YA Magazine

No 4 December 2005

Even when the media’s message about the youth is positive, it often conveys the idea that the youth are “the leaders of tomorrow”. Adults are also encouraged to invest in the youth today so that they will have the skills and resources they will need for the future.
Such thinking and actions obscures the fact that young people are already making solid contributions to their own personal lives, the lives of others who are their peers or even younger or older, helping people make decisions in contraceptive use as peer educators and even counsellors. These contributions have however been overlooked, with young people being seen as recipients of services by many organizations the world over.
The importance of Youth Participation at various levels of development programmes and policy decision-making positions is to acknowledge young people as full members of the society. When young people participate in matters that affect their lives,
• They can contribute and enhance the quality of decisions made regarding issues at hand.
• They can gain useful insights in the participation and decision-making process.
• Their capabilities can be developed so that they can gain more control over decisions to shape their lives.

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IPPF Africa Region

YA Magazine

No 4 December 2005