Mama FM

Government urged to increase representation of young people in lower offices

17 July 2024, 11:04 am

By Philip Onyango

The government has been challenged to increase the number of young people in lower governing offices to ensure that their needs and concerns are addressed.

This has been sounded by Munir Safieldin, the representative of UNICEF in Uganda, while speaking to journalists during the one day skills for the future symposium 2024 for the youths organised by Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) in conjunction with Private Sector Foundation (PSF) and UNICEF with the theme dubbed “Young people navigate the 21st century” held at Nsambya Sharing Youth Centre.

Munir Safieldin, addressing the media.

Safieldin stressed that young people make up a significant proportion of the population and are critical to the country’s future noting that empowering them to participate in governance would enable them to access essential services such as healthcare, education among others.

He adds that government efforts over creating opportunities for young Ugandans to engage in the political process such as Members of Parliament, Ministers among others are wonderful but younger people are not well represented in lower positions. Safieldin has advised youths to embrace self skills to create their own jobs for better future.

Meanwhile Barnard Mujuni, the Commissioner Equity and Rights at MGLSD who represented the Permanent Secretary of the ministry at the symposium has advised youths to report all corrupt officials who ask them for money before applying for any job, saying this will help more youths to access government services.