Remarks of YALF President at AU PCRD Policy Implementation Workshop
In a verge to project African development from within the eyes of Africa, African Union Department of Peace and Security hosted a 3-day workshop on the theme: Ten Years of AU Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development Policy (PCRD) Implementation: A Reflection of Progress, Opportunities and Challenges. Amongst renowned African development experts, our president, Prince Ifoh, was invited as a speaker to represent the voices of young people in Africa. In this regard, he presented a paper during Panel 9 on “Harnessing the agency of women, youth and other marginalised groups in post-conflict reconstruction and development processes”.
Women and youth are often presented in very categorical terms in conflict and post-conflict contexts. While women are on the one hand represented as vulnerable and victims, youth are usually presented as protagonists and spoilers. Given the heterogeneity of each group, neither classification is an entirely true representation. This session aims to draw lessons on how to harness the agency of women, youth and other marginalised groups in post-conflict reconstruction and development processes.
Alongside our president – Prince Ifoh, prestigious panelists during this session include Ms. Bineta Diop – Special Envoy of the Chairperson on Women, Peace and Security; Professor Cheryl Hendricks – from the University of Johannesburg; Ms. Prudence Ngwenya Nonkululeko – Head of Human Resources & Youth Development Division, Human Resources, Science & Technology Department, AU; and Amb. Hawa Ahmed Youssouf – Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission and Head of AU Liaison Office in Madagascar.
YALF shows commitment towards promoting peace in Africa – and in conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction and development processes. It,therefore, becomes the responsibility of young people – all over the continent – to ensure that they avail themselves to be part of the solutions to the continent’s malaises, and assist in projecting Africa to the First World Status by 2063.
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