National Youth Engagement on Development and Un Employment

Описание: Leaders and stakeholders have raised concerns over the effectiveness of government wealth creation programs in addressing youth unemployment.

Brenda Doris Wani, the Koboko District Youth Councilor, acknowledged government efforts to bring services closer to the youth. However, she noted that some programs indirectly exclude them. She cited the GROW project, which mainly targets women already in business, leaving out many unemployed youth. She urged government to design programs that cater to all categories of young people.

Kaifa Gift Manix, in charge of female affairs in Yumbe District, attributed low youth participation in national matters to limited engagement, which has allowed others to take advantage of their ignorance. She said many youths are often labeled as money seekers instead of having their challenges addressed, and welcomed such dialogues for highlighting unemployment as a national issue.

Gabriel Iguma, Hub Director at Restless Development Uganda, said engagements with youth across the country consistently point to unemployment as a major concern. He noted a clear mismatch between youth needs and existing government poverty eradication programs, despite government claims of significant progress.

Meanwhile, Enock Mutambi, a Work Placement Specialist under the GROW Project, warned that the future remains uncertain if young people do not adapt to changing job markets driven by technology. He added that while regions like Karamoja face historical challenges, underdevelopment is still evident in other parts of the country.

Mutambi also highlighted a government initiative under the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development that supports fresh graduates by linking them to work placements, noting that it was introduced to address the challenge of lack of experience among job seekers.