By: Mohamed Sahr
In view of fostering peaceful, credible, inclusive and violence-free 2023 multi-tier general elections in Sierra Leone, National Youth Commission (NAYCOM) has embarked on three Days National Workshop for Participants of the Youth Lab on Thursday 25th May 2023 at the Peace Museum in Freetown.
Emmerson Kamara, Deputy Commissioner for National Youth Commission Sierra Leone thanked the Government of Sierra Leone, Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone, Irish Aid, the European Union, Canada, the Government of Iceland and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for making sure that the narratives of young people are changed even before and after elections.
He continued that there are over three million registered voters for the June 24 General Elections and 60.7% are people with age 18 to 35 which justify that there would be a scaling number of young people participating in the upcoming elections; adding that the elections would entirely be inclusive in nature as a result of youth participation.
‘’Secondly, there are eleven thousand eight hundred and thirty-two polling stations (11,832) across the country for the elections, and out of that, each political party is required to fill in twenty thousand six hundred sixty-four polling agents and the bulk of these numbers would be young people. This is also evidence of youth participation,’’ Kamara said.
He disclosed that the project started with an engagement of stakeholders and young people in the provincial areas at the initial stage which attracted a number of youths taking part by crafting an innovative piece of work that would be utilized for the growth of the country.
Deputy Commissioner mentioned that the pattern of the Commission gears towards embracing the youthful population as well as provides possible solutions in order to actualize the standing order or goal of the Commission. He revealed that the three days workshop would shine a light on many creative ideals of all the participants who are representing the sixteen districts in Sierra Leone.
He encouraged the participants to take advantage of the opportunity accorded to them as there would be shining benefits attached to the workshop which would serve as a success story for the individual or group as well as the district, they represent at the end of it all. Deputy Commissioner Kamara added that through the collaboration and support from donor partners, they believe that the outcome would be fair and credible for which the young people would serve as ambassadors in their various communities in order to propagate violence-free elections.
The President of the National Youth Council, Tejan Kellah said they are working hard to ensure that they accomplish their dynamic goal. He added that collaboratively, they could do exactly what Sierra Leone wants from them through the formulation of different ideals.
President Kellah urged the young people to always voice out their message as well as make it relevant. He commended the Commission and the donor partners for their full support throughout the entire process.
Ilemobola Ademola-Adelehin, Gender and Inclusion Specialist for United Nations Development Programme said the youth laboratory workshop serves as a platform where young people with diverse creative niches as well as those doing outstanding works at community levels gathered to discuss issues around youth participation, violence-free elections and proffer solutions to some of the problems faced overtime. She furthered that UNDP as a traditional donor of the event, stepped in to foster inclusivity, violence-free elections and young people to have the space where they generate ideals, to promote their participation in the June 24 General Elections.
Ademola-Adelehin admitted that the National Youth Lab is viewed as a methodology of UNDP which had been used in other countries where young people from different walks of life mobilise other youth at community levels to dissect the issues around participation, non-violence elections Sierra Leone serves as an example. ‘’They are here today to work collaboratively in order to develop some innovative ideals, how the concerns around youth participation can be addressed, and concerns around violence in elections can be equally solved. We want to see young people in Sierra Leone organizing fruitful competitions around non-violence,’’ Ademola-Adelehin said.
Musa Khalil Koroma, Consultant for the National Youth Lab affirmed that there were two hundred and ninety-eight (298) total applicants for the project; where two hundred thirty-nine (239) applied through the Google Form and fifty-nine (59) applicants used the Video System. He said out of the total number, there were thirteen (13) people with a disability applied and three were shortlisted. ‘’We had a total of two hundred and thirty (230) Male applicants and sixty-eight (68) Female applicants,’’ Koroma stated.
He said young people were invited across the sixteen districts in Sierra Leone which clearly showed that the process was fair, inclusive and competitive in every shake. He thanked the participants and sponsors for their relentless support.
Khadison Duwai, a member of the Ovatom Organization in the Western Area-Urban felt honoured for partaking in such an interactive youth-led program that shapes the minds of many young people especially those involved in social media activities and other platforms. He called on National Youth Commission and partners to continue investing in youth for a better Sierra Leone.
Islander Kabia, a member of the Youth and Children Advocacy Panel believed that wherever young people find themselves there are togetherness and success lines. She said inasmuch as such a program happens, young people would alter violence and be the change-makers in every community and society.
‘’I am glad that they are able to awaken the innovative ideal in us and in the end, we have the key to the solution of violence among others,’’ Islander assured. She said the inclusive nature of the event triggered her the most.
