Current News

WAYN COMMENCE RESEARCH ON THE ROLE OF YOUTH IN PEACE BUILDING AND GOVERNANCE IN WEST AFRICA

The first phase of a research work that seeks to examine the level of youth involvement in conflict resolution and governance in West Africa commence recently. The research is been coordinated by the Peace and Conflict Studies Department of the University of  Sierra Leone assisted by some lecturers from the University of Sierra Leone. Already, a team from WAYN has visited Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Togo, Benin and Ghana.

A team is also expected to visit Gambia, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger for the next phase for the research. The findings of the research is expected to be published in May 2008 and presented to the Summit of the Heads of States. The research will also lead to the publication of the first Regional Directory of Youth Groups in West Africa.

Are you part of a youth organization in West Africa and would you like to join our research? You can contact us at  or check the beneath questionnaire for more information: 

Research questionnaire (word document)

Voulez vous participer a notre recherche? E-mail ou lirez le questionnaire pour plus information:

Le questionnaire francais (word document)

 WAYN REQUESTED TO SHARE EXPERIENCE INRWANDA

A Dutch based organisation, Equalinrights, has requested WAYN to participate in an experience sharing programme with the Rwanda Youth Parliament. In an email to the regional Secretariat, Ms. Megan L. Brown, Project Officer, Equalinrights noted that WAYN has expanded significantly over the course of its existence and might have important lessons and advise to share, especially with other networks. She then spoke of the readiness of her organisation to facilitate an experience sharing exchange between WAYN and Rwanda Youth Parliament.

 

WAYN MEETS WASCOF

In furthering of its objective to foster partnerships with relevant stakeholders as enhancing its programmes, a delegation from WAYN recently met with Mr. Dele Sonubi, Programme Officer, peace and Reconciliation of the West African Civil Society Forum in Abuja, Nigeria. The meeting provided an opportunity for the Programme Director, Richelieu Allison to brief WASCOF about the activities of WAYN to develop a formidable partnership with WASCOF as a means of mainstreaming youth issues into the agendas of West African Civil Society Groups.

Meanwhile, WAYN has sent a congratulatory message to the Head of the Forum, Dr. Oumar Ndongo.   The Focal Point of WAYN-Nigeria, Adeola Ojeniyi also met with Dr. Ndongo recently in Abuja, Nigeria

 

NIGERIAN YOUTH MINISTER COMMENDS WAYN

The Minister of Youth Development of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, has pledged the support of the Federal Government of Nigeria towards the concept of holding a West Africa Youth Ministerial Dialogue Forum in Abuja, Nigeria. The minister made this commitment in Abuja in September when a delegation from WAYN paid him a courtesy call at his office. The forum is the input conceptual inputs of various youth organizations in the sub region and will seek to further consolidate all resolution, dialogues and other debates undertaken by young people. It will be an opportunity of ECOWAS Secretariat and Youth Minister to engage young people on ECOWAS processes and protocols as well as issues relating to the involvement of youths in the MDGs, human rights, peace and security.

Welcoming the WAYN team to Nigeria, Minister Olasunkanmi commended the organisation for its role in fostering the participation of youth in the sub region in issues affecting their future and noted that his office will remain open to the Network. He also welcomed the initiative of the Network to undertake the publication of the Regional Directory of Youth Groups as well as to undertake training of the youth groups in the Niger Delta Region. He then accepted to provide technical support to the publication of the Regional Directory.

Speaking earlier, the Focal Point of WAYN- Nigeria, Mr. Adeola Ojeniyi informed the Minister of the work of WAYN in Nigeria, citing the participation of youth leaders from Nigeria in a number of training programmes organised by WAYN that as well as the holding of a National Youth Parliamentary Forum in Abuja on 30 November 2006. He disclosed that the pending West African Youth Ministerial Forum was designed to bring together youth leaders, Minister of Youth, the ECOWAS Secretariat and other stakeholders to discuss issues relating to a West African Youth Policy and the adoption of national Youth Policy as well as to address youth unemployment.

 

WAYN MEETS OSIWA- NIGERIA

A delegation from WAYN recently met with the Country Representative of the Open Society Initiative of West Africa (OSIWA) - Nigeria, Ms. Nana Afadzinu in Abuja, Nigeria. The meeting provided an open opportunity for a frank exchange of ideas and comments between WAYN and OSIWA-Nigeria. At the end of the meeting, it was decided that WAYN- Nigeria focuses its upcoming programme activities on the situation in the Niger Delta Region. The meeting was attended by the Programme Coordinator of OSIWA-Nigeria and the WAYN Team, which included Programme Director Richelieu Allison, Mariama Canara of WAYN-Guinea and Adeola Ojeniyi of WAYN- Nigeria.