Introductory Speech
Your Excellencies, our fathers and mothers
First of all we would like to thank the African Union for giving us the opportunity to participate in these discussions concerning us and our sisters and brothers across the continent of Africa. This meeting is about us and we are very happy to be given this small chance to exercise our right.
However, we would like to say just three things right at the beginning.
First of all our participation is not just about making speeches and resolutions at big international meetings. A speech on its own is just decoration and nothing more unless it is a part of a wider participation in our countries. How many children and young people in our towns and villages are participating? And when we say participating we are not just talking about events like this meeting, or the Day of the African Child, or World AIDS day. Where are the structures of participation? How many in our towns and villages are participating on a regular and recognized way? How many are participating not just in consultations but in decision making at all levels? Who takes young people truly and seriously?
And in order to participate our sisters and brothers need to know.
It is now five years since Africa Fit for Children. It is full of excellent resolutions but how many children and young people know them? How many know that this document even exists?
The African Youth Charter with many more resolutions was accepted by all our Heads of State in 2006 and we thank them for that. But how many young people in our countries know that there is an African Youth Charter. It is now being ratified at country level. How many young people even know what it says so that they can talk to their leaders about what they expect from it.
Last year also there was the African Development Forum on Youth and Leadership with many more resolutions. How many young people were informed that that meeting was happening or who represented them at this and other meetings. At the end of this year, there will be another big UN meeting. Will children and young people know about that? If we want real participation then all children and young people need to know what is being decided on their behalf at all these big meetings. That is the first step.
And the second step is that we need to be given the tools to make these resolutions a reality. So we say no more resolutions until we have the solutions.
And we are the solutions … if you give us the chance. Our brothers and sisters have shown this, as peer educators in the smallest villages, in youth groups for the environment and against HIV/AIDS, and in economic development. Stop being afraid of us, give us the space and see what we can do. Then instead of us always demanding from you, you can hold us accountable. If we want accelerated progress in our countries, give it to the people who can run the fastest. And we are not just talking about governments. We are talking about our religious institutions, and our media, and civil society organizations and even youth organizations. How many young people actually participate in decision making even in their own youth organizations.
And the third step, if we are serious about all these resolutions that we are making in every meeting, every year then we need to know who is accountable. In some countries, even primary education is still not free. Young mothers are dying every day not just because there is not enough money or access to health services, but because so many are having babies at home and don't have the right help or information, they are still being forced to marry in the name of African tradition, or they are being sexually abused and no one is standing up for them.
And we are saying that our sisters and brothers are the best people to be the solutions. We the youth, know where the problems lie and we can play a key role in supporting and giving strength to the Ministries who are responsible for us. We can ask why they get the smallest budgets or why they do not have sufficient authority to implement all these wonderful resolutions. We can show where and why groups of children and young people have been forgotten. In ADF V, we were given the chance to question our Ministers and debate with them. Why cannot we set up such structures, such as children’s parliaments and local councils to do this on a regular basis? Unless this happens, we will come here for Cairo +10 and we will make another set of resolutions which look exactly like all the other resolutions we have been making ever since we were born. And another group of young people will make the same demands.
So we say once more, no more resolutions until we give the solutions to all these resolutions. No more resolutions until you recognize us as the solutions and give us the power to be the solutions.
