Ngwa Wilson Forbi, CEO of the Integrated Youth Volunteer Foundation (IYVF) in Cameroon, analyses what should do CEMAC countries to reduce unemployment rates. He also says Pegasus project will help to solve this “critical issue which in many developing countries results to civil wars and youth rioting”.
-According to your experience what will be your key to reduce youth unemployment rate in CEMAC?
The first key to reduce unemployment rate in CEMAC is to professionalize the educational system of the member countries. This will enable young graduate to be self employed and ready for the job market. Secondly, member countries of the CEMAC region have to develop financial and technical mechanisms to support young graduates in their innovative ideas and initiatives. Thirdly a harmonized plan for youth integration will enable young people from this region share cultural, professional and academic experiences.
-What should be done to avoid brain drain?
To avoid brain drain in CEMAC region we have to make sure all young graduate are followed up in the process to search for a Job and to establish their personal activities. Capacity enhance opportunities should be given to young graduate in search of a job or during the self employment processing period.
-What is the importance of self employment in CEMAC region?
Self employment in CEMAC region will enable the growth of the economy of the various member countries. It will equally promote innovative and developmental ideas.
-What part of the national youth policy is engaged in the CEMAC region?
In the CEMAC region almost all the policies are identically but all differs at the level of implementation. This region has a regional youth council, and most of these policies are being shared and adopted during their ordinary and extraordinary general assemblies. The main thing to be done is to promote the real implementation of the youth policies in the various member countries.
-What do you think about the Youth Employment Decade?
The Youth Employment Decade is a good initiative and will enable governments, international partners, Civil society and any other stake holders to emphasis on the importance of this critical issue which in many developing countries results to civil wars and youth rioting. We will in this line also launch a call for partnership of CEMAC stake holders, international well wishers, UN entities and any civil society organization willing join the battle. The decade will also help young people around the globe to meet, discuss, share and adopt important policies that will enable generations upon generations to reduce considerably the rate of unemployment in CEMAC region and the world as a whole.
-How works your organization to promote youths?
Our organization promotes advocates, lobby, build their capacity, empower them and follow up their activities. Promotion of young people been done by our organization as mentioned above is show case the know how and what young people can do by organizing activities that brings together all the developmental stake holders. For lobbying and advocacy we constantly make sure that policies put in place by our governments in favor of young people are respected and also ask for more. Capacity building is a join action that we carry out with institutional, technical and financial partners to empower our young people to avoid brain drain. Follow up is the process where we monitor the activities of those employed or self employed to see how they are doing.
-How can migration for work be a valuable experience for young people? How can governments support decent work for young people as part of the post-2015 development agenda?
It is young people who will make the post-2015 world, and young migrants are among the most dynamic members of their generation. For many adolescents and youth migration represents a route to a better life. Migration can enhance their human development as well as bringing tangible gains for the countries they move to and the ones they leave. However, young migrants also face considerable challenges. Without migration policies that have human rights and equity at their core, this potential will never be realized until they are given the opportunity to showcase.