Liberia: Yet To Adopt a National Youth Policy

Youth all around the globe are the pillar upon which a successful nation leans; in another term the youth are the foundation of a society, their fortitude and tenacity to engage into progressive social–economic activities sets the basis for  defining moments a nation make in attaining economic development, assured security and social-political gains. Because of the unbending dreams of the young people to ensure that there exists a trajectory for growth and development, peace and security, unequivocally, the future of a nation is assured and Liberia is of no exception in such context.

Young people across the global village have been recognized as potential tools for the development of any nation but this does not occur in a vacuum. The young people themselves must be prepared to take up such challenge; however, the status quo shouldered the greatest responsibility for the availability of avenues in an attempt for the young people to maximize their potentials to the fullest. Youth development does not take place in a vacuum neither does it operates on regimes platform when it is not binding upon the state as a working instrument for succeeding regimes, here the Republic of Liberia serves a best reference.

The National Housing and Population Census of 2008 accounts for 68% of the overall Liberian population as young people, this whooping percentage demonstrated itself during the 2011 general and presidential elections. Firstly it was the “Vote Your Future Campaign” which targeted a huge percentage of more than 300,000 young people (some of which were first time voters) to be fully involved into the electioneering processes. Strategic youth and student leaders, youth led civil society and community based organizations as well as faith based organizations were mobilized for this task. The young people demonstrated their presence in the forward march of the country to have the vote your future campaign meet its purpose. Youth development was a major issue for discussion by all participants in the gone elections from the Executive to the Legislature. During the inaugural speech of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, she acknowledged the cry of the young people and vowed that such cry will not go unnoticed under her regime.

Sometimes in mid 2012, The Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY) Liberia’s umbrella youth organization along with the Liberia National Students Union were in high spirit across the republic mobilizing “young people” to participate in a national youth summit.  Interestingly, it was made clear that the sitting was a validation of a document carved at some sitting in Kakata, Margibi County, Republic of Liberia. Since said “summit”, there has never been a document to the House of Parliament for enactment into law as the national youth policy of the republic of Liberia. Giving the numerous challenges faced by the young people of Liberia, as a youth also, I am concerned, in the absence of a policy how do we promote the responsibilities of the Liberian youth to the state in prioritizing patriotism, the obligation of  adults and parents as well as the obligation of the state to the young people. A policy is needed to engage, that details the obligation of the private sector for job creation, entrepreneurial development and the transfer of knowledge and skills to young people since everything cannot be all about the government. Walking down town Monrovia and coming in contacts with drug-related young people it raises my concern for the need of a national youth policy which must address the establishment of drug-dependency reduction centers to rehabilitate youth that suffers  addiction and thus commit crimes. Probation Services at the Ministry of Justice cannot take the burden all alone in dealing with these cases. There has to be a national youth agenda to buttress such efforts since most of the recidivists are young people who suffer addiction problems. How do we as young people engage street youth and out of school youth. It behooves anyone and is absolutely unthinkable in these age and times a nation will not have a national document specifically capturing the future of the young people and the very nation itself since in fact the young people are its future leaders.

A national youth policy is absolutely bigger than the Federation of Liberia Youth sitting on a 15 million dollar management steering committee in the current portion of the medium term budget when the possibility of consistency has serious doubts. Over the years, the young people have consistently been branded as violent people and paid agents for demonstrations; a national youth policy that teaches and encourages in high morale the spirit and intent of patriotism and nationalism will be fast enough to erase this growing hasty fallacy of composition.

In all spirit of truism, for a real youth empowerment or youth development, there has to be laws governing such and the national youth policy is insofar the best platform to serve such purpose if we believe that the young people are the today’s leaders for the better tomorrow Liberia anticipates as she recovers from the ashes of wars and wanton destructions.