International Youth Day 2024: Tanzania unveils amended National Youth Development Policy

ILO News (Tanzania) August 12, 2024, Dodoma. As the world observed International Youth Day (IYD), Tanzania had almost its celebration storyboard this time around scripted differently.

Dozens of youths chose to bear witness to the launch of the amended national youth development policy (2007) from which the future of the youth-born into a digital era is guaranteed a new beginning across all crucial dockets.

The official unveiling was done by Ridhiwan Kikwete, State Minister, in the Prime Minister’s Office – Labour, Youth, Employment and Disabled at the Jakaya Kikwete Convention Hall, Dodoma Capital.

The newly launched policy version is reportedly going to address major challenges faced by Tanzanian youths and sets the stage for an introduction of the very first national youth council.

“The Government has already completed reviewing the national youth development policy, 2007, which has been amended in 2024, and we are here today for its official unveiling,” said Mr Ridhiwan Kikwete.

Expounding on such a much-sought-after document, the Minister admitted that the amended policy would solve all problems grappling with the number of youths in the country after its unveiling.

Minister Kikwete added that: “The Government has immensely invested in sports, culture and art sectors to provide youths with employment opportunities through their vastly unexploited talents to be able to participate in the socio-economic activities.

Through the Tanzania Cultural and Arts Fund (TCAF), it has continued to offer credit and tools financing to the youths for facilitating their income-generating activities, amounting to Sh 3.3 billion.”

He reminded labour officials of not sleeping on their jobs and instead rushing to the field to attend unemployed youths.

For her part, Permanent Secretary, in the Prime Minister’s Office --Labour, Youth, Employment and Disabled, Mary Maganga has stated that they have conducted a two-day symposium that gathered more than 3,000 youths from across the country in marking the IYD 2024.

“In that symposium, youths have dissected over the Tanzania Development Policy, 2050, digital space potentials, youth and economy, mental health and youth psychology and have been content with the Government’s move of collecting all presented opinions primarily focused on education, health, employment and empowerment,” she clarified.

A youth representative, Charles Ruben commended President Samia for deliberate efforts to lift and support Tanzanian youths and holds that the said group has extracted necessary skills to enable them engage strongly in the economic activities as well as leadership positions.

“Youth jobs have increased where from 2023 to 2024, 607,675 jobs have been created while 204,000 jobs are the result of strategic projects implemented in this country while Sh1.1 billion earmarked for the Building Better Tomorrow (BBT) programme which targets young people.”

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© ILO

Inputs from international community

In this ever-evolving digitized world, youth are inevitably ‘digital natives’ expected to drive change and create lasting solutions. Digitalization is transforming our world, offering unprecedented opportunities to accelerate sustainable development.

Young people are leading the charge in digital adoption and innovation, with three-quarters of those aged 15 to 24 using the internet in 2022, a rate higher than other age groups.

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© ILO

However, disparities persist, particularly in low-income countries and among young women, who often have less access to the internet and digital skills compared to their male counterparts.

“About two thirds of young people and children below the age of 25 cannot log on to the Internet at home, and factors like poverty and displacement worsen access. Adolescent girls, particularly those from the poorest households, are among those least able to connect,” stated Ms Elke Wisch, UNICEF Representative to the United Republic of Tanzania, based in Dar es Salaam.

For her part, Ms Caroline Mugalla, ILO Director Country Office for Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda commented:

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© ILO

The ILO has a special role to play in the global response to the current worsening and unprecedented youth employment crisis.

© ILO

© ILO

It also focuses on advancing opportunities for young women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.