Youths Urged To Promote Peaceful Coexistence

Youths have been identified as responsible for a greater percentage of crimes committed across the world.

This assertion was at the Nigeria security and youth conference with focus on “youth as agents for change and peaceful co-existence in Nigeria’’ which held at the National Human Rights Commission, Abuja.

Checking high degree of crimes among the youths remains a major concern which has affected economic, social and political stability on Nigeria.

Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe says this is a challenge that must be tackled.

The youths were not only described as the leader of tomorrow but the assets of today, hence the need for them to be responsible and promote peaceful coexistence.

 

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The conference resolved to propagate its message in other parts of the country.

National Youth Policy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

The 2009 National Youth Policy recognizes 5 priority areas that need to be addressed to enhance youth lives.

These include the impact of globalization, access and use of communication technology, the impact of STDs and HIV/AIDS, intergenerational issues in an aging society, and youth perpetrators and victims of armed conflict.

The 2009 National Youth Policy is guided by several national and international policy initiatives, including National Policies for education, gender, health, population for sustainable development, and the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS).

The Millennium Development Goals, the African Youth Charter, and other international agreements further guide the policy goals found in the document.

National Youth Policy prioritizes the difficulties women have faced throughout history. Some women experience less occupational opportunity, physical violence and abuse, and labor exploitation.

They suffer negative consequences from teenage marriages and pregnancies.

The policy seeks to protect their rights and promote female youths’ interests and goals. By empowering females, restoring their dignity, establishing programs to end gender-based discrimination and promoting the rights, Nigerian youth policy places emphasis on the needs of young women.

The National Youth Policy has adopted a program for youth that are disabled. The Federal Republic of Nigeria believes that persons with disabilities have rights that should be protected by the government.

The program promotes awareness of struggles that the disabled face, removing negative attitudes, while empowering the young men and women with disabilities

 

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Youth In Armed Conflict

Since the Post Cold War era, oil based revenues and its disbursements in the Niger Delta region has led to massive protests and violence among youth.

Young people have engaged in attacks against oil firms and Nigerian militants, hostage taking and hijacking oil workers, youth militancy, vandalizing oil pipelines, and detonating bombs.

Tension in the public has caused conflict among minority and majority groups which has crippled national and social development.

The youth’s participation in violence is their way of expressing feelings of marginalization and that their voices are not heard in competing for resources.