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A step towards meaningful change
Written by Ronald T. Jongwe (Zimbabwe)
One great man once said whenever two elephants fight, what suffers most is the grass.
I have realised that even if when things change and somewhere along the line these two elephants ever decide to make love, it is still the very same grass that suffers. Such is the unfortunate situation that we have found ourselves in as youths. So much noise has been made for, by and against the youth about crime yet there seem to be little or no change on the ground. Several conferences, summits, forums and symposiums have been held for the youth and to map youth policies but one would realize that the youths themselves have not been engaged as active participants in these processes in the past.
The mesmerizing city of Durban has earmarked the first steps towards the correction of this anomaly. As I write this article, more than two hundred youth from all over the world have converged in Durban for the UN’s International Youth Crime Prevention and Cities Summit with the aim of engaging the youths as active participants and inevitable partners in the quest to build a better crime free world.
Personally, what I find unique and helpful about this particular summit is the way youths and adults have been engaged as equal partners at all stages. The approach of engaging international organisations such as the United Nations (UN), ministers/MECs from different countries, UN dignitaries and other important people to the discussion table with the youths is indeed a desired step towards ensuring that youth related programmes are not only designed for but by the youths.
So far the Summit has been learning, refining, defining and shaping phase for me. My heart bleeds when I think of my fellow youths in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwean youth face a myriad of problems ranging from unemployment which currently stands at 80%, a socio-political quagmire to an ailing economy with an inflation rate of more than 165 000%, but above all the youths have allowed themselves to be used as political canon fodder for selfish politicians. The post/pre election violence that is currently haunting Zimbabwe has claimed more than 66 lives of which more than 56% of these are youths. Given such a scenario, it is thus worrying to realize that we only have two Zimbabwean youth delegates at the Summit.
The international isolation that we have got ourselves into has seen us being skipped by a lot of opportunities; for example, if we had more Zimbabwean youths at this Summit our task of encouraging the youths in Zimbabwe to come back to their senses and shun political violence at all costs would have been easier.
It is my hope and belief that whatever I have learnt at this Summit is not for me but for my peers back home and beyond. Using all means possible, I will endeavor to change and touch not only my life and the lives of those that surround me but the lives of as many youths as I can.
During the Your City International Crime Prevention & Cities Summit, the Baobab team and the 20 winners of the competition are reporting live from the summit premises! Keep checking back for daily updates.
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Ewok 08/07/2008 11:10 wrote:
I find myself being very cynical about the percieved successes of the conference and I dont think I am allowing much room for consideration as I atempt to find the positive aspects and let them breath BUT when i read your words and try to put myself in your shoes I discover my position as one of great priviledge in comparison to others, and I am humbled by your graciousness and strength of heart. I wll continue to do my best at home to keep the people aware of the situation in your country so that the world does not sleep while Zimbabwe bleeds. Keep the fire burning!
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Verse wagon 02/07/2008 13:23 wrote:
This is real and touching. I find your participation very necessary cognisant of the challenges Zimbabwe is facing at the moment. A solution to the country's woes through political processes by political parties and politicians have seemingly failed but there has not been any holistic approach by the youths to offer their views as solutions. This needs mobilisation from Zimbabwe and eventually lobbying youths worldwide to help Zimbabwean youths to have a round table with the Zimbabwean government.
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