Jarju was speaking at the First Extraordinary Session of the 9th Youth Parliament for the year 2023.
“The ordinary session is geared towards discussing matters of great interest concerning the youth of The Gambia,” he said. “The sittings are held once every year to ensure matters regarding youth are discussed and addressed in an impeccable manner.”
Mr Jarju acknowledged the participation of the young people, especially the National Youth parliamentarians, towards national development.
He stated that NYC would work closely “to ensure the position paper from the young parliamentarians is taken seriously”.
Mr Jarju thanked and assured the parliamentarians of his office’s unflinching support in promoting youth activities and programmes in The Gambia.
The National Youth Council-The Gambia (NYC) was established by an Act of Parliament in May 2000. It is a body with clear objectives and mandated to support youth empowerment, coordinate youth programmes, advise government on all youth-related matters and policies around youth development.
The council also serves as an interface between young people and government, communicating all government policies and priorities to youth, and on the other hand, transmitting youth concerns and priorities to government.
The NYC operates on a hybrid model established by the Government of The Gambia but 100% of members are youth-led civil society organizations.
The NYC with support from the UNDP is looking for qualified and interested consultants to support the development of a National Action Plan on Youth Peace and Security (NAP YPS 2024-2028).
The NAP YPS will show The Gambia’s commitment as well as accountability in ensuring the meaningful participation of youth in conflict prevention, post- conflict and peace building efforts.
It is a practical and operational tool for youths to be involved in government and stakeholders’ response to their concerns as well as the assistance programmes available to them.
The law enforcement agencies and peace building organizations have affirmed their role in ensuring the safety and security of youths from unlawful detention as well as identifying their specific needs in terms of inclusion, de-radicalization and rehabilitation.
