with concrete recommendations to enhance youth education policies across Sadc member States, building a more resilient, inclusive and prosperous region for future generations.
