Doma Cove, Guadalcanal Province - The National Youth Congress (NYC), Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs and Guadalcanal Provincial Government with support from UNDP through the Inclusive Governance of Natural Resources (IGNR) Project  have conducted the last of three provincial youth revitalization workshops for young leaders in Guadalcanal.

The three-day workshop ended with the Guadalcanal Youth Council Executive’s election - the third council is about to be revitalized after Western and Malaita Provinces.

Since the Solomon Islands has pledged to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals agenda, it is important to recognize the role of young people as key stakeholders in accomplishing the sustaining peace within the country. The Provincial Youth Council’s re-establishment and strengthening allow young people to raise their voices in a coordinated manner and to influence policies that have an impact on their lives.  

Guadalcanal Province’s Minister for Women and Youth Mrs. Rose Tala stated that “Guadalcanal Province will continue to work in collaboration and partnership with the youths, the national government and development partners to ensure our provincial youth polices are in place and implemented. We support the inclusion of youths and will continue to support their plans”.

Overall, about 65 participants took park in the last workshop. Guided by facilitators, they learned how to understand the power of togetherness and teamwork, and the foregoing strategies to revitalize and revise the Provincial Youth Council and how to realize the rights and potential to become an agent of change in addressing the issues which affect Solomon Islands’ youth. One of the key workshop’s milestone was to elect the new executive for the Guadalcanal Youth Council who will be working closely with the National Youth Caucus to advance and advocate on significant interests and issues affecting the lives of the young people in Guadalcanal.

Dr Cedrick Alependava, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs underlined the importance of young people in building an inclusive and strong country, stressing that such initiatives help educate young people to unite in a more coordinated manner and more actively communicate their experiences in the youth work sector.

“Youth is the driving force of community development and, thus, ensuring effective mechanism to support youth empowerment and leadership are among top-priorities of the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs,” said Dr Cedrick Alependava.

With the 2030 Agenda as a guiding thread, UNDP work to advance young people’s participation in civic and political life, their economic empowerment and their role as peace- and resilience-builders.

The workshop was conducted by the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs and supported by the Inclusive Governance of Natural Resources (IGNR) Project framework implemented by UNDP Solomon Islands and UN Women with the financial support of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund.

Contact information:

Anastasiia Tiurmenko, Communications Specialist – Inclusive Governance of Natural Resources Project, UNDP Solomon Islands, anastasiia.tiurmenko@undp.org; (+677) 274 46