MERRY CHRISTMAS

Once in royal David city, stood a lowly cattle shed, there a mother laid her baby in her manger....Mary was the mother.....Jesus Christ the little child.......Merry Christmas in advance

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MIRROR: Beyond Your Certificate- What can you Do?

MIRROR: Beyond Your Certificate- What can you Do?: Do you know that “Job readiness” is lacking in Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt? Do you know that Sectors that drive GDP growth do not cr...

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Nigeria Media Career Network: VACANCY: BEHAVIOUR CHANGE COMMUNICATION OFFICER: Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiatives (NURHI) is seeking a Behavior Change Communication Officer (BCC) for its supplementary pro...

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Think the world, think Sustainable Development...

Dear Climate Actors and Change Agents,

 

I hope this mail meets you well.

 

On 6 - 7 of September 2012, the Nigeria Medical Student Association (NIMSA) Standing Committee of Environment and Population Activities (SCOEPA) successfully organised a Summit on Environment with the theme: Climate Change; A Global Menace that can be Halted Locally.

 

This was attended by over 500 participant from the thirty six states of the federation.

 

Please Click to read the Final Report and Communiqué of the event.

 

Presentations were given by NIMET; NESREA; ICEED; FBI & Ecobank.

 

The event was supported by Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigerian Medical Association, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, College of Health Sciences - University of Abuja, Clean Energy and Safe Environment Initiative, ECOBANK, Women Environmental Program, International Centre for Energy, Environment & Development, Fresh & Young Brain Development Initiative, Nigerian Climate Action Network, Nigerian Youth Climate Action Network, Seven-Up(7UP) and INDOMIE.

 

Also click for the Photograph of the event.

 

For more information feel free to contact the Secretary of SCOEPA on 08037794575 or scoepa.ng@gmail.com  

 

‘Think Globally and Act Locally’ for a Sustainable Environment in Nigeria.

 

Warm regards,

Hamzat 

Hamzat B. LawalNational Coordinator African Youth Initiative on Climate Change - Nigeria Advisor, Nigerian Youth Climate Action Network (NYCAN)Tel: +234 (0) 97831151 | Mobile: +234 8068699956 www.hamzatlawal.blogspot.com THE FUTURE IS NOW!

Don't Miss It...

To all young professionals: "YALDA 2012 conference will hold from the 4th to 7th October 2012, at the Lagos Business School, Lekki-Ajah Campus in Lagos, Nigeria. It will bring together young African innovators from around Africa and Diaspora. Apply today!!!"
 

Click the link for more info:
http://youthmakingchange.blogspot.com/2012/09/yalda-nigeria-conference-2012-third-and.html

 www.truelydynamic.blogspot.com
 

REGISTRATION IS FREE...

Leap Africa

Take advantage of the US Embassy programme for young people,Read It Loud Training.Reg is free, pls follow this link, http://t.co/WXDkRL99

GUEST FORM FOR READ IT LOUD NIGERIA

tinyurl.com

Communities all over the world are connecting the dots between extreme weather and climate change.

Join us for 360.org's next big global day of action...
Will keep you posted.

Think the world, think green economy...

Mayor

Are you self driven, do u have something to offer? Then this is for you

FYA

From: LYNX-NIGERIA <lynxnigeria@yahoo.co.uk>

Subject: LYNX NIGERIA Vacancies in Youth Development
To: "rnanre@yahoo.com" <rnanre@yahoo.com>
Date: Wednesday, 11 July, 2012, 7:49


LYNX-NIGERIA VACANCIES






Organization’s Mission:



Linking the Youth of Nigeria through Exchange
(LYNX-NIGERIA) is a national non-governmental youth development organization
founded in 2004. The mission of LYNX-Nigeria is to develop socially responsible
citizenship among Nigerian children and youth through civic and human rights
education, financial education and economic empowerment and community service
learning. Using participatory child and youth centred approaches, our
programmes build the skills of critical analysis, constructive criticism and
collective action towards building a generation of young people that are
committed to social change at community, state and national levels.



We are looking for passionate, driven individuals who
have committed their lives and energies towards social change. We are looking
for creative people who also demonstrate a high level of professionalism and
who are interested in child and youth development as a tool for social
emancipation.



The following post are vacant for interested and
qualified persons to apply:



1.      DEPUTY
DIRECTOR (Lagos)



Job
summary

The purpose of this role is to
support the Executive Director in the development and implementation of the
organization’s strategic plans and policies, lead advocacy and fundraising
initiatives and to provide leadership and direction to volunteers and staff.
The Deputy Director will be expected to play a managerial role and work closely
with the Executive Director on the day-to-day operations of the
agency. She/he must
be able to work under minimal supervision with extensive use of initiative and
independent judgment.



Reports
to:

Executive Director, LYNX NIGERIA

Responsibilities

·
Manages the day-to-day
operations of the organization, which include financial and budget activities
and other operational or programmatic activities.

·
Provide support to the Executive Director

·
Responsible for the execution of the
organization’s strategy, goals and objectives;

·
Initiate and lead advocacy and
policy initiatives for the organization

·
Provides leadership and direction
for staff, setting an effective agenda and ensuring performance goals are met
and set;

·
Supervise and ensure proper management of
programmes

·
Full delegated authority to act on
behalf of the Executive Director in her absence;

·
Represents the organization to the
public, key stakeholders and business partners;

·
Lead, as requested by the Executive
Director, fundraising and donor management, business development and
partnership activities;

·
Provide management for program
activities including outreach, volunteer coordination and partnerships
development, as well as marketing, media relations, public relations and issues
management activities;

·
Other duties as requested by the
Executive Director.

Position
Requirements

The
Deputy Director will be engaged in a three year contract with LYNX-NIGERIA. All
candidates should have proven leadership, coaching, and relationship management
experience. Concrete demonstrable experience and other qualifications include:



·
Bachelor’s
degree in social science or related discipline. A higher degree is preferred.

·
NYSC discharge certificate or
equivalent

·
5 years experience in administration
and management related field.

·
Previous involvement in
youth development work

·
Unwavering
commitment to quality programs and data-driven program evaluation

·
Excellence
in organizational management with the ability to coach staff, manage, and
develop high-performance teams, set and achieve strategic objectives, and
manage a budget

·
Strong
public relations and fundraising experience with the ability to engage a wide
range of stakeholders and cultures

·
Strong
written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate
communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills
who can prepare concise reports; make presentations and
testify at hearings

·
Action-oriented,
entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative approach to business planning

·
Solid
working knowledge of current Internet technologies and technical competent in
database and other operating systems software programs.

·
Ability
to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people

·
Integrity,
positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed

·
Passion
for Nigeria’s development

·
Ability to travel within
the Nigeria and internationally (up to 40%)



Salaries & Benefits:

Salaries
will be competitive and will be commensurate with experience. Opportunities for
international travel, training and development are added benefits.



Application Process:

Interested
and qualified candidates should submit their CVs and a Cover letter stating why
they are interested in the job with the subject line – Application for the post
of Deputy Director to lynxnigeria@yahoo.co.uk and cc:
nanre@lynxnigeria.org by July 20th,
2012











2.      PROGRAMME MANAGER (Lagos)



Job
Summary

The role of the
Programme Manager is to plan, execute, and finalize projects according to
strict deadlines and within budget. This includes acquiring resources and
coordinating the efforts of team members and third-party contractors or
consultants in order to deliver projects according to plan. The
Programme Manager
will also define the project’s objectives, oversee quality control throughout
its life cycle and seek for funds for sustainability of projects.



Reports to:

Deputy
Director



Responsibilities

•
Develop,
manage and supervise programming across several states and field offices

•
Build
and manage relationships with project stakeholders on an ongoing basis.

•
Plan,
schedule and track project timelines and milestones using appropriate tools.

•
Develop
and deliver progress reports, proposals, requirements documentation, and
presentations.

•
Determine
the frequency and content of status reports from the project team, analyze
results, and troubleshoot problem areas.

•
Proactively
manage changes in project scope, identify potential crises, and devise
contingency plans.

•
Define
project success criteria and disseminate them to involved parties throughout
project life cycle.

•
Coach,
mentor, motivate and supervise project team members and contractors, and
influence them to take positive action and accountability for their assigned
work.

•
Build,
develop, and grow any business relationships vital to the success of the
project.

•
Conduct
project post mortems and create a recommendations report in order to identify
successful and unsuccessful project elements.

•
Develop
best practices and tools for project execution and management.

•


Position
Requirements

The Programme Manager
will begin with a two year contract with possibility for extension. All
candidates should have proven leadership, coaching, and relationship management
experience. Concrete demonstrable experience and other qualifications include:



•
Bachelors
degree in social science or related discipline from a recognized university.
Higher degree preferred

•
NYSC
discharge certificate

•
5
years direct work experience in a project management capacity, including all
aspects of process development and execution.

•
Previous involvement in
youth development work

•
Demonstrated
experience in personnel management.

•
Solid
working knowledge of current Internet technologies and technical competent in
database and other operating systems software programs.

•
Experience
at working both independently and in a team-oriented, collaborative environment
is essential.

•
Ability
to elicit cooperation from a wide variety of sources, including upper
management, clients, and other departments.

•
Ability
to bring project to successful completion through political sensitivity.

•
Strong
written and oral communication skills.

•
Strong
interpersonal skills.

•
Proficient
at conducting research into project-related issues and products.

•
Must
be able to learn, understand, and apply new technologies.

•
Skills
of writing grants driven proposal is an asset.

•
Ability
to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment is
crucial.

•
Integrity,
positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed

•
Passion
for Nigeria’s development

•
Ability to travel within
the Nigeria regions/outside (up to 50%)



Salaries & Benefits:

Salaries will be
competitive and will be commensurate with experience.



Application Process:

Interested and
qualified candidates should submit their CVs and a Cover letter stating why
they are interested in the job with the subject line – Application for the post
of Programme Manager to lynxnigeria@yahoo.co.uk and cc:
nanre@lynxnigeria.org by July 20th,
2012.





3.      FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER (Lagos and Oshogbo)



Job
Summary

The purpose of this role is to oversee
the finance and administration of a national organization with multiple donors
and partners and a large group of diverse staff and volunteers managing
projects in different parts of the country. The Finance and Administrative
Manager is expected to oversee financial and human resource management
including budgeting, accounting and reporting across programmes in different
states and field offices. She/he must be able to work under minimal
supervision with extensive use of initiative and independent judgment. The
Manager will spend time at the Secretariat in Lagos as well as at the South
West Field Office in Oshogbo with travel to other states.



Reports to:

Deputy
Director/Executive Director, LYNX NIGERIA







Responsibilities

Finance

·
Establish and implement financial procedures in line with
organizational requirements

·
Recording and reconciliation of project recoveries and income
recognition.

·
Timely and accurate recording of all financial transactions in
line with organisational and donor requirements and deadlines.

·
Establish and prepare accurate and timely information for budget
monitoring and progress reporting of programme funds and grants.

·
Provide financial management advice on revisions of budgets,
preparing periodical forecasts and any changes needed

·
Monitoring of the petty cash and bank balances to ensure
sufficient funds are always available depending on the programme needs.

·
Management and reconciliation of the bank and cash accounts,
preparation of the weekly cash counts and monthly financial records including
cashbooks, ensuring financial and resource accountability and effective
management for records as required for auditing.

·
Disbursement of cash advances and reconciliation to ensure
recovery.

·
Control of salary payments to staff, including national
insurance and tax liabilities, reconciling the same and monitoring medical
expenses, subsistence allowances, mobile phone usage, etc.

·
Collection and filing of regular financial reports and budget
records.

·
Represent LYNX-NIGERIA budgets and finances to relevant
stakeholders when requested

·
Recruit and manage Finance/Administration staff in line with
good organizational practice

Administration/Logistics

·
Establish and implement administration and logistics procedures
in line with organizational requirement

·
Identify, establish and manage effective working offices in
respective locations

·
Establish and manage all procurement and logistics activities
including possible management of vehicles and drivers.

·
Manage administration and finance of multiple field offices

·
Human resource management of staff and volunteers nationally

·
Cover essential duties in the absence of other personnel

·
Contribute to the adherence of all security guidelines

·
Other duties as assigned



Position
Requirements

·
BA/HND Accounting

·
NYSC Discharge Certificate

·
3-5 years experience in accounts and office
management

·
Hand‐on use of a variety of accounting
software packages

·
Extensive
knowledge of budget development and budgetary control

·
Ability
to prepare of financial statements up to audited accounts

·
Experience
with management of donor funding up to final financial report with exposure to
reporting requirements

·
Familiarity
with Nigerian tax regime is an added advantage

·
Experience
with personnel management

·
Willing
to spend long, highly interactive hours on detailed work that demands accuracy

·
Must
be available to travel within the country for up to 12 weeks a year

·
Strong
leadership & managerial skills;

·
An
ability to write clear and concise reports; good spoken and written English. .

·
Proven
ability to produce results within tight deadlines in a very busy environment

·
Ability
to work independently with minimal supervision

·
Ability
to interact effectively with a geographically dispersed multicultural team
personnel

·
Capacity
building of finance, non‐finance staff,
partners and community members

·
Strong
sense of judgment;

·
Reliability,
integrity; high sense of initiative and creativity;

·
Ability to travel for monitoring of field offices



Salaries & Benefits:

Salaries will be
competitive and will be commensurate with experience. Opportunities for
training and development are also available.



Application Process:

Interested and
qualified candidates should submit their CVs and a Cover letter stating why
they are interested in the job with the tag line – Application for the
post of Finance
and Administration Manager to lynxnigeria@yahoo.co.uk and cc:
nanre@lynxnigeria.org July 20th,
2012.

4.
RESEARCH,
MONITORING AND EVALUATION COORDINATOR (SHORT TERM CONTRACT)

Job summary

This role will work closely with the programme coordinator, staff
and field officers to provide support to them in implementing the
organization’s evaluation strategy and to support the Secretariat’s with first
hand information. Helping to organize surveys, working with staff in various
teams to collect and interpret other forms of M&E data, and write report of
donors.



Reports to:


Executive Director/Deputy Director,
LYNX NIGERIA

Responsibilities


·
Coordinating
of all research, monitoring and evaluation of all existing programmes

·
Development
and implementation of monitoring and evaluation surveys including pre and post
surveys

·
Data
entry and mapping of existing programme data and programme participant
information

·
Ensure
programme staff monitor and evaluate programmes

·
Conducting
research on an as needed basis for programmes

·
Compiling
and editing impact reports on programmes

·
Develop
curriculum for programmes as needed

·
Ensure
staff and field officers conduct monthly evaluation

·
Assisting
with project management as needed and directed by the management

·
Other
asks as assigned by the management



Position
Requirements

The
position of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator will be a contract
for 3 month starting 1st of August to 30th of November
2012. All candidates should have proven coaching, analytic and relationship
management experience. Concrete demonstrable experience and other
qualifications include:

Bachelor’s
    degree in social science or related disciplineNYSC discharge
certificate or equivalent2 years experience in research, monitoring
and
    evaluation related fieldDemonstrable competencies in setting up M&E systems
    will be an  added advantageCompetency in both quantitative and qualitative
    research methodsGood communication and inter-personal skills, team
    player, able to work under minimal supervision in a fast-paced academic
    environmentGood analytical and IT skills

·
Ability
to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people

·
Integrity,
positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed

·
Passion
for Nigeria’s development

·
Ability to travel within
the Nigeria



Terms
and Conditions

The
salary and terms and conditions are competitive and negotiable based on
experience.

Application Process:

Interested and
qualified candidates should submit their CVs and a Cover letter stating why
they are interested in the job with the subject line – Application for the post
of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator to
lynxnigeria@yahoo.co.uk and cc: nanre@lynxnigeria.org by July 20th,
2012.



Every generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its
mission, fulfil it or betray it.
- Frantz Fanon

LYNX-NIGERIA
(Linking the Youth of Nigeria through eXchange)
16 Ashimowu Street, New Garage, Bariga
Phone: (234)(1) 8962961
E-mail: lynxnigeria@yahoo.co.uk, info@lynxnigeria.org







--
TITILOPE AKOSA
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Centre For 21st Century Issues (C21st)
6, Balogun Street, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
+2348023047678
...responding to the challenges of the 21st century...

Rio 2012

Rio on my mind right now...

Students MDGs Campaign Project:

Students MDGs Campaign Project: ABOUT: The Students MDGs Campaign Project is aimed at creating awareness among students/youths especially in secondary (high) schools about Mille...

Will you join me?

Hi everyone,

Did you know that the Convention on the Rights of the Child is a treaty that establishes the basic rights for every child? This is especially important for the most vulnerable and marginalized kids – the sick, starving, and exploited.

I believe every child in this world should have their rights protected and get a chance at a bright future. That's why I just signed a petition to President Obama asking him to submit the treaty for ratification by the U.S. Senate. Will you join me?

Click here to sign the petition.

Thanks for your support,

Rio 20 Education » The hub for educating & empowering the next generation of sustainable development leaders, via the Rio 20 Earth Summit

Rio 20 Education » The hub for educating & empowering the next generation of sustainable development leaders, via the Rio 20 Earth Summit

Green Economy

Think the world, think Sustainable Development...

Placing first things first at Rio-De Janeiro 2012...

Saving agriculture in the context of climate change should be at the helm of the discussion at Rio 2012.

On the other hand parties should prioritise reduction in carbon dioxide emissions on global level. However, many countries of the world are reluctant to commit to major carbon cuts because they fear this will have seriously negative economic impact. Currently fossil fuels when burn produce carbon emissions so the quicker fossil fuels gets replaced with renewable energy sources the better. A rapid transition to clean renewable energy would be one of the strategies to reduce carbon emissions on global level

What are the cons of renewable energy sources? Renewable energy sources are more expensive than fossil fuels especially in the developing countries. Most developing countries depend so much on coal which emits more carbon.

Parties should also work on stopping deforestation. Forests absorb large quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Whatever the debate may be forest protection from deforestation and afforest ration programmes should also be at the heart of the discussion.

At the heart of discussions, parties should consider these priorities. Strategise on saving the earth and protecting it for the future.

By James Gondwe, jamesgondwe20@yahoo.com

 

 

NAYD - Climate Change Information: Protect for the Future

NAYD - Climate Change Information: Protect for the Future: Pl acing first things first at COY/COP17 in Durban South Africa By James Gondwe, jamesgondwe20@yahoo.com The Millennium Development Goals (...

NAYD - Climate Change Information: Climate Revolution

NAYD - Climate Change Information: Climate Revolution:

Climate Revolution

Together we are the change in positive sense.
Climate did change, the demand from EARTH to us is delivered, now it is up to ALL of us through cooperation to return the balance.


Despite two decades of policy discussions since the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio, policymakers have failed to apply the recommendations outlined in its comprehensive implementation plan, Agenda 21. In the build up to the upcoming Rio+20 summit, many civil society groups remain deeply sceptical about the possibility of creating a ‘green economy’ without first rethinking some of the widely accepted fundamentals of economic policy.


Of these, the status of economic growth as a panacea for progress and prosperity has been a major point of contention between campaigners and policymakers for decades, and one that requires urgent resolution if ‘sustainable development’ is to become a practical reality in the 21st Century.
It is widely accepted that growth can be extremely beneficial when its proceeds are effectively redistributed, particularly in relation to poverty reduction. But the growth of the global economy is dependent on rates of resource consumption and waste that the planet cannot sustain. Humanity is consuming natural resources and generating destructive externalities 40 percent faster than nature can replace them or reabsorb the resulting waste. Any attempts to decouple this excessive throughput of resources from economic growth are likely to be far outweighed by increases in population and aggregate levels of consumption.


Just as challenging are the unequal power structures that the pursuit of growth engenders, and the many detrimental consequences of prioritising growth and consumerism before equity and other pressing social concerns. Apart from the ongoing failure to tackle climate change and resource depletion, one of the most problematic outcomes of pursuing growth has been decades of deregulation. The global banking crisis of 2008 was an inevitable consequence of such policies, and one that continues to have a devastating impact on the poor and vulnerable.
Whilst the profit margins of large corporations and the income of high-net-worth individuals continued to soar after the crisis, an estimated 100 million people were pushed further into poverty in 2009 and a record number of people suffered from hunger. Not long afterwards, it became painfully apparent that the multi-trillion dollar bank bailouts had compromised public finances in many European countries, often with dire implications for employment and government spending on public services.
The costs to society and democracy of maintaining a ‘light touch’ approach to regulating markets are also significant. The pursuit of growth requires an endless stream of consumers to buy products from a relatively small group of very large corporations. To facilitate this process, corporate advertising is ever-present and increasingly intrusive, promoting materialistic desires that shape attitudes and encourage overconsumption, funded by spiralling levels of personal debt. Corporate profitability is further enhanced by building obsolescence and disposability into consumer products, and by encouraging unnecessary waste which places additional pressure on the natural world and its dwindling resources.


Multinational corporations have benefited most from the excessive commercialisation of society, many of which are now larger and more powerful than sovereign states. Their financial leverage and political influence is perhaps the single most persistent obstacle to reversing globalised patterns of unsustainable consumption and overproduction, and their lobbying power over national and global governance has helped maintain the status quo. Unless this trend is reversed it will be difficult, if not impossible, for governments to pursue a more environmentally and socially sustainable agenda.


Global Reform
The aggressive pursuit of economic growth by governments can ultimately hinder progress on implementing Agenda 21. Creating a ‘green economy’ means more than investing in green technologies and renewable energy, and requires addressing the more fundamental issue of unequal power relations that drive economies, shape public policy and influence societies.
An important first step in creating a more equitable and sustainable world is to substitute the imperative for economic growth with more socially and environmentally sound policy objectives. These should include securing basic human needs for all; significantly reducing carbon emissions; enabling greater civic participation in decision-making at the local, national and global level; strictly regulating the activities and influence of multinational corporations; promoting agroecological food production; stimulating local economies; and shifting consumption patterns to emphasise sufficiency, re-use and maintenance.


All of these policies demand greater economic sharing – the redistribution of economic wealth and power downwards to enable public and environmental concerns to take priority over corporate interests. Stressing the need for governments to prioritise economic sharing and deemphasise growth at the 2012 Earth Summit can help articulate the principles that should inform environmental and development policy over the coming decade. Rio+20 might be one of the few remaining opportunities for policymakers to respond to the growing demands of civil society, and to finally end decades of sluggishness in the pursuit of ‘business as usual’.

http://climate.nayd.org/2012/01/climate-revolution.html#more

7 BILLION WORLD POPULATION IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

7 Billion Campaign Youth Actions Paper

On the 31^st of October 2011, the global population reached a mark of 7 billion and in Nigeria, about 167 million.  This has huge implications on sustainability, urbanization, access to health care services and youth empowerment considering that a third of Nigeria’s population is made up of young people ages 10 -25 years old.

With a population of 167 million people and in a world of 7 billion, how do the government and young people access their roles and responsibilities in making sure collaborative efforts are geared towards tackling emerging social problems considering the unique demographic dynamics.

Themed “Nigeria Demographics: Opportunities and Challenges,” UNFPA in collaboration with Education as a Vaccine (EVA), Save the Children Nigeria and the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) brought together young leaders from the six geographical zone of Nigeria to brainstorm on different developmental challenges and opportunities that exist.

The core issues that were discussed include- Education, Health, Environment/Climate Change, Unemployment and ICT. Different challenges facing this generation were raised, with outlined responsibilities youth and government can tackle these issues.

EDUCATION

Challenges

·         Low access to education particularly for the girl child and marginalized youths such as Young people in prison, rehab centers, young people with disabilities and almajiris

·         Low quality of education at all levels

·         Low enforcement of policies relating to education

Recommendations to Government/Policy makers

·         Government should create more vocational opportunities for alternative education such as training centers

·         Government should review and update national  education policy framework so that the content of the policies can be relevant to present day social needs of young people

·         Government should ensure meaningful youth participation in reviewing National Education Policies

·         Government should also increase budgetary allocation by 30% in order to meet the educational needs of the Nigerian youth population

·         Government should prioritize female education by giving incentives for girl-child education

Youth Actions

·         Young people should encourage volunteering in rural areas to implement community projects in rural areas, create after school programs, and embrace mentorship

·         Build an online directory as well as hard copy of existing opportunities of where and how to volunteer locally

·         Young people should advocate that youth schooling abroad should come home and share their skills for at least two-years, especially those studying abroad on government scholarship

ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Challenges

•       Climate change and environmental degradation causes different health hazard e.g. cancer

•       It also contributes to low productivity & food insecurity

•       Increase in the rate of migration

•       Socio-economic life is affected e.g. leisure, education

Recommendation to Government/Policy makers

•       Provide more Education and create awareness to address environmental issues

•       Develop policy framework on Sanitation/Habitation

•       Support youth-led environmental projects

•       Promote alternative and renewable energy

•       Mainstreaming youth into policy and decision making processes

•       Promote Green economy & Sustainable development

Youth Actions

•       Peer mentoring

•       Develop community projects on tree planting and nurturing of trees

•       Work with Government and other stakeholders to implement policy and projects

•       Promote indigenous knowledge and use of local technology that are energy efficient

•       Provide incentives and alternative source of livelihood to local communities especially those that are fully dependent on natural resources .e.g. trees

HEALTH

Challenges

• Sexual and reproductive health challenges like prevalence of STIs/HIV/AIDS, contraceptive usage, teenage/unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, early childbearing, negative cultural practices like FGM, early marriage, etc.
• The problem of the current NHIS scheme of the federal government not covering unemployed youths many of whom cannot afford high cost of health services
• Negative cultural/traditional/religious beliefs & values that do not promote the sexual and reproductive health and rights of youths especially female youths such as issues of early marriage, denial of decision-making rights on the number and spacing of their children, lack of access to contraceptive usage, etc.

Recommendation to Government/Policy makers

• Provision of youth friendly health services/centres across the country where young people can have their special needs on sexual and reproductive health issues met
• Ensuring the implementation of the national family life, HIV/AIDS education curriculum in all primary and secondary schools across the country and putting a mechanism in place to  monitor implementation in urban and grassroots
• Go beyond the NHIS scheme to have a health care plan that is targeted at youths especially the unemployed

Youth Actions

—  Advocacy activities by young people to influence health policies through gathering petitions and at the same time, getting feedback from the people to policy makers

—  Voluntary activism in health related services such as HIV counseling and testing, health sensitization and promotion activities, etc.

—  Organise sensitization programmes in our various organisations targeted especially to the grassroots to debunk negative cultural and religious beliefs that hinder young people from accessing adequate health care services especially with regards to their sexual and reproductive health.

ICT

Challenges

·         Low funding

·         Poor Infrastructure – electricity, optic fibre cables, personnel

·         Lack of access to ICT tools (Schools/out – of schools)

·         There is no adequate access to ICT training opportunities in local regions

·         There is a high rate of gender imbalance in access to ICT training opportunities

Recommendation to Government/Policy makers

·         Policy strengthening/Passing the ICT cyber crime bill

·         Providing infrastructure/ maintenance

·         Establishment of ICT incubation centres (e.g Silicon Valley)

·         Mainstreaming ICTs in Youth development Centres-  Nationally

·         Need driven effective training to capture people at the grass root and the disabled  (need assessment before implementing projects)

Youth Actions

·         Develop interest in ICT education

·         Use social networks positively

·         Develop electronic applications to solve challenges ( health, education, elections/governance, crime)

·         Capacity building for our peers

·         Need driven effective training to capture people at the grass root and the disabled

EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

CHALLENGES

·         Poor dissemination of information on Government’s employment creation strategies and policies  

·         Inadequate commitment by the Government towards the enforcement of local content laws that are meant to support local initiatives and boost domestic production.                                                                                                                     

·         Failure of the education system to produce relevant resources for market needs.

·         Agriculture potentially remains the highest youth employment sector of the economy but has long been abandoned due to many factors ranging from government effort to oil diversity to lack of resources for agricultural development.

Recommendation to Government/Policy makers

• Establishment of information dissemination agencies in hinterlands and rural areas.
• Revive and establish “one-stop youth incubation and development centers” with research and development mandate in every state and to promote entrepreneurship/business plan competitions as an on-going exercise.

·         A specific strategy on political will to ensure the enforcement of every effort impacting on employment and entrepreneurship.

·          Agriculture should be run with creative incentives and more attractive credit (and other resources e.g. Access to land) facilities.

Youth Actions

·         Involvement of Youth organizations/groups in the following areas:

(i)           More advocacy for government support towards creating enabling environment for employment and entrepreneurship efforts

(ii)          More monitoring, assessment and evaluation activities on government efforts

(iii)        More efforts towards peer capacity building/training efforts for employability skills and enterprise development (in collaboration with government, Development Partners and private sector organizations)