By Alice Mudzingwa
HARARE – Young leaders from across Zimbabwe, government officials, development partners, and civil society representatives have gathered in Harare for a two-day National Youth Indaba aimed at strengthening youth participation in policymaking and advancing youth-led solutions to Zimbabwe’s development challenges.
The Indaba is being convened under the Youth Collective Action for Social Transformation (YCA4SoTra) project, a European Union-funded initiative implemented by SAYWHAT and the Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD), with technical support from Save the Children.
The meeting has brought together 80 youth representatives from 40 youth-led and youth-focused associations operating in Beitbridge, Binga, Bulawayo Metropolitan, Chimanimani, Chipinge, Gwanda, Harare Metropolitan, Kariba, Matobo, and Mutare Urban.
Organisers say the platform seeks to strengthen dialogue between young people and policymakers while ensuring youth priorities are reflected in national development processes.
Giving opening remarks SayWhat Director Mr Jimmy Wilford said the gathering builds on from the provincial engagements through which young people identified the challenges affecting their communities and proposed possible solutions.
“We are meeting at a defining moment for Zimbabwe’s youth sector.Young people are facing rising unemployment, limited economic opportunities, climate-related shocks, digital exclusion, mental health challenges, drug and substance abuse, and continuing barriers to healthcare and meaningful participation in decision-making”, said Willford.
Mr Willford also said young people must take responsibility for organising themselves, identifying opportunities, building credible institutions and developing practical responses to the challenges affecting their communities.
“Young people must no longer be viewed simply as recipients of funding, training, services or opportunities designed by others. The provincial engagements demonstrated that young people understand the challenges in their communities and already possess innovative ideas for addressing them. The question is no longer only, “What can we provide for young people?” We must also ask, “What solutions are young people developing, and what support do they require to take those solutions to scale?”
Speaking at the same event Zimbabwe Youth Council Chief Executive Officer Mr Brian Nyagwande the Indaba as not just a meeting but a vital reality check on what is happening to the youth across the country.
“This national Indaba is a moment where we move from listening to action.It is the bridge that connects the powers of voices from our provinces .As Zimbabwe Youth Council we believe that meaningful youth participation is not a favour to be granted but it is a fundamental right prerequisite for sustainable national development., said Mr Nyagwande.
Mr Nyagwande commended the YCA4SoTra) project as an initiative that is transforming the lives of the young people
“The YCA4SoTra project generously represent the significance investment in our country’s youth for the past two years. The project has been more than a program, but a journey of growth, delivery and empowerment, ” said Mr Nyagwande
Discussions during the Indaba will focus on youth empowerment and economic inclusion, climate action, digital transformation, health and well-being, and youth participation in governance.
The event follows a series of provincial engagements conducted under the YCA4SoTra project, where young people identified unemployment, limited economic opportunities, climate change, digital exclusion, health challenges, and inadequate participation in decision-making as some of the major issues affecting their communities.
According to organisers, the provincial consultations highlighted the need for a national platform where youth representatives can consolidate their concerns, engage directly with duty bearers, and develop collective advocacy positions.
In addition to dialogue sessions, participants will take part in policy conversations, advocacy laboratories, knowledge-sharing sessions, and networking forums designed to strengthen collaboration between youth organisations, government institutions, development partners, and the private sector.
The Indaba is also expected to produce youth-led policy recommendations, strengthen advocacy capacity among participating organisations, and foster greater accountability for youth-responsive policies and programmes.
