National Youth Policy of Ghana

National Youth Policy of Ghana Theme: TOWARDS AN EMPOWERED YOUTH, IMPACTING POSITIVELY ON NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY OF YOUTH AND SPORTS August 2010 i CONTENTS FOREWORD TO NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY .......................................iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.....................................................................................1 NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY ...............................................................................3 1.0 RATIONALE FOR YOUTH POLICY ..........................................................3 2.0 OVERVIEW...........................................................................................4 3.0 DEFINITION OF YOUTH AND GHANA’S YOUTH PROFILE......................5 4.0 CHALLENGES FACING THE YOUTH........................................................6 5.0 POLICY FRAMEWORK ..............................................................................7 5.1 The Policy Vision..................................................................................7 5.2 Principles And Values ..........................................................................8 6.0 POLICY PRIORITY AREAS........................................................................10 6.1.1 Education and Skills Training .............................................................10 6.1.3 Science, Research and Technology ....................................................10 6.1.4 Information and Communication Technology (ICT)...........................11 6.1.5 Youth and Employment .....................................................................11 6.1.6 Entrepreneurial Development...........................................................11 6.1.7.Youth in Modern Agriculture.............................................................12 6.1.8 Gender Mainstreaming .....................................................................13 6.1.9 Environment......................................................................................13 6.1.10 Health, HIV and AIDS.......................................................................13 6.1.11 Networking and Partnership...........................................................14 6.1.12 Mentoring.......................................................................................14 6.1.13 Arts and Culture .............................................................................15 6.1.14 Governance, Democracy, and Leadership ......................................15 6.1.15 Sports and Recreation ....................................................................16 6.1.16 Youth in Conflict Prevention and Peace Building............................16 6.1.17 National Youth Week......................................................................17 ii 6.1.18 Youth and Vulnerability ..................................................................17 6.1.19 Youth, Patriotism and Volunteerism...............................................18 6.1.19.1 Nationalism and Conscientization of the Youth ...........................18 7.0 IDENTIFIABLE GROUPS UNDER THE NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY .................19 8.0 RIGHTS OF THE YOUTH..........................................................................20 9.0 OBLIGATIONS ........................................................................................20 9.1 The State ...........................................................................................20 9.2 Parents/Guardians.............................................................................21 9.3 The Youth ..........................................................................................21 9.4 The Private Sector .............................................................................22 9.5 Civil Society Organizations/Institutions.............................................22 9.6 Religious Organizations, Traditional Authorities and Socio-Cultural Groupings...................................................................22 9.7 International Organizations...............................................................23 9.8 Development Partners and Donor Agencies .....................................23 10.0 IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISMS..........................................................24 1.0 MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND REVIEW OF POLICY .....................26 11.3 Action Plan ........................................................................................26 12.0 CONCLUSION.........................................................................................26 iii FOREWORD The Youth all over the world have been acknowledged as an important human resource with the potential to contribute significantly to national development and therefore must be accorded such recognition and be involved in national development by government and other stakeholders. Indeed the new Millennium provides the youth the opportunity for a new beginning for them to be involved in national development since they are potential leaders of any Nation. Youth development however does not occur in a vacuum. The Youth must prepare and be prepared to take up this leadership role. Government, the Youth themselves, Parents, Civil Society Organisations, Development Partners and the Media are enjoined by the Constitution and moral suasion to take up this responsibility and discharge it to the best of their ability. A well formulated Youth Policy such as this one, which is the outcome of a wide consultative process provides the conceptional framework to direct major stakeholders, including particularly the Youth themselves, to work assiduously towards Youth participation in national development. The zeal and immeasurable commitment to youth development shown by the current Government under the able leadership of His Excellency, iv The President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, supported by Academia, Development Partners and the Media among others is commendable. It is my expectation that as the ultimate beneficiaries of this policy, the youth will be challenged enough to maximise the use of this policy to justify their deserved and rightful inclusion in national development and also their full empowerment. AKUA SENA DANSUA, (MP) MINISTER FOR YOUTH AND SPORTS AUGUST 10, 2010 v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The youth are a valuable resource and they must be harnessed for national development. The existence of a comprehensive National Youth Policy enables the Government to engage the youth and other stakeholders in meaningful partnership to develop appropriate interventions and services for youth empowerment and development. This National Youth Policy has as its theme “Towards an empowered youth, impacting positively on national development”. It is intended to provide guidelines for all stakeholders involved in the implementation of policies, programmes and projects for the development of the youth. It is also intended to help the country demonstrate its commitment to all international conventions and charters it has signed relating to the youth. The policy is set out in 12 (twelve) sections which can be summarized as follows: • Sections 1 and 2 deal with the rationale and overview of the Youth Policy seeks to achieve. • Section 3 defines ‘Youth’ and provides the profile of the youth in Ghana. Section 4 identifies the main challenges of youth in Ghana which the Policy seeks to address. • Section 5 provides the Policy Framework for Youth activities, as well as the Vision and the underlying Principles and Values. • Section 6 details the nineteen (19) policy priority areas to be implemented to attain the policy objectives. • Section 7 specifies the nine (9) broad special Youth groups to which the implementers of the Policy must give special emphasis and attention. Sections 8 and 9 detailed the Rights, Responsibilities and Obligations of 1 the Youth on one part, and the Obligations of stakeholders to the Youth of Ghana on the other part. • Section 10 provides a framework for collective action and coordination of strategies for youth development among government institutions, non- governmental organizations (NGOs), and youth organizations, as well as, other stakeholders for youth empowerment. • Sections 11 and 12 deal with implementation, monitoring and future review of the Policy. • The Policy conforms to present international policy trends and reflects shades of political and social experiences in the country. • The participatory process used in formulating this Policy will continue to be the main approach in implementing, monitoring and evaluating the various aspects of the Policy and in its subsequent revision. 2 NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY 1.0 RATIONALE FOR YOUTH POLICY 1.1 The youth constitute the true wealth and future of our country. Addressing their hopes and aspirations must be an integral part of our socio- economic development efforts. Successive governments have over the years, realized the need for policies that would empower the youth for effective participation in the national development agenda. 1.2 A National Youth Policy provides the opportunity for Government to engage the youth and other stakeholders in meaningful partnership to develop appropriate interventions and services for youth empowerment. 1.3 The concept of empowerment involves the creation of a congenial environment for equipping the youth with knowledge, skills, attitudes, values and ethics. Provision of resources required to enable them contribute to the economic, social, and cultural advancement of themselves, their families, and the nation as a whole becomes a major responsibility of governments and other stakeholders. 1.4 Consequently, youth empowerment shall involve the process of preparing young people to meet the challenges of adolescence and adulthood through series of activities, and experiences, which help and motivate them to become socially, morally, emotionally, physically, economically independent and cognitively competent as well. 1.5 The National Youth Policy is intended to provide guidelines and direction for all stakeholders involved in the implementation of policies, programmes and projects for the development of the youth. It is also intended to help the country demonstrate its commitment to all international conventions and charters it has signed affecting the youth. 3 2.0 OVERVIEW 2.1 The Youth are a major source of human capital and key agents for socio- cultural, economic, and political development as well as technological innovation worldwide. Their imagination, ideals, energies and vision are essential for the continuing development of societies. Their training, development, intellectual perspectives and productive ability are key determinants of the progress and future of societies. 2.2 The development and empowerment of the youth is imperative for the attainment of national developmental goals. It is therefore important to take account of the youth in our national developmental efforts by; • providing opportunities for learning and acquiring life-long skills. • affording them an appreciation of decision making processes and how these decisions affect them. • instilling in them the communal spirit. 2.3 In spite of the recognition of the youth as a valuable resource for the advancement of the Ghanaian society, a large number of them are affected by such factors as poverty, social exclusion and economic marginalization. 2.4 As its agenda for the youth, Government promised the effective mobilization of the youth, the productive engagement of their talents and energies and the creation of an environment enabling the youth to realize their full potential. This policy document is to serve as the vehicle for empowering the youth for national development. 4 3.0 DEFINITION OF YOUTH AND GHANA’S YOUTH PROFILE 3.1 The definition of youth varies from country to country. Generally, the period between childhood and adulthood is called “Youth.” During this period a person prepares himself/herself to be an active and fully responsible member of the society. It is also a period of transformation from family dependant childhood to independent adulthood and integration in the society as a responsible citizen. 3.2 The policy defines “youth” as “persons who are within the age bracket of fifteen (15) and thirty-five (35)”. Ghana’s definition has been informed by those used by the United Nations Organisation and the Commonwealth Secretariat. 3.3 According to the 2000 Ghana Housing and Population Census, the population of Ghana was 18.9 million with an annual growth rate of 2.7 percent. The youth in Ghana constitute about 33% as a heterogeneous segment of Ghana’s population. 3.4 For the purposes of this policy, planning and programming, the following age categories of the youth as culled from the 2000 Census would be considered: • 15-19 years – 10% • 20-24 years – 8.5% • 25-29 years – 7.9% • 30-34 years – 6.4% These figures are subject to change after the 2010 Population and Housing Census. 3.5 The Youth are categorized as: • Rural and Urban • Male and Female 5 • Adolescence and Adults • Physically challenged and Able-Bodied • Educated and Uneducated • In-School and Out-of-School • Organized and Unorganized • Skilled and Unskilled The above breakdown of the youth has varied characteristics, needs, and aspirations as well as diverse opportunities and constraints. 4.0 CHALLENGES FACING THE YOUTH The major challenges facing young people that the National Youth Policy seeks to address : • Access to quality education for the youth in the educational sector with attendant inadequate or inappropriate training for the job market • Unemployment and underemployment resulting from inadequate and inappropriate training for job the market • The negative effects of urbanization and modernization. • Growing incidence of youth involved in violent conflicts (political, social and ethnic) and increasing juvenile crime • Erosion of traditional social support systems for young persons and the weakened role of the family leading to deviance. • High vulnerability to hunger, malnutrition, and diseases. • High incidence of drug and substance abuse • Inadequate recreational and counselling facilities • Inadequate mentoring opportunities which lead to weak moral, social, cultural and religious values in the youth • High vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections (STIs/STDs), including HIV/AIDS. • Inadequate opportunities for youth participation in decision making • Inadequate involvement in activities to protect and conserve the environment to ensure sustainable future 6 • Peer pressure. • Streetism. • Erosion of patriotism. • Irresponsible parenthood. • ‘Get rich quick’ attitude 5.0 POLICY FRAMEWORK The policy framework for youth activities is derived from the wider social, political and national aspirations of the country which are founded on access, equity and meaningful participation. 5.1 The Policy Vision 5.1.1 The Vision of the National Youth Policy is: • An empowered youth contributing positively to national development. 5.1.2 To realize this vision the following objectives will be pursued: • Empower and actively involve the youth of Ghana in productive activities for individual, community, and national development. • Enable each Ghanaian youth develop his or her full potential and self-esteem. • Institutionalize youth participation at all levels of the decision- making process to ensure the nurturing of democratic culture. • Enable the youth acquire, share and transfer knowledge, expertise, and experience through domestic and international networking and peer-learning. • Inspire the youth to develop the aptitude for creativity, innovation and self-discovery in improving their quality of life. • Inculcate in the youth a strong sense of self-reliance, patriotism, nationalism, and volunteerism. 7 5.2 Principles And Values 5.2.1 The key principles of this National Youth Policy are: PATRIOTISM Love for country should be inculcated as a core value in the youth. SELF RELIANCE As future leaders, the youth should be imbued with the spirit of self-reliance to harness their potentials, creativity and initiative. HONESTY AND INTEGRITY Honesty and Integrity are imperative for the youth in their personal and national development. PARTICIPATION The views of the youth and their participation in national development must be sought. The Government and other stakeholders must consciously and consistently involve young people in decision making. EQUITY The Government and other stakeholders shall at all times recognize the rights, responsibilities, and equality of opportunities for the youth. ACCESS The Government and other stakeholders shall ensure equal opportunities for the youth, including marginalized groups and provide them adequate access to programmes and services regardless of 8 gender, geographical location, and socio- cultural circumstances. LEADERSHIP The youth must be challenged with opportunities to actively lead in matters that affect them, their communities, and the nation. GOOD GOVERNANCE The Government and other stakeholders will demonstrate principles of good governance such as accountability, transparency, and integrity. GENDER MAINSTREAMING The Government and other stakeholders will actively promote gender mainstreaming in the implementation of all policies and programmes. RESPECT The youth must strive to attain their aspirations based on respect for freedom, justice, democratic rights, values, work ethic, our cultural heritage and uphold human rights. COORDINATION AND The Government and other stakeholders COLLABORATION shall consciously and consistently pursue partnerships with the youth to promote self - awareness and social cohesion. 9 6.0 POLICY PRIORITY AREAS 6.1 The Policy emphasizes the following priority areas: 6.1.1 Education and Skills Training Education and skills training are critical to the development of a young person’s productive and responsible life. The main goal of the policy is therefore to ensure the development of a knowledgeable, self reliant, skilled, disciplined, and a healthy population with the capacity to drive and sustain the socio-economic development of the nation. 6.1.2 The outcome of Education and Skills Training is expected to; • make development and delivery of education and skills training more responsive to the labour market. This can be achieved through the constant review of the Training and Education curricula; • increase access to post basic education skills training; • arrest the issue of school dropouts by developing programmes that will keep pupils and students in school until they complete relevant levels of education; • make learning a life-long vocation; • use education to narrow the gap between young persons and their environment; • provide apprenticeship training for out -of -school youth 6.1.3 Science, Research and Technology Science, Research, and Technology are the prerequisites for the youth to join the global scientific revolution. In this respect, the goal of the policy is to build the capacity of the youth in science, research, and appropriate technology, by instituting regular science and mathematics fairs and clinics, revamping the science resource centres and supporting activities in these areas through competition and award systems. 10 6.1.4 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Information and Communication Technology systems are necessary for personal and business success in today’s changing world. The goal of this policy is to provide well equipped community-based networked ICT resource centres in all districts to help the youth acquire skills in IT and make them active participants in the information and knowledge based economy. The youth should be encouraged not only to use ICT for productive purposes but also be weaned off the negative uses of ICT. 6.1.5 Youth and Employment The problem of youth unemployment and underemployment is a major developmental challenge. Employment creation remains a major priority in the country’s development agenda and it is the goal of Government to provide the youth with opportunities for employment and labour market information. In this connection, the policy aims at; • building the capacity of the youth to discover wealth-creating opportunities in their backyards and environment; • enabling the youth to have access to reliable and adequate labour market information; • creating opportunities for young people to take advantage of available jobs; and • training and preparing the youth for the global market. 6.1.6 Entrepreneurial Development Entrepreneurial development, among other factors, propels and accelerates socio-economic development. However, its development is 11 limited to a small section of the youth. Government realizes the need to mainstream entrepreneurial development into school curricula to give it the necessary impetus. Such entrepreneurial development will be achieved through : • integration of entrepreneurial skills into youth development activities • facilitation of access to credit for the youth • creation of corps of young entrepreneurs to serve as role models • celebration of successful young entrepreneurs. 6.1.7. Youth in Modern Agriculture Agriculture continues to be the highest contributor to Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It also provides employment for a majority of Ghana’s population. Increased productivity in agriculture ensures food security and contributes immensely to the health and well-being of the people. There is therefore the need to develop more strategic interventions and approaches to attract the youth to this sector, particularly youth in the informal sector. In this regard, the goal of this policy will be to promote youth participation in agriculture, through the following policy objectives: • Promotion of the participation of the youth in modern agriculture as a viable career opportunity for the youth and as an economic and business option. • The provision of resources for the participation of the youth in modern agriculture. 12 6.1.8 Gender Mainstreaming The cardinal principle of this policy will be to mainstream gender in all youth development approaches and interventions. Mainstreaming gender will mean providing equitable conditions for both the male and female. It also means ensuring that all youth programmes are gender sensitive and that all gender - related discriminatory practices are discouraged. 6.1.9 Environment In view of the importance of a sustainable and healthy environment to national development, this policy recognizes the role of the youth in ensuring good environmental practices. This requires that young people are provided with adequate knowledge and information on environmental issues to help them understand the country’s biodiversity. They require to be sensitized on good environmental practices and be encouraged to adopt same in their every- day life. The following practical approaches shall be undertaken to: • make the youth active participants in the protection, preservation, and improvement of the environment; • provide alternative livelihood programs for the youth who engage in negative practices that affect the environment. • provide regular rewards for young people whose ideas and activities ensure better understanding, appreciation and preservation of their local environment. 6.1.10 Health, HIV and AIDS There are numerous health challenges which adversely affect the productive lives of young people. Some of the health problems occasioned by negative behavioral patterns and life styles are: 13 • Sexual and reproductive health-related diseases including HIV & AIDS infections, teenage pregnancy, early marriage, and parentage. • Drugs and substance abuse. • Poor hygienic practices. The goal of this policy will be to improve the knowledge of the youth about preventive health care and to assist them avoid practices such as engaging in early and irresponsible sexual activities and exposing themselves to STDS such as HIV/AIDS. 6.1.11 Networking and Partnership In Ghana many registered youth groups and organizations are operating independently. Networking and partnership have been identified as a strategic option for building synergy among the youth groups. The need for networking stems from the fact that international youth - oriented organizations have began the process of youth networks and partnerships to enable the youth all over the world to exchange ideas and experiences that will enhance their development. Accordingly, government will through appropriate governmental and non- governmental institutions seek to provide the requisite environment to enable recognized youth organizations to network with each other productively within and outside the country. This may be achieved through exchange programmes, including internship in sister- working organizations, organized tours, youth camps, intra and inter district / regional educational, cultural and sporting competitions and exchanges. 6.1.12 Mentoring Mentoring is a powerful personal development and empowerment tool. There is therefore the need to have mentoring in our youth development 14 programmes. Government will in this regard, provide a mentoring framework for the emulation of role models as a motivation for the youth through the creation of the appropriate platforms and opportunities for interaction between the youth and role models in society. By so doing, the young ones will build the needed self-confidence to maximize their potentials for their future development. 6.1.13 Arts and Culture Arts and Culture depicts the life of a people. It is an important vehicle for appreciating and understanding the heritage of the people. It represents a sense of identity, self-respect, and the medium through which generations learn and transfer progressive skills, techniques of social relations, and survival. Accordingly, Government will promote youth participation in arts and culture for national integration and cohesion through the following measures: • The promotion of intra/inter district, regional Arts and Culture Festivals; • The promotion of youth participation in African Arts and Culture; • The transfer of cultural values through traditional socialization structures; and • The creation of cultural awareness among the youth as a social, political, and economic development strategy. 6.1.14 Governance, Democracy, and Leadership Good governance and civic responsibility are basic ingredients for national development. The key principles of good governance include transparency, accountability, and protection of rights under the rule of law, empowering vulnerable groups, as well as enhancing decentralization and access to information. 15 In this respect, Government will inculcate in the youth democratic values and principles for their active participation in governance. This will be achieved through education of the youth in the principles and practices of good governance and the promotion of their active participation in decision- making at all levels. 6.1.15 Sports and Recreation Sports and recreation enhance one’s physical well-being, and self-esteem, while contributing to socio-economic development in the form of improved public health. It is therefore Government’s goal to promote youth participation in sports, recreation, and positive leisure activities through the promotion of competitive sports such as inter-school and college competition and the expansion of sports and recreational infrastructure as well as the effective co-ordination of programmes for social cohesion. Accordingly, Government in collaboration with other stakeholders will promote extra-curricular educational activities through the provision of youth centres and other recreational facilities in all regional capitals and district centres, and ensure the active participation of young people with disability in sports and recreation. In addition, sports tourism will be employed to educate the youth to appreciate our national diversity and break down barriers that inhibit national cohesion and integration. 6.1.16 Youth in Conflict Prevention and Peace Building Peace and security are essential prerequisites for development. Civil strife and conflicts threaten good governance and nation building. Conflicts have resulted in wanton destruction of property and loss of lives, as well as, incidence of internally displaced persons (IDPs). One striking 16 feature of this situation is that the youth are often either victims or perpetrators. There is the need to promote conflict prevention among the youth as a major stakeholder in peace building. This will involve creating and strengthening mechanisms for peace building and institutionalizing a culture of peaceful co-existence. Government in collaboration with other stakeholders will promote active youth participation in conflict prevention, resolution and in peace building. 6.1.17 National Youth Week A National Youth Week will be instituted during which period the progress of youth development will be assessed. Programmes and projects will then be formulated to address the identified gaps. Furthermore, as part of the week, the youth who have exhibited exemplary leadership and contribution in various areas of endeavour, as well as individuals and organizations who have distinguished themselves in the promotion of youth development will be recognized. The National Youth Week will be celebrated annually under appropriate themes to bring to the fore the potentials of the youth in national development through promotion and rewarding of creativity and innovation. 6.1.18 Youth and Vulnerability Young people generally tend to have limited access to resources, information, and control over their lives. This makes them vulnerable to various forms of abuse, exploitation, harassment, and neglect. High incidence of vulnerability among the youth is more pronounced in rural households, low income or under-employed urban youth, youth with disability, and youth with psycho-social problems. 17 Government and other stakeholders in collaboration with other stakeholders will therefore provide social protection for the vulnerable and excluded youth with the objective of: • providing opportunities for smooth transition from childhood to adulthood; • stemming the tide of drug and substance abuse among the youth; • reducing crime and violence; and • promoting the integration of displaced youth into society. 6.1.19 Youth, Patriotism and Volunteerism Volunteerism is used globally as a tool for developing active citizens, fostering national cohesion, and creating opportunities for skills development and application among young people. There is a need to make volunteerism attractive to young people and inspire patriotism. To achieve this goal, Government in collaboration with other stakeholders will take the following measures; • allocate resources to youth volunteerism • facilitate private sector support for youth volunteerism • include youth volunteerism in all levels of the educational programmes; and • inculcate the spirit of patriotism and volunteerism • Develop leadership potentials among the youth through volunteerism. 6.1.19.1 Nationalism and Conscientization of the Youth There is a compelling need to help our young men and women imbibe the virtues of nationalism. Various approaches including the use of the media, drama, history lessons, poetry, songs shall be employed to encourage the youth to love and lift high the flag of Ghana. 18 In addition, various learning forms and creative activities shall be used to help the youth construct ideal patriotic models that they can identify with to become patriotic and nationalistic. 7.0 IDENTIFIABLE GROUPS UNDER THE NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY: In addressing the needs of the youth, special attention shall be paid to identifiable youth groups. In each of the target areas, government, stakeholders and other Youth organisations will pay attention and emphasis to the under listed youth groups: • Post-Basic and Secondary School Drop-Outs (Junior High and Senior High Schools) – Facilitate equal access to relevant skills and quality educational opportunities. • Students in Tertiary Institutions – Prepare them for gainful employment and responsible citizenship for national and their own social, political, and economic development. • Out-of-School, Unemployed, and Under-employed Youth – Develop and implement programmes and projects that will be of benefit to this category of youth for self-employment and wealth-creation, and for the global labour market. • Female Youth – Advocate the elimination of all forms of discrimination and fortify protection from sexual harassment, physical violence and abuse, labour exploitation, as well as all other negative attitudes, and cultural practices. The policy will protect and advance the interests and aspirations of female youth so as to give them dignity and motivation as equal partners in the national development agenda. • Pregnant adolescent youth and education –Ensure that the adolescent mother is well catered for and a framework followed to encourage completion of at least secondary education. • Youth in Crime and Violence-Related Problems – Address the disturbing trend of increasing youth involvement in substance abuse, armed robbery and other violent crimes, and occultism by providing opportunities for rehabilitation towards law-abiding conduct. 19 • Youth at Risk – Make available guidance and counseling facilities to the youth in conflict areas; orphaned youth as a result of HIV/AIDS and broken homes; and the street youth. • Youth with Disability and Health Challenges – Uphold society’s responsibility towards youth with disability and difficult health circumstances. • Youth with Special Talents – Provide encouragement and opportunities to adequately harness and utilize the creative potentials of young persons who are gifted and talented for national development. 8.0 RIGHTS OF THE YOUTH 8.1 The Rights of the Ghanaian, including the youth as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, and any treaty/convention related to the youth to which Ghana is signatory, shall be respected and upheld by all stakeholders. In doing so, the youth must be oriented to internalize the fact that rights thrive best with responsibilities. 9.0 OBLIGATIONS 9.1 The State 9.1.1 The youth are a nation’s asset. In this policy, the role of the state is to; ensure that the youth enjoy their fundamental rights enshrined in the 1992 Constitution. • provide adequate resources for sustainable youth development • create institutions that enhance national unity, cohesion and integration. • provide exemplary leadership and a conducive environment for good governance. • provide opportunities for educational advancement. • provide opportunities for the youth to grow with head, heart and hand. 20 9.2 Parents/Guardians 9.2.1 Families need to create culturally sensitive guidance systems and provide the resources needed for the proper growth and development of the youth to contribute to their respective societies and/or communities. The obligations of parents, in the policy, are to: • Promote and mainstream responsible parenting • Provide for the physical and psychological needs of the youth • Provide for educational advancement of the youth • Provide guidance and counseling for the youth • Train young people to become financially independent • Treat the youth with dignity and respect • Provide opportunities for the youth to contribute towards their communities and national development. 9.3 The Youth 9.3.1 The Ghanaian culture upholds moral upbringing and law abiding citizenship as a societal necessity. In this policy, the Ghanaian youth is enjoined to demonstrate: • Respect for the elderly and courtesy to persons with disabilities and difficult health circumstances. • Respect for and protection of state property. • Promotion of a high sense of volunteerism and patriotism. • Respect for the rights and dignity of female youth. • Non-participation in acts of violence, crime, exploitation, and in the oppression of vulnerable groups. • Promotion of peer education to protect and safeguard the environment. • Promotion of good Ghanaian culture and beliefs. • Willingness to take advantage of opportunities for personal socio- economic development and advancement. 21 9.4 The Private Sector 9.41 The policy takes due cognizance of the role of the private sector in national development. It is therefore anticipated that the private sector will provide the following for the youth; • opportunities for gainful employment and proper work ethics. • training and apprenticeship and/or internship opportunities • promotion of entrepreneurial development • provision of the environment for making youth entrepreneurial development as key part of their corporate social responsibility. 9.5 Civil Society Organizations/Institutions 9.5.1 The policy recognizes the facilitation role of Civil Society groups in helping the youth obtain exposure to leadership and decision making situations, as well as transit smoothly into adulthood. In their present role the policy expects Civil Society groups to offer the youth the following: • Strengthen the social support systems for the youth especially the vulnerable to find safety nets in their communities • Create opportunities for the youth to take part in leadership roles. • Create a healthy society which is free from violence to enable the youth enjoy physical, intellectual, social and economic well-being. 9.6 Religious Organizations, Traditional Authorities and Socio-Cultural Groupings 9.6.1 The youth need to grow within a proper cultural context. It is imperative to provide the correct moral compass to guide them in leading responsible youth and adult lives. 22 The policy envisages that Religious Organizations, Traditional Authorities, and Other Cultural Groupings will act individually or in concert to provide moral guidance to the youth through the following means: • Provide religious and moral upbringing to the youth in the best traditions of Ghanaian culture • Through examples, rather than precepts, lead the youth to understand, appreciate and adopt our beliefs, values and cultural heritage. • Promote the sanctity of the family unit through the strengthening of both the nuclear and extended families 9.7 International Organizations 9.7.1 International Organizations such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), the Commonwealth Secretariat and the United Nations Organisation (UN) are required to promote the awareness of the youth of their international obligations. In return, the international organizations to which Ghana belongs owe it a duty to help the country stay on its democratic course, promote the respect for human rights, international peace and solidarity. The policy anticipates continued material and moral support from the international community to enable Government carry out its agenda for the youth. This includes: • Creating access for the youth of Ghana to be partners in development • Getting the youth to participate in various peace initiatives • Supporting the youth to implement the various “plans of action for youth empowerment” prepared by the international organizations. 9.8 Development Partners and Donor Agencies 9.8.1 This policy acknowledges the depth of support and collaboration received in the past from International Development Partners and Donor Agencies in national development and youth empowerment 23 programmes. The policy, therefore, anticipates that the following responsibilities will be assumed by them in the future: • Providing investment funding for youth development programmes • Improved access to information and communication technology for the youth • Providing an open platform for consulting and communicating with the youth • Providing technical support • Offering financial and logistical support • Providing avenues for cross-cultural exchanges 10.0 IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISMS The National youth Council shall facilitate and institute a Youth Stakeholders Forum that will play an active role with all identifiable youth groups at national, regional and district levels in the implementation of this National Youth Policy 10.1 The policy provides a framework for collective action and coordination of strategies for youth development among government institutions, non- governmental organizations (NGOs), and youth organizations, as well as, other stakeholders for youth empowerment. 10.2 The Ministry responsible for youth development will oversee the coordination, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and review of the National Youth Policy. 10.3 This shall be done through the National Youth Council with the active participation of the youth and in collaboration with ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs)/institutions and other stakeholders. 10.4 The National Youth Council (NYC) shall continue with its core function including the under-listed: 24 • Mobilize and organize the youth for participation in governance, economic, social and cultural activities. • Promote and inculcate in the youth a sense of patriotism, volunteerism, and nationalism. • Provide a platform for youth development activities 10.5 Youth Associations in Ghana shall play an active role at national, regional and district levels in the implementation of this National Youth Policy. • They shall position themselves as the bridges between government and the youth to ensure that policy makers are kept informed on the views and aspirations of the youth. 10.6 Civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, non-profit making institutions, and community-based organizations play a crucial role in youth development. In recognition of their positive contributions, the under – listed roles will continue to be expected from them: • Incorporating priority concerns of the National Youth Policy in their programmes and activities • Establishing wealth creation schemes for the youth • Supporting (materially, technically, and financially), skills training programmes • Promoting entrepreneurship development schemes • Sponsoring mentorship programmes 10.7 This policy further recognizes the important supportive roles of International Development Partners in national development and the promotion of youth empowerment. The policy, therefore, anticipates that the following responsibilities will be assumed: • Advocating youth development programmes • Providing technical support • Offering financial and logistical support 25 11.0 MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND REVIEW OF POLICY 11.1 In collaboration with the Ministry responsible for youth affairs, the National Youth Council shall monitor the implementation of the National Youth Policy to ensure that it responds to the development needs and aspirations of the youth, and their contribution to the broader development agenda of the state. 11.2.1 The policy shall be reviewed when necessary (but at least once in every five years) and in line with other government policies. During the period of review, the prevailing policy shall be the policy of the state. 11.3 Action Plan 11.3.1 The National Youth Policy will be implemented through an ACTION PLAN, which will outline comprehensive strategies, projects and activities, time frame with respect to immediate, short, medium and long term and the budget lines that will achieve its desired objectives. 11.3.1 The National Youth Council in collaboration with relevant stakeholders has developed the National Action Plan for the implementation of this policy and will be reviewed as and when necessary. 12.0 CONCLUSION 12.1 The Youth are one of the critical resources of the nation considering their potential, numbers, vitality, and capabilities as change agents for national transformation. 12.2 The State requires a vibrant National Youth Policy to guide and direct systematic mobilization and development of the youth for sustainable national development. This policy document captures the major concerns and issues critical for youth development. It gives direction to the youth and programmes and services expected of all stakeholders 26 involved in youth development and empowerment. They need opportunities, space and resources to realize their individual and collective vision. 12.3 In this Policy, Government declares the importance of youth involvement in national development and emphasizes the complementary role of MDAs, MMDAs, NGOs, the Donor-community, as well as other stakeholders in the common pursuit of youth development in Ghana. Government therefore implores all stakeholders to collaborate in the effective implementation of the policy. 27 YOUTH COVER Project1 Layout 1.pdf