Working Document
on the
Zimbabwe National Youth Manifesto
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1.1 INTRODUCTION
Youths 1 in Zimbabwe have for long been the vanguard of national processes and progress.
Leaders, think tanks and the economically active portion of the population have largely been
drawn from the youth demographic group. Young people across the globe, and especially in the
developing world have concurrently been marginalized, and given little or no space to ensure
that government and other stakeholders are responsive to issues that affect them. There are a
complex combination of factors surrounding youth marginalization in national processes and
youth related policies and due to these factors, youth continue to be ostracized, and excluded
from decision making on decisions that ultimately affect them.
The Government of Zimbabwe in 2013 launched the revised National Youth Policy, ‘as a
framework to provide common aspirations and priorities for youth development across
Zimbabwe.’ The policy document identifies 12 priority issues 2 that government believes, if
addressed, are a panacea to solving the myriad of problems confronting the young people of
Zimbabwe. It is therefore the duty of every citizen, and particularly the young people, to ensure
that the government lives up to its statement of intent as laid down in the policy. It is also more
critical that young people as a collective demographic group are able to ensure that government
is aware and alive to their most pertinent issues.
1
http://www.youthpolicy.org/factsheets/country/zimbabwe/
The 2013 national youth policy defines youth as persons between 15 and 35 years of age. This age range is
stipulated in the new Constitution and is also in line with the continental definition of youth as defined in
the African Youth Charter.
2
The 12 strategic priority issues for intervention according to the policy are: education and skills development;
youth empowerment and participation; youth employment and sustainable livelihoods; youth health; gender
equity and equality; national youth service; cutlture, arts, sports and recreation; information and communication
technology; youth and protection of the environment; youth migration; data and research and youth coordination
and mainstreaming.