SI with very low youth representation

YOUTH constitute about 30 percent of our nation’s population but do not share the same level of economic power, political and social influence as other groups in society.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, (MWYCFA) Ms. Ethel Sigimanu made the statement yesterday in her keynote address in the national dialogue with young women and provincial youth leaders.

Yesterday marked a first time ever occasion to gather young women, men and provincial youth leaders from all nine provinces to engage in national dialogue on advancing youth development agendas.

The dialogue is on the new National Youth Policy (NYP), Strategic Framework for Youth Development in Solomon Islands (SFYDSI) and the proposed National Youth Employment Strategy (NYES).

PS of the MWYCFA told participants and stakeholders present during the official opening of the three day dialogue that limited employment opportunities in the Government and private sector makes it difficult for the “rapidly increasing and young labor force to find formal employment”.

Ms. Sigimanu added that only two out of every ten youths in Solomon Islands are employed highlighting the difficulty faced by young people to access income.

“In 2005 it was estimated that the unemployment rate amongst 15 to 19 year old youths in the Solomon Islands was 75 percent.

“This is alarming but is just a snapshot of what is actually affecting young people today,” PS Ethel Sigimanu said.

The PS told participants of the three day dialogue that their participating comes at a critical time for Solomon Islands.

She highlighted that it is at such a time that every citizen must self-contemplate to find solutions to existing and potential problems.

Yesterday was the start of a three day national dialogue and will go on until March 1, 2017.

The dialogue involves representatives of all provinces and the Honiara City Council acknowledges that solutions to addressing the challenges faced by youths and adolescents of Solomon Islands require a whole of Government and whole of society approach that exemplifies a ‘many partners and one team’ way of working.