Any laws should recognise the interests of youths: Iapara

By Gary Hatigeva

Youth Development Officer from the Ministry of Women, Youths, Children and Family Affairs Methodius Iapara

THE Youth Sector should be thoroughly captured in any law of the country as an important aspect in leadership of any society, says the Youth Development Officer from the Ministry of Women, Youths, Children and Family Affairs.

The Development Officer, Methodius Iapara made this in reference to sentiments highlighted by the Chairman of the Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC) and Member of Parliament for Aoke/Langalanga, Matthew Wale on the Traditional Governance and Customs Facilitation Bill 2018, when appearing before the Committee yesterday.

The Aoke/Langalanga MP stressed that youths are an important sector in the country and it is therefore important that any law must caters for their interests.

In his brief presentation on the ministry’s views regarding the TG Bill, the Youth Development Officer, supported the Wale’s emphasis and pointed out that some section or clauses in the proposed traditional and customs law should be included on behalf of young people.

Iapara explained that the government’s new youth policy caters for and does acknowledge the ministry that is responsible for this bill, and its (Bill) corporate plans have already been factored in it (policy).

“That policy will guide us to achieve the empowerment and the development of young people, and this bill is also important to consider the young people when participating in decision making,” he said.

The Youth Development Officer however stressed that having worked with young people for quite a number of years, it is sad to see that young people have continuously being neglected, even up to issues of leadership in almost all forms of systems.

“Because when you look at young people, they can be in the youth ages and taking up the role of traditional leaders or chiefs and there are some sectors in various ethnic groups Solomon Islands, the name traditional leaders can be women or can be young girls,” Iapara said.

He added that having looked through the bill, it is notable and important that young people be considered inside the bill especially in the aspect of mentoring and grooming.

However, while agreeing to the concern, the BLC Chair explained that such issues, which includes mentoring and other related matters, would be a process that will come in implementation phase, based on the creation of different provincial ordinances.

This is something the Youth Development Officer is confident the Ministry will well capture the highlighted issue of concern, as a matter catered for in the newly launched Youth Policy framework.

He then revealed that the Youth division will work in alignment with the responsible ministries for the implementation of the mechanisms in place and that is with provinces, where the ordinances are created.

“We want to ensure that matters of concern and interests to our youths in various jurisdictions are captured in this new Bill, and being too general, even if it goes through, hopes will lie on any future amendments to be done on it,” Iapara added.

Meanwhile, with an earlier guarantee, the Government’s Advisor on the Traditional Governance Bill, Peter Boyers, assured the Bills Committee that the bill will deal with a lot of traditional and customary issues that will have direct impacts on all, which includes women, youths and children.

He also highlighted that most of the inclusiveness will come into place under the provision that will give provincial governments through their Mother Ministry to create ordinances accordingly.

The Bills and Legislation Committee hearings into the Traditional Governance Bill continue this morning.

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