Finally, Malawi has its Youth Parliament...

As many of you will know, I spent some time in Malawi last year working with the National Youth Council. Despite taking part in a number of different visits, the main purpose of my trip was to advise on how best to go about setting up a Malawian Youth Parliament. With 46% of the population being 15 or under, it was obvious that there was a need for a dedicated Parliament, looking specifially at issues of importance to the youth of Malawi. During my time in the country, I met with a number of different stakeholders including the Malawi Human Rights Network, District Youth Officers in both Lilongwe and Blantyre and perhaps most importantly, the then Minister for Youth and Sport and the Speaker of the National Assembly in Malawi. It was clear that for the project to be even remotely successful, we would need the backing of the decision makers. After all, it was them whom the MYP would be seeking to influence. Fortunately it was agreed by all that there was a need for the youth Parliament. However, it was mentioned on a few occasions that Malawi had previously had a Children's Parliament. It was repeatedly criticised as simply being a talking shop and only interested in "childish" issues. In the end it was scrapped and since then the young people of Malawi have had very limited involvement in decision making on a national level, if any at all. The issues raised by the young people I spoke to in many different parts of Malawi were certainly not childish. Forced marriage, teenage pregnancy, sexual abuse, HIV/AIDS, healthcare and education provision being just some of them. With an average life expectancy in Malawi of around 53, it's sadly true that by the time young people make it to their twenties, they are already half way through their lives. With this in mind, it's imperative that these young people have the chance to make a difference, a chance to make sure that the next generation of young Malawians don't face a lifetime of hunger, disease and poverty. The National Youth Council worked tirelessly with the young people in Malawi and thankfully a Youth Parliament has been established. I'm not suggesting that this will be the answer to the many problems the young people of Malawi face. It won't. That said, the more involved that young people are in decision making, the more likely they are to see Malawi become the place they want it to be. Malawi is a fantastic country, the people are warm, friendly and generous. It didn't earn the nickname as the "warm heart of Africa" for nothing. Under the late President Mutharika, Malawi prospered. In my opinion, more could have been done. Tackling the literacy rate, the low life expectancy, HIV/AIDS all need worked on. It's obvious that the young people of Malawi need to be involved. They have opinions, they know whats best for them and I'm sure that President Banda, herself an educator, will be only too aware of this. During the launch of the Parliament, it was announced that next year Malawi will host the regional Commonwealth Youth Parliament. This is a great honour for the young people of Malawi, who, until last month, didn't even have a Youth Parliament. Times are changing and I'm genuinely exicted for the young people involved. Malawi has always been a leader and trend setter in Sub Saharan Africa, and this is proven yet again. I know just how valuable young people's contribution to civil society and decision making can be and I hope the the rest of Africa and the Middle East learn lessons from Malawi. With a new Secretary of State at DFID, I hope she too will welcome the Youth Parliament being established and look at how the UK Government, along with other international partners, can support the great work I'm sure they'll do over the coming months and years. Good luck MYP!