MAP Côte d’Ivoire : intensification de la lutte contre le trafic d’espèces animales protégées AIP La monétisation des créations culturelles à l’ère numérique représente un défi majeur (Ministère) ATOP Cinkassé : des femmes et des jeunes des Savanes se forment sur les mécanismes d’alerte précoce à Timbou ATOP Lutte contre les incendies dans les marches du Grand Lomé : l’étape du marché d’ « Akodessewa Djidjénou » termine la tournée de sensibilisation de la ministre Mivedor-Sambiani ANP Niger : Le HCDH fait don de 300 ouvrages aux Etudiants del’ESSCOM MAP Sénégal: le nouveau président élu va prêter serment mardi ATOP Violences basées sur le genre : les maires et les partenaires s’impliquent dans la lutte ATOP LES ACTEURS PLANCHENT SUR LES MESURES ET DISPOSITIONS PRATIQUES DE PREVENTION ATOP des jeunes de Bafilo sensibilisés au patriotisme et à la culture de la paix ATOP Gestion des contentieux des élections régionales : la cour suprême forme les acteurs impliques

GOL, UN Reaffirm Commitment To At-Risk Youth Program


  8 Août      43        Développement humain (278), Société (44878),

 

MONROVIA, Aug. 8 (LINA) – One in five youth in Liberia are users of narcotic substances, and many more are at risk of use and addiction.

To avoid the risk of losing an entire generation of young people to drugs and to help them realize their full potential, the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Youth & Sports, in collaboration with the United Nations and other stakeholders, has developed a multi-year, multi-sectoral, Program for addressing the needs of At-Risk Youth.

The 10-year program aims to rehabilitate, empower and reintegrate At-Risk Youth into their communities as healthy, productive, and engaged citizens, a joint statement said at the weekend.

On June 30, 2022, under the leadership of Dr. George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia, the Government launched a fund drive to support this program.

The event saw commitments from several key stakeholders, including the Government of Liberia, who pledged US$1 million to start the program.

Since then, efforts have been underway by the Government and the UN agencies to move ahead with this critical initiative.

On August 4, a week before International Day of the Youth on August 12, a high-level preparatory meeting was held to agree on the next steps of this initiative.

The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Youth and Sports, D. Zeogar Wilson, and attended by the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel D. Tweh, Health minister, Dr. Wilhemina Jallah, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mrs. Williametta Saydee-Tarr, and Assistant Minister of Justice, Atty. Edrick F. Noah as well as the UN Resident Coordinator, Niels Scott, UNFPA Representative, Bidisha Pillai, UNICEF Representative Laila Gad, UNDP Representative, Stephen Rodrigues, and WHO Representative, Dr. Clement Peter.

The leaders agreed that this was a real opportunity to focus on some of the most marginalized young people in Liberia over a long-term period and would be game-changing for the future of this nation.

They also agreed that a High-level National Steering Committee would be established with representatives from the Government, UN, Development Partners, CSOs, and youth themselves.

The Steering Committee will provide leadership and oversight for the program as participants further agreed on forming a Technical Working Group that will provide technical oversight for the development and implementation of the Program and a Secretariat to support the overall coordination of the program.

“The increasing number of young people on drugs and the number of youths living in the streets means that a whole generation might not reach their full potential,” said Youth and Sports Minister D. Zeogar Wilson during the opening address.

Minister Wilson said it was critical for the Government and the UN to agree on the program development and implementation framework to ensure synergy and avoid duplication of efforts.

The United Nations (UN) Liberia Resident Coordinator, Niels Scott, who also spoke during the opening of the meeting, said the UN welcomes the bilateral engagement with the Government of Liberia to improve the condition of young people, especially the At-Risk population.

Mr. Scott called for a Multi-Partners Trust Fund to allow for a transparent collaboration and coordination framework in the program’s implementation.

The Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Mr. Samuel D. Tweah, said that there is a need to ensure that all interventions that are targeted for At-Risk Youth from drugs must be brought under this national governing structure.

He reiterated the commitment of the President and the Government to prioritize this area over the next ten years.

The Ministry of Health shared a detailed presentation on the work needed for the treatment and recovery of substance users and emphasized the need to strengthen and have more treatment centers.

The participants agreed that setting up the respective program implementation framework is the next step.

Dans la même catégorie