Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 11, 2016 (SKNIS): The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis is well on its way to establishing a National Youth Policy and Strategic Plan Agenda, with the assistance of Dwynette Eversley, Commonwealth Youth Consultant. Ms. Eversley is currently in the Federation working closely with the Departments of Youth in St. Kitts and in Nevis to ensure that this initiative comes to fruition.
During the launch of the Federal Youth Policy Initiative that will eventually result in the finalization of the National Youth Policy and Strategic Plan Agenda on Tuesday, October 11, at the Ocean Terrace Inn, the consultant commended the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis for moving forward the Youth Policy Agenda which will enhance the development of the young people.
“A youth policy consolidates all the national initiatives and that is why I congratulate the Government on its dedication and its commitment to achieving this policy and the Strategic Action Plan,” said the Commonwealth Consultant. “Because when we say it consolidates all initiatives, we begin immediately to understand that we are establishing a blueprint for cross-sectional cooperation for more accountability in the management, human and financial resources, so that what we do everywhere for young people can be measured. We can see the successful outcomes and this is a tremendous initiative and it is to be congratulated and supported.”
The Federal Youth Policy Initiative is a work in progress that eventually would have to subscribe to international standards. There are several principles that should be followed with respect to implementing a youth policy and these principles must be captured in the St. Kitts and Nevis National Youth Policy.
Ms. Eversley pointed to the principles that were established on conclusion of the 1st Global Forum on Youth Policies in Baku, Azerbaijan, in October 2014.
“Youth policies should be rights-based and that means they are founded and grounded within the international human rights treaty framework to which St. Kitts and Nevis and all other countries would be party,” said Ms. Eversley. “And so, when we are looking at youth policies with development, we look first and foremost at the international human rights framework that the country has adopted because youth development is a human right.”
With respect to the other principles listed in the 1st Global Forum on Youth Policies Report, the document also states that youth policies should be inclusive, participatory, gender-responsive, comprehensive, knowledge-based and evidence informed, fully resourced and accountable.
