THE REPUBLIC OF RWANDA

MINISTRY OF YOUTH, CULTURE AND SPORTS

NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY

CONTENTS

i. TABLE OF CONTENTS
ii. FOREWORD
1. Introduction
Why is there a need for the National youth policy?
Methodology employed in devising the national Youth Policy.
1.1. Definition of sector
Definition and the place of youth
1.2. CONTEXT
1.2.1. Demographic characteristics
1.2.2. Economic characteristics
1.2.3. Socio-political characteristics
1.2.4. Regional and International context
2. General orientations
2.1.2020 vision
2.2.Poverty Reduction strategy
2.3.Rwanda’s National Investment strategy
Millennium Development Goals
2.4.National Decentralization Policy
2.5.National gender Policy
2.6.MIJESPOC’s sectoral strategies
2.7.A five year plan of action for the promotion of youth employment
3. Presentation of sector
3.1.Statement of the youth sector problem
3.1.1. Education
3.1.2. National Unity and Reconciliation
3.1.3. Civic education and social reform
3.1.4. Employment
3.1.5. Poverty
3.1.6. Environment
3.1.7. Youth health
3.1.8. HIV/AIDS
3.1.9. Excess use of drugs
3.1.10.Juvenile delinquency
3.1.11.Culture, sports and leisure
3.1.12.Gender
3.1.13.Entire and effective participation in social life and decision making
process
3.1.14.Cooperation and globalization
3.1.15.New information and communication technology
3.2.Constraints and potentials of the youth sector
3.3.Principles of the national youth policy
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3.4.The sector’s vision

3.4.1. Principles
3.4.2. The type of youth that Rwanda needs
3.5.The sector’s mission
3.6.The sector’s objectives
3.6.1. General objective
 Short term objective
 Mid-term objective
 Long term objective
3.6.2. Specific objectives
4. A summary of the sector’s strategies
5. The sector’s programs
6. Institutional frame work for the implementation of the National youth policy
6.1.Promoting the National youth policy
6.2.Devising action plans and developing specific projects
6.3.Establishing appropriate mechanisms and coordinating the national youth
policy
6.4.Ensuring the participation of youth in project implementation
7. Follow up and evaluation
8. Conclusion
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FOREWORD

During the 1994 genocide Rwanda experienced gross and massive violations of
human rights, which caused more than 1.000.000 lives to be lost. As a result,
the situation in Rwanda is and will be characterized for long time by the 1994
genocide consequences. The most outstanding ones are the following :

- families and national properties were greatly destroyed

- the whole economic activity was negatively affected
- environment destruction by massive movement of displaced people
- heavy impact on children and vulnerable groups.

From that time, great progress was made in social, economic and political
construction. However, there is still a long way to go and such efforts must be
based upon a brighter future.

In this regard, the country’s hope lies in every body’s contribution and
particularly in that of the youth who represents the country’s active force.

The current document matches with the Rwandan Government’s will to avail
sectoral policies and strategies for all its departments so as to strengthen,
rationalize and coordinate actions in order to systematically get the civil society
involved in to bear the most concrete fruits for the nation.

Devising the National youth policy became a necessity for the youth constitutes
an age group which is special and is currently facing many challenges in
different fields such as education, management of direct or indirect
consequences of genocide, national unity and reconciliation, employment
fighting against aids hunger and poverty, environment deterioration; gender and
health promotion, promotion of culture, sports, leisure and new information and
communication technology.

The youth that represent a big part of our society and indispensable inciting
force for quality and sustainable development is not only viewed as the
tomorrow’s leaders but also as main actors and beneficiaries of the today’s
society.

The current document results from various ideas, consultations and analysis by
all partners and stakeholders of development in terms of youth by the youth
themselves.
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By addressing the youth main concerns, this policy assigns legitimacy and
orientation to programs and services that are centered on youth and proposes
strategies and guidelines for their planning and implementation. It also contains
appropriate measures for directing the youth’s forces and talents toward
sustainable development of our nation.

Finally, the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports would like to see the current
document indicate and provide main orientations and action programs for the
government, religious institutions, private sector, non-governmental
organization, bilateral cooperation, international institutions and the Rwandan
population in general so as to work together for the reconstruction of a new and
prosperous Rwanda.

The Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports

HABINEZA Joseph
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I. Introduction

Why is there a need for the National Youth Policy?

After the 1994 genocide, all sectors of the National life needed to be
rehabilitated. The government of National Unity which was established on July
19, 1994 defined its priorities to boost economy and rehabilitate the social
cohesion that had been destroyed by the genocide.

The problem of catering for the youth and its future was at the core of the
Rwandan Government’s concerns.

It is precisely in this context that diverse programs and measures intended for
the youth were developed, taken and implemented but they were not part of a
policy explicitly devised for the youth.

Thus the Rwandan government’s will to have all actions planned for the youth
incorporated in one document labeled “sectoral youth policy” was one of the
main causes behind the production of the current document.

The youth represents a vivid force which is full of aspirations that are proper to
that age group. Such energy and potential should not be undermined by loose
living conditions such as ignorance, poverty, lack of sufficient (…….) health
education, etc.

However, we know that the youth have plenty energy, ideals, vitality, great
imagination and capacities for action, which make them a paramount human
resources for development and important factor for social change, economic
development and progress. Those capacities must be developed in order to
thouroughly move from childhood to adulthood and be able to hold
responsibilities and play determining roles in the society.

This is the reason why it is important to mobilize efforts that are meant for
devising and implementing policies and programs specifically intended for the
youth and which are integrated in all sectors of the country’s life.

Thus, a national youth policy is that which defines common objectives of the
youth, for the youth and with the youth.

The objectives contained in the national youth policy can only be achieved by
inculcating in our youth the values of becoming due, independent, accountable
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citizens that are determined to be characterized by courage, solidarity,

volunteering, and tradition to develop creative and productive talents.
To achieve such objectives, we also need to make sure our youth deeply
understand the values of being moderate, tolerant, just and deny room for hatred
and divisionism.

Tolerance, being moderate and solidarity are the values that are inherent to our
culture. We source from them the respect of gender and human rights in all
entirety and complementarities of their dimensions.

The current national youth policy shows the choices made by the government
for new and future generations as well as mechanisms to be set up to achieve
their social, economic, cultural and political integration.

How did this document come to be written?

In 2003, the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports, in collaboration with the
GTZ / youth training support project, conducted a survey in order to take into
account views, priorities, problems, issues and wishes of the youth. The
conclusion of the survey made it possible to identify a number of wishes by the
youth and the latter can serve as reference in setting some priorities for a
national youth policy.

Prioritary domains that were identified are as follows :

1. education and ICT;
2. national unity and reconciliation, civic education and social reform;
3. employment and poverty;
4. environment;
5. youth health and protection;
6. culture, sports and leisure;
7. gender
8. cooperation and globalization

In addition, participating in different meetings and consultations meant for

devising other policies and sectoral strategies or for action planning allowed us
to be acquainted with the needs felt by both the government and the civil
society.

In order to get experience from international arena, a Rwandan delegation made

up with an official from the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports and youth
representatives attended a sub-regional seminar on devising national youth
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policies which was held in September 2003 in Addis-Ababa. The seminar was
organized by the International Council for National youth policies.

Not only did the participation in that seminar lead the Rwandan delegation
members to strengthening their knowledge as to devising youth policies but also
became an opportunity for them to make contacts and exchange experience with
professionals in that field.

In September 2004, a consultant from the International Council for National

Youth policies was on a mission in Rwanda. The current document was written
thanks to consultation between that consultant and the country’s high officials.
Ideas, facts and figures were drawn from either an array documentation or
various individual and collective discussions during that mission.

Finally, a workshop was held in Kibuye on January 21-24, 2005. This workshop
gathered representatives of youth associations and structures as well as various
ministries and institutions that are the youth partners. It made useful
recommendations and set objectives, strategies and mechanisms for the
implementation and evaluation of the National Youth Policy.

DEFINITION OF THE SECTOR

Definition and place of youth has been paid for it. There is no legal reference to
define the term “youth”. Individuals are either underaged and entirely dependant
or adults and thoroughly responsible for what they do.

According to the criteria on recognized by the UN, the youth comprises of

people that are between 15 and 19 years old (adolescents) and those who are
aged between 20 and 24 (young adults).

Even if the term “youth” has a statistic definition as provided in the preceding
paragraph, its meaning varies from one society to another and has evolved
depending on political, economic and socio-cultural contexts. In that case, a
young person is that person who is considered as such by the society”.
In Rwanda, the youth is made up of persons aged between 14 and 35.
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1.2. Context

1.2.1. Demographic characteristics

Definitive results of the 3rd General population census conducted in August 2002
indicate that Rwanda was, up to the night of August 15-16, inhabited by
8.128.5531

The Demographic situation in Rwanda is determined by two main

characteristics: a population that is young and women dominated.

Statistics from the general census revealed that the Rwandan population is
mainly young. Persons who are below 25 years old represent 67 % of the
population. Another fact, which illustrates that the Rwandan population is
young, is the low percentage of those persons who are above 65 years old. They
represent 3 %.

In Rwanda, the number of women outweighs that of men especially in rural

areas. The ration is 88 men over 100 women. Over the population of 8.128.553
women are 4.249.105 while men represent 3.879.448.

Rwanda has a rapid growth rate of 2.9 % and if we keep the same growth rate,
the population could be 16.000.000 in the year 2020.

1.2.2. Economic characteristics

Estimates indicate that households that live below the poverty line represent
65.7 % in rural areas as opposed to 14.3 % in urban areas. Poverty strikes also
hard in rural areas where 45 % cannot meet their food needs.

The primary sector largely determines economic performances of a country. In

Rwanda 83.11 % of the population live in rural area where more than 90 % earn
a living on agriculture for consumption. The produce from this sector solely
represents 46.26 % of GDP. The income per capita is 260 dollars.

1.2.3. Socio-political characteristics

Before colonization, the Rwandan youth who were given a culture oriented
education based on traditional society model characterized by the National Unity
and strong patriotism had not yet experienced known divisive and ethnic
theories cooked up by colonial masters.
1
General census for the population and habitat
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Since the late 90’s, Rwanda repeatedly witnessed socio-political conflicts, some
claiming more lives than others. All those atrocities culminated into the 1994
genocide. During this period, the youth were exploited and manipulated by
politicians to carry out destruction.

Such exploitation was out of control and often dramatic, which led the Rwandan
youth to actively get involved in massacres and the 1994 genocide.

Very recently, that youth have never had the opportunity to discuss with
decision makers and to let their ideas, desiderata be heard. Neither had they the
opportunity to meet and exchange views on their problems so as to make a
contribution to the country’s development. Those are some of the problems that
the government of the national unity which was set up since October 1999
wanted to solve by establishing the youth organization structures and thus giving
room for democratic free expression as had been requested by most of the youth.
From that time, the National Youth council was established and governed by the
law n° 24/2003 of 14/8/2003.

1.2.4. Regional and international context

The youth not only constitute a vast vital sector of the population but also are
concerned by the challenges and problems faced with at the regional and
international level.

Many current problems that hamper development require international

solidarity, cooperation and coordination among youth organizations in order to
achieve the common goal of building youth capacities for them to be true
citizens and actors of our societies’ change. This was recommended by different
regional and international conferences which dealt with the problems of
sustainable development or to fight against HIV/AIDS. As example, we can
refer to the International Conference for Youth held in Kigali on November 15-
20, 1999; Global Forum for youth which was organized in Dakar in August
2001 by the UN summit on youth employment held in Egypt in 2002,…

There is within UN secretariat, an already established youth division which is in

charge of coordinating youth programs at all organs and organizations levels.
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1. General orientation

1.1. 2020 vision

The National youth policy is part of the Rwanda’s 2020 vision. In fact the youth
constitutes a cornerstone sector. This domain has to do with all the MDG sectors
and is, as a result, one of the 2020 vision.

Key factors that will help to solve the Rwandan population’s problems.

1.2. Poverty Reduction Strategy

Poverty reduction strategy is one of important pillars meant for achieving our
2020 vision.
83.11 % of the Rwandan population live in rural area and more than 90 % of
that portion earn a living on consumption agriculture. Today, 60 % of the
populations live below the poverty line.

The setting of National Youth Policy will allow all youth stakeholders to better
cater for the youth in order for them to join different public programs and
poverty reduction sectoral projects such as (HIMO, Umuganda, Ubudehe…).

1.3. Rwanda’s National Investment Strategy

Another equally important pilar as to the 2020 vision is the Rwanda’s National
Investment Strategy.

Given the importance of agriculture vis-à-vis the National economy it is no

longer surprising that this sector has been made a priority by the government, by
turning food oriented agriculture in market oriented agriculture. The Rwanda’s
youth will play a key role in employing new techniques in that domain so as to
add value to agriculture and livestock which have to be salary generating
professional activities in order to clearly improve their living conditions.

1.4. UNO : Millennium Development Goal

Most countries in the world attended the millennium summit held on September
6-8, 2000 in New York at the UN Headquarters. Such countries expressed their
determination to sustainable development in order to alleviate poverty in the
world. At the end of the summit a “Millennium Declaration” was made.
According to that declaration, world leaders notably “decided” to reduce by the
 12

year 2015 by a half, the number of the world population whose daily income is
less than one dollar, in other words, those persons who suffer from hunger”.
The youth has also been taken into account for it is a key domain. The youth has
been assigned resigned paramount role in each of the 8 goals.

The goal n° 8 provides for the establishment of Global partnership for

development and decent productive job creation for the youth.

1.5. National decentralization policy

The decentralization stresses the participation of the population in determining

its political future and socio-economic welfare. It will allow for the
establishment a structural organization that can help the Rwandan government
and population to fight against poverty and achieve reconciliation by turning the
grassroots population responsible.

In that context, the youth will be appealed to more actively participate in the
local development process planning and management. This objective will be
shaped by the National Youth Policy and will easily be achieved because there
are youth organization structures up to the level grassroots administration.

1.6. National gender policy

The term “gender” is a human development vision whose aim is to establish

equality between man and woman Gender-based partnership among men and
women is necessary if sustainable and profitable development is to be achieved.
In the strong efforts to reduce poverty, all actions should take into the necessity
of reducing gender related imbalances.

1.7. MIJESPOC Sectoral Strategies

The Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports and its partners are identifying some
priority axes. This document only serves as reference for making a national
youth policy must be a pre-requisite for the implementation of sectoral
strategies.

1.8. A five-year plan of action for the promotion of youth employment

This plan of action was made by MIFOTRA and its partners. It contains actions
and proposals aiming at that allow: for the improvement of the Rwandan
population’s welfare in general and of the youth welfare in particular.
 13

That plan of action also focuses on measures that have to be taken to build
national capacities as to the Rwandan youth. It also stresses on the improvement
in terms of quality and quantity of youth possibilities to fully, effectively
constructively and sustainably contribute to the Rwandan society’s life, through
rational exploitation of potentialities to create income generating activities other
than agricultural ones.

2. Presentation of the sector

The youth is facing with many challenges due to the current social and
economic situation of our country. Not only such challenges prevent the youth
from blossoming but also jeopardize its future. Today, the Rwandan youth are
mostly affected by the management of direct and indirect consequences of
genocide, poverty, unemployment, HIV/AIDS, illiteracy and limited
possibilities of accessing education.

2.1. Stating the problem of youth sector

The youth is facing with many challenges due to the current social and
economic situation of our country. Not only these challenges prevent the youth
from blossoming but also jeopardize its future.

2.1.1. Education

The youth will have to attain convenient level of education and be competitive
so as to get prepared to a sustainable socio-economic situation, establish their
own hopes and to adapt during their lifetime to social and economic changes.

The primary school education is characterized by the increase of youth joining

schools with reference to estimates made by the August 2002 General census of
the population, the rate of registration and in take for primary school education
in 2004 was 93.0 %. But the rate of those who repeat the year or drop out before
they cover all the primary school education still constitutes a big problem. Such
phenomenon results in increasing the number of those who are illiterate.

The third general census revealed that 38% of the population do not neither
know how to read nor how to write. And not only is this a gap in education for
all but also constitutes an obstacle to poverty reduction.
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2.1.2. Unity and reconciliation

The 1994 genocide is the end result of atrocities that are linked to several factors
which preceded it, notably the policy which was entered around hatred and
ethnic exclusion.

Today, Rwanda has just started trying those who committed and executed that
genocide. The Gacaca courts represent an original way of trying, forgiving and
educating the Rwandan population. It is thus important to timely train the
Rwandan youth as to copping with a highly fragile situation that resulted from
divisive policy of the Rwandan society whose members became the victims of
such violence and their perpetrators.

Data from the general census indicated that the genocide caused many loses to
42 % of the population and that the 1994 genocide and war represent 57 % of
main causes of trauma cases. We have to find means of accepting our sad past
and making further steps to heal the wounds instead of reopening them. We
must look at the past but particularly we need to strongly prepare ourselves to
the future.

The youth are particularly appealed for to establishing the frameworks so as to

reflect and exchange views on their problems lasting for solutions and to commit
themselves to giving appropriate impetuses to sustainable development of a
convivial, just, balanced, equitable, unite and prosperous society.

Specific actions will need to be taken to mobilize the youth as to making their
contribution for the success of the Gacaca courts and other programs meant for
promoting unity and reconciliation among the Rwandans.

2.1.3. Civic education and social transformation

Civic education does not mean the study of three arms of government. It also
refers to the social education aiming at making sure human beings blossom and
commits themselves to democratic values such as good governance which is the
foundation for the prevention of killer-conflicts and the respect of human rights.

The fulfillment of such conditions leads citizens to increase their level of

commitment and participation to development programs and to lessen alienation
from which violent opposition originates.

The civic education will lay foundation for patriotic Rwandan society where
division, racism must be banished for ever. Actions will be focused on that
 15

subject matter and inculcate the concept of Rwandan hood instead of those of
divisionism, totalianism and regionalism.

Civic education will have to teach the culture of working, of tolerance,

respecting public projects, respecting private life, etc.

2.1.4. Employment

Unemployment and underemployment of youth are the big problem that should
be addressed by the creation of income generating activities other than
agricultural ones.

Unemployment has strongly negative impact in youth. It has psychological

impact, which leads the youth to question their confidence and express bitterness
as to their future. The youth employment is a source of marginalisation,
disappointment and lack of self-esteem. That youth can remain poor for the rest
of their life unless they have perspectives. The youth employment will have to
be among the priorities of the private sector’s investment.

In order to meet the needs of youth, it is important to create conducive

conditions for salary generating jobs that are necessary for increasing the
purchasing power of youth by effectively involving them in the specialization
and rationalization of activities such as swamp development and environment
protection.

The land is the main for production and is, as a result, due the put that plots are
becoming smaller and smaller. The land is too small to be rationally used by the
population that still employs anachronistic techniques that we know. This is the
reason why the promotion of youth employment should also target non
agricultural activities both in rural an urban areas such as rural production-
oriented, sewing, leather works, cycle repairing, construction, carpentry,
electricity, bricks production, sports equipment production, cyber café,
electronic workshop and activities that require greater labor force (HIMO),…

2.1.5. Poverty

Unemployment is not the only caused of poverty. Devastatingly many young

people remain under the poverty line because of their underemployment, low
productivity and insufficient income. School education and professional training
are one of essential factors of productivity.
 16

From economic point of view, 42 % of the youth aged between 14-35 are either
unemployed or only work on seasonal small scale agriculture. Excessive needs
in terms of land find expression in that on family owns less than one hector for
its agricultural activities, which is the line below which one cannot meet their
nutritional basic needs.

Women- and most of the time widow- headed households and those headed by
unemployed or non qualified youth- fall within the main social categories that
are hit by poverty. 75 % of unschooled youth have no any professional training.
Added to that are consequences of genocide and war with all their impact
notably the loss of socio-economic and cultural values as well as the wounds
and both moral and physical setbacks. All measures meant for reducing poverty
will also have to take into account the dynamic factor of youth.

2.1.6. Environment

Several factors are behind the degradation environment such factors are notably
the desequilibrium between the population and natural resources, the use of
rudimentary agricultural techniques, impact of the war and the low level
education in general and that of environmental in particular.

The search for fertile lands by the increasingly growing population leads to rapid
and continued destruction of soil and ecosystem. More than 96 % the population
employ wood as a source of energy for their household. This wood-dependency
as well as the increasing need for fertile lands caused considerable destruction to
the forests.

It is true that protecting environment is the responsibility of every stakeholder in

the society but the youth’s role is particularly paramount and they have to
safeguard the environment for it is the same youth that will inherit it.

The main challenge lies in devising and setting up a system of agricultural and
forestry production that can generate a long term employment, income and
sustainable development.

The youth will act as inciting force for the activities means for environment
promotion. The National Youth Council will need to initiate activities and
programmers for environment protection.
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2.1.7. Youth health

The youth health represents the first pilar of safeguarding everyone’s health.
We should learn from health indicators in youth. 80 % in rural youth and 2/3 in
urban youth suffered from malaria. According to available statistics 25 % of
adolescents are sexually active below the age of 18. A health and demographic
survey conducted in 2000 revealed that 7 % of adolescents that are between 15
and 19 years are pregnant or have already delivered.

Uneasy access to reproductive health services leads adolescents to having

undesired pregnancies with their following consequences: school dropouts, risky
abortion, death of the mother or of the child, sexually transmitted diseases and
all forms of physical and psychological violence.

The youth should be provided with health education that is adapted to their
current challenges if their welfare and physical, mental and social blossoming
are to be preserved.

2.1.8. HIV/AIDS

The number of those catching AIDS has been increasing since the time it was
diagnosed. AIDS has caused serious problems throughout the world in terms of
public health and it increases mortability rate.

It strikes hard in individuals that are between 13 and 40 years old, an age group
which constitutes the country’s vivid and active force. AIDS also causes
problems that hinder the country’s economic growth.

In Rwanda, more and more children and adolescents are HIV positive. Hundreds
of thousands has become orphans due to this scourge.

Recent epidemiological data indicated that HIV prevalence rate is high in young
people. According to a survey by the PNLS in 1997, 4.1 % of the youth aged
between 12 and 14, 6.5 % in youth aged.

Between 15 and 19 and 11.25% in youth aged between 20 and 24 are HIV
positive. Whereas in 1997, 3.4% of those adolescents aged between 15 and 19
and living in urban areas were HIV positive. A more prominent figure (8.5%)
 18

of adolescents in rural areas were HIV positive (MINISANTE 1997), at the end
of 1999.

Estimates indicated that the prevalence rate was ranging between 9% and 12%
in women aged between 15 and 24 and the percentage ranging between 3.48%-
6% in men of the same age group.

HIV/AIDS infection has since almost three decades been a big challenge for
Rwanda. Different stakeholders in fighting AIDS made efforts to contain the
spread of that pendemic and minimise its impact. Unfortunately, the number of
those who are HIV infected is still increasing, drastic and concrete measures
should taken and actions under taken.

All youth programs and activities should have a component of sensitisation as to

HIV/AIDS prevention.

3.1.9. Drugs consumption

During the 1994 Genocide a big number of young people was incited to use
drugs and the fact that more and more young people are attracted by drug
consumption has become alarming. Consequences of drug consumption by
young people are outstanding. This consumption results into violence especially
on roads. Mobilisation programmes in families, youth organisations, schools,
etc are needed.

3.1.10. Juvenile delinquency

The August 2002 general census of the population provides alarming

percentages of the youth aged below 26 who have no parents to look after them.

- 64.67% lost their mothers and fathers;

- 22.80% lost their fathers;
- 4.84% lost their mothers;
- 6% did not respond to the question;
- 0.15% do not know;
- 3.55% provided unspecified answers.

Almost all of those young people either witnessed or experienced violence in

their direct environment. For all those orphans, we need to recognise that their
socio-economic environment is characterized by poverty and deprivation.
 19

Concerning anti-social or unaccepted social behaviours, we have rural exodus

and increase in the number of prostitutes and street boys/girls. This state of
affair is a big problem when it comes to catering for vulnerable youth.

3.1.11. Culture, sports and leisure

The youth have an important and legitimate role in the process of devising
cultural policies.
Young and women’s imagination, ideals and energy have since time
immemorial been regarded as essential for a continued development of society
they live in.
As to sports and leisure, all societies recognize their importance in developing
psychological, cognitive and physical capacities of the youth.

A survey that was conducted indicated that around 50% of boys and 80% of
girls have never done sport while less than 3% are involved in the music and
traditional dance. Their main hobbies were meeting with friends and small
works at home.

3.1.12. Gender

Even if there have recently been some great achievements, young girls and
women are still disadvantaged compared to their male counterparts (in terms of
employment, health, education, training, leisure,…).

3.1.13. Full and effective participation in the social life and

decision making process

The youth who make up an essential component of our society is undoubtedly

an age group which is mature enough to think, make decisions and take actions.
Its participation into community development should not be put to later use.

The youth constitute the present : their intervention is a necessity for sustainable
development. They have to be taken as serious, as reliable partners when it
comes to devising, planning and implementing community development policies
and programmes.

Taking their concerns and proposals into account play an important role in
decision making process.

3.1.14. Cooperation and globalisation

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Due to our history and in terms of international knowledge, understanding and

cooperation, the Rwandan youth are likely more open, perhaps exceptional
compared to other youth in the Great Lakes Region.

With new information and communication technologies, the world has become a
small village.

Most of the Rwandan population ignore some if not all of the macro-economic
development which is taking place because it is busy with their quasi instinct to
survive.

The little information it has on the world comes from some local radios and to a
lesser extent from international radios, commerce (manufactured products :
soaps, salt, clothes, etc) and the presence of some foreigners.

However, all these have a great negative impact on the Rwandan population’s
daily life following their poverty or adoption of new economic symbols
representing values for social welfare and success.

3.1.15. Cooperation and globalisation

Globalisation has to do with movement of capital, goods, knowledge, people and

technologies. It reflects the growing inter-relation and interdependency among
people, communities and economies throughout the world. Globalisation has an
impact on relevant domains such as culture, poverty, human rights, environment
and employment.

Decisions taken by international institutions exert direct influence on the life of

youth throughout the world.

The youth must increasingly develop their capacities for cooperation in order for
them to participate in regional and global political process and actions so as to
strengthen their role in devising, implementing, evaluating and monitoring
decision making processes by the international institutions.

3.1.16. New Information and Communication Technologies

Even if the radio is a highly valued means of accessing information for the youth
and those from well-of-families have TV sets and even mobile phones, the
majority of this age group-as it is for the rest of the population in general, have
no access to modern information and communication technologies. Not only
 21

would such technologies allow the youth to search for and receive information
but also to provide them. Only 7% of the youth in urban area have access to
internet while this facility almost does not exist in rural area.

Our social, cultural and economic values are quickly modified by the
information technologies revolution and are speeded up by the globalisation
process functions.

It is thus necessary to assign a due cultural orientation to the use of new

technologies and to devise strategies in order to promote the positive side of
those technologies for all the Rwandan youth that use them.

3.1.17. Intergenerational relations

Even if the tradition of entertaining responsibilities as to the broad family finds

appreciation and continues to anchor in the society, family relations and
structures were seriously affected and weakened by the genocide. Most of
households are single-parent and child-headed. 195.000 youth who are below 20
are head of families and cater for 10 percent of the entire population.

Younger generations and their parents or grand parents have utterly dissimilar
socio-cultural and economic aspirations and needs.

Due to consequences of genocide the family tends divert from its traditionally
recognized role. Elderly people have been for the most cases incapacitated or
have lost their beloved ones. They have nobody to look after them. A big
number of orphans is also facing the problem of being head of families. Such
generations live together though they sometimes have no family relationship.
They help one another but various factors that linked with our country’s recent
history likely hampers such assistance.

3.2. Constraints and Potentialities

3.2.1. Constraints

The impact of youth in poverty reduction process can not be evaluated due to
the lack a two-way exchange of information concerning youth-related actions
that are taken by different government institutions and the civil society.
Nobody ignores the important role of middle and small scale enterprises in the
country’s economic development. Unfortunately, bank interests rates and
collaterals that are required to obtain loans are too high to be afforded by the
 22

youth. As a result, the number of the youth who have access to bank loans is
limited.

3.2.2. Potentialities

The youth vivacity, dynamism and patriotism, the Government political will to
develop programmes with decentralized management, sensitisation of NGOs
officials and mobilisation of the youth to participate in those programmes make
up a stronghold for the Rwandan youth to confidently and utterly fight poverty.

3.3. Principles of the youth sectoral policy

For those objectives to be achieved and suggested strategies to be implemented,

some basic principles, need to be promoted in order to increase the impact that
measures proposed in the chapter of main orientations have on the youth.

3.3.1. The principle of relevance: objectives and strategies that are adapted to
expectations and needs of the youth.
3.3.2. The principle of coherence : taking into account the component “youth” in
other government policies.
3.3.3.The principle of efficiency : developing an increased partnership toward
the youth.
3.3.4. The principle of being operational : increasing the financial resources.
3.3.5.The principle of capacity building : support to the civil society and youth
associations;
3.3.6. The principle of solidarity : participation the youth in youth-related
activities and in development activities by way of promoting community
action.
3.3.7. The principle of openness

The diversity of youth expertise in the fields of informal and informal education,
youth-related information, participation, communication, training, youth
employment.

3.3.8. The principle of adaptation

Providing support to youth-related research and consultation so as to understand

youth moves and changes that affect their future.
 23

3.3.9. The principle of decentralization

More involvement into youth local communities.

3.4. The sector’s vision

3.4.1. Principle

The development must meet basic needs and requires from us to make
predictions about the future whose foundation will be the youth.
Any expenses that are incurred in providing youth with a better education,
medical care, training, information and delight should be taken as an investment
for a better quality life.

3.4.2. The types of youth that Rwanda needs

The tomorrow’s Rwandan youth and citizens should:

 be enlightened, trained, well informed and should respect human rights:

 the more those human rights are respected and the level of involvement
and participation of youth in development programmes is high, the lesser
alienation source of violent oppositions-becomes.

 make criticism, be entrepreneurs, autonomous and responsible: they

should be able to make choices, manage one’s individual and social life,
to account for one’s actions, to respect one’s commitment and to achieve
one’s goals.

 should be patriotic and politically, socially and economically involved.

They should be able to fully play their role in relation to those values, for
a cause or an ideal and to take actions accordingly.

 be characterized by solidarity: they should be concerned with others, work

with others and work for them; they should be able to share concern.

 Respecting ideals and positive values of our culture: patriotism, work,

courage, etc .

3.5. The sector’s mission

The main missions of the youth sector are as follows :

 24

3.5.1. To coordinate the development of National programmes for youth

mobilisation, training and catering as well as monitoring their evaluation.
3.5.2. To coordinate the development of IEC/youth health and follow up their
implementation.
3.5.3. To coordinate the development of National programmes for cooperation
in terms of youth.
3.5.4. To supervise the identification of youth training needs and to develop
training programmes and monitor their implementation.
3.5.5. To supervise the organisation of solidarity camps for youth or organise
there-to related sports activities.
3.5.6. To support youth organisational structures
3.5.7. To supervise the monitoring of IEC/youth Health programmes.

3.6. The sector’s objectives

3.6.1. General objectives

The general objective of the National youth policy is to promote the youth
economic, social, cultural, intellectual and moral welfare. Its end is also to
create conditions that are favourable for their integration in all sectors of the
society so as to let them become stakeholders of sustainable development.

 As a short term goal, the National youth policy will have to bridge the
gaps between the school and the family, between the school and job
market, between the family and job market, between the street and the
family. In short, it will bridge the gaps between all those spaces and times
where the youth are inactive and unproductive.

 As a mid term goal, the National youth policy will enable the youth to
integrate, intrinsic values into turning the society dynamic, develop
abilities and capacities that are necessary for development and to defeat
negative tendencies that have been identified by main indicators of
development thanks to a synergic achievement of the policy and youth
participation. It will also help to address gender-based inequities.

 As a long term goal, in Rwanda, a sustainable, consist and balanced

development will be achieved by a new youth generation that are
educated, entrepreneurs, can make criticism, autonomous, responsible and
are able to exert influence on their future.

3.6. Specific objectives

 25

The National youth policy will not achieve its goal unless it attains, within a
gender perspective, the following specific objectives.

 To encourage the harmonisation of education and training systems that

better fit for the current and future needs of the youth in order to fight
illiteracy which still is a big problem for a big number of youth.
 To encourage the integration of the culture of peace in the development of
school curricula.
 To make a contribution in strengthening social communication in youth.
 To build capacities for the identification and promotion of opportunities
for youth small scale projects.
 To sensitise the youth as to getting involved in agriculture and livestock
income generating activities and to turn the life in rural area into a more
attractive one.
 To make a contribution as to education and participation of youth with
regard to environment protection.
 To promote youth health and to provide the youth with practical
information as to issues of adolescents reproductive health.
 To prevent by all means HIV/AIDS scourge and other pandemics.
 To use all possible means and alert the youth about the consequences of
excessive drug consumption.
 To develop specific programmes for employment and leisure for
disprivileged rural youth.
 To foster and encourage artistic and cultural production in youth.
 To develop specific programmes that involve youth in gender issues.
 To provide the youth with more opportunities and possibilities to become
aware of their rights and obligations.
 To make a contribution in integrating the youth in new information and
communication technologies and to encourage the establishment of youth
media.
 To train youth in new information and communication technologies
acquisition and use.
 To encourage the youth as to volunteering and community service.

4. A summary of the sector’s strategies

For this sub-sector to achieve its mission and solve the youth problems, the
following priority programmes have been identified. These include:
 26

 Youth mobilization and training

 Support to youth initiatives
 Youth cooperation
Activities of the youth sub-sector should be synchronized with those
activities of other sub-sectors and are divided into the four following
categories;

 Capacity for work

 Job creation
 Equal opportunities
 Entrepreneurship

4.1. Youth mobilization and training

The youth that are able to bring about rapid changes represent potentials
that have to be exploited. That is the reason why the Ministry of Youth
Sports and culture has initiated youth mobilization and training
programmes so that this active force can greatly contribute to sustainable
development. The training programme has now been entrusted with the
Ministry of education, the Ministry having youth vocational training and
especially the management of youth vocational training centres in its
remits.

General objective:

Devising mobilization plans and programmes for the youth to fully play
their role in sustainable development.

Specific objective:

Promoting civic education in youth, cultural dynamism, entrepreneurship,

work love and safe heath.

For this sub-sector to achieve its mission and solve the youth problems, the
following priority programmes have been identified. These include:

- Education
- Unity and reconciliation
- Poverty reduction
- Environment protection.
 27

4.1. Education

The problem:

Schools are not sufficient and those who attend them do not complete different
levels of education.

Objective : To ensure education at different levels

Strategy: The education which makes sure education

- is completed at all levels (1.2.3)
- The education which is based on ICT.
What can be done: to establish Vocational Training Centers at each level of
education.

Vision: Vocational Training Centers at the district level and with sufficient
equipment, Vocational Training Centers providing skills at different levels
vocational Training Centers that reflect the districts they are located in,
Vocational training Centers with special focus on the girl.

For those who never went to school: there will be catch up centers at the district
level.

II. UNITY AND RECONCILIATION, SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION

Problems:
- The lack of patriotism in youth
- The impact of genocide on youth
- The youth who have never been involved in the planning and
implementation of actions that are meant for solving their problems, and
instead, who have been subject to political manipulation;
- The youth who have not yet acquired the culture of participating in the
country’s administration.

Strategies:

- To develop appropriate civil education programmes for the youth;

 28

- To develop an appropriate programme for addressing genocide

consequences;
- To develop appropriate programme for education of youth as to
participating in the country’s administration;
- To mobilise administrative organs as to trusting the youth and thereby
involving them in different programmes of the country’s administration

III. Poverty and unemployment in youth

a. Problems :

- Lack of self confidence in youth

- Lack of sufficient awareness as to the value of work;
- Youth exploitation in work places;
- Education which does not provide the practical know-how;

Poverty:
- Laziness
- Illiteracy
- Economic criteria applied by Rwanda
- Lack of family planning.

b. Strategies :

- To educate the youth as to the culture of ICT;

- To educate the youth as to the promotion of work
- To make specific legislation to shield the youth from exploitation in
work places;
- To harmonize the programme meant for providing the youth at school,
those who completed education and are now at work and those who
never went to school with practical know-how.
- To develop a programme for reforming and adjusting our education
toward the practical know how.
- To support the youth in job creation : a fund, etc.
- To apply family planning.

IV. ENVIRONMENT

a. Problems :

- The youth lack information as to the importance of environment;

 29

- The role of youth in environment degradation

b. Strategies :

- To develop appropriate programme for environment protection;

- To mobilise the youth as to creating environment-related
sustainable.

V. HEALTH AND YOUTH PROTECTION

a. Problems :

- rapid growth of population

- the youth and HIV/AIDS scourge
- insufficient information on reproductive health
- drugs consumption by the youth
- delinquency and prostitution
- behaviours and social relations in families
- the problem of trauma and mental health due to genocide
- lack of hygiene in youth.

b. Strategies:

- to harmonise programmes meant for fighting AIDS in the youth

(with special focus on production activities)
- to create a framework for monitoring and harmonizing activities
and support meant for fighting AIDS
- To make appropriate instructions for all stakeholders in the fight
against AIDS in the youth
- To promote poverty reduction activities
- To develop appropriate mobilisation programmes for parents and
the youth to fight drug consumption
- To build and strengthen capacity for the youth reproductive health
education programme.

VI. CULTURE, SPORTS AND LEISURE

a. Problems:
 30

- The lack of sports and leisure tradition in youth

- The youth were used to undermining social values
- The lack of sufficient facilities for youth sports and leisure
- The existence of some values that can lead the youth to temptation
- The impact of globalisation on the Rwandan culture
- The lack of interest by the Rwandan society in sports and leisure
- The lack of interest in the Rwandan works of art
- The lack of sufficient education in the Rwandan society.

b. Strategies:

- To devise and implement sports and leisure programmes for all

categories of the youth
- To devise a programme for training, teachers of culture, sports and
leisure
- To devise a programme meant for inculcating in the youth positive
values of the Rwandan culture
- To harmonise sports and leisure programme in schools

VII. GENDER

a. Problems:

- Rwandans lack sufficient awareness concerning gender

- A particular threat of HIV/AIDS pandemics
- Some factors that hamper women promotion
- Lack of self confidence for those women in decision making organs
- Living beyond one’s means
- Poverty that make girls induldge in indecency
- Unaccepted behaviour by spouses

b. Strategies :

- To devise mobilization programmes for women to attend schools and

complete them
- To comply with and amend the existing laws that protect children against
violence
- To make mobilisation programmes for the women to be self-confident and
join decision making organs
 31

- To help women get self-development loans

- To mobilize women and youth organisations as paying particular attention
to the promotion of young girls.

VIII. COOPERATION

a. Problems:

- All that can add value to our culture is not known

- People are not mobilised as to knowing what is taking place else where
- The impact of bad policy on free movement of people
- Limited awareness and financial means as to regional and international
cooperation
- Complementarity and respect among the different members of Rwandan
families
- Children headed households

b. Strategies:

- To make a consistant programme that can help children headed families

keep the Rwandan culture
- To harmonize and support the programme for youth cooperation
nationally and internationally
- To promote action-based cooperation
- To inculcate in the youth the culture of learning from other’s experience
and make the latter their own objectives

General strategies:

- To make the programme for teaching sports and other elements meant for
involving the youth in leisure
- To make a programme meant for helping every individual, irrespective of
their means, acquire the knowledge to achieve economic self-
development, and the country’s economic development in general
- To keep mobilizing the youth as to as to the culture of patriotism
- To keep making laws that are favourable to the youth and amending those
laws that are unfavourable to the youth
- To keep setting up and supporting organs for educated and uneducated
youth
- To mobilize the youth as to participating in ensuring the National security
- To extend existing school facilities and creating the new ones
 32

- To review the teaching programmes and methods so as to address the

country’s problems
- To plan for actions and training that are meant for providing the youth
with civic education
- To help the youth make associations that are production oriented
- To mobilize the youth as to the prevention of diseases such as AIDS and
other pandemics
- To establish correctional centres and mobilize the youth as to cultural,
sports and leisure activities
- To plan for provincial and international study tours
- To mobilize the youth as to using modern and accessible technology
- To use the media and widespread youth activities
- To make a plan meant for launching the National service

Policy instruments

- Line ministries
- The National Youth Council (CNJR/RNYC)
- Legal instruments that address the problems
- Youth associations
- Religious institutions
- The National Unity and Reconciliation Commission
- The National Commission for Human Rights
- Youth organisations
- Different vocational centres
- The media
- The National Women Council
- The Civil Society

Strategies:

1.1. To devise youth mobilization policy

1.2. To update and harmonise IEC programmes meant for the youth as well as
their follow-up
1.3. To train youth trainers and leaders at all levels and avail the teaching
materials
1.4. To establish a database for youth activities in Rwanda.

4.2. Support to youth initiatives

 33

The MIJESPOC programme for supporting youth initiatives intends to promote

youth abilities by way of material, technical and financial support. The line
institutions, particularly MINICOM and MINALOC deal with that programme
by promoting cooperatives, monitoring non-profitable associations and
coordinating rural development projects.

General objectives:

To coordinate programmes that are meant for improving youth abilities and
access to economic facilities, especially for those youth who were not given a
formal education.

Specific objective:

Improving youth welfare through the promotion of youth initiatives and income
generating activities.

Strategies :

1.1. To develop, production programme that employs the technology enabling

the youth to shift from traditional methods of production to the modern
ones, hence the most productive ones.
1.2. To help the youth form production associations in order for them to gather
their efforts.
1.3. To work with other institutions/structures in developing youth initiatives
support projects.

4.3. Youth cooperation

Devising cooperation policies and programmes is a way of enlarging horizons

through exchange of views among the Rwandan youth and between the
Rwandan youth and those from other countries.
Regional cultural centers “Centres Itorero” that have been started within the
MIJESPOC are one if implementation for this cooperation programme. This
cooperation will be achieved through activities that will be carried out in those
centres “Itorero” and which will help to sharpen and develop talents and bring in
innovations

General objective:
 34

Freeing the Rwandan youth from isolation and integrate them in regional and
international arena and take the same youth as actors and beneficiaries of
initiatives by the youth and for the youth.

Specific objective:

Promoting cooperation and exchanging views among the Rwandan youth as well
as between the Rwandan youth and those from other countries.

Strategies:

1.1. To devise youth cooperation policies and programmes

1.2. To establish youth counselling structures
1.3. To promote events that make it possible for the youth to meet

5. Institutional framework for the implementation of the policy

The following have to be done so as to ensuring the importance of this policy

and making sure it serves as a framework for the development of youth and of
the Rwandan people.
6.1. Promoting the youth policy

It has to involve all stakeholders and the whole public in general. Efforts will
have to be made in order for the youth to become aware of it thanks to this
widespread.

6.2. Developing specific plans and projects

The National youth policy has to meet the needs and wishes of the youth in a
flexible and appropriate manner. In this regard, action plans and concret project
need to be devised and developed with the youth and for the youth. Such plans
and projects will also indicate specific objectives to be achieved in every sphere
with objectively verifiable indicators.

6.3. Setting up appropriate mechanisms for implementing and coordinating

the policy

The implementation of sectoral youth policy brings in a great coordination

between a big number of government and non-government stakeholders and
adequate collaboration tools.
 35

That is the reason why different sectors of the society’s life need to be involved
in its implementation.

As a result, ensuring coordination between different ministries and all

government institutions, between youth regional institutions, youth local non
government organisations, members of the private sector and civil society in
matters youth-related is paramount in order to combine coordination efforts
based on an effective partnership. The Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports is
the trustee for the implementation of the National youth policy.

6.4. Ensuring youth participation in the implementation of projects

It is extremely important to have the youth participate in the implementation of

specific projects and programmes that are intended for local, provincial and
national youth in order to provide them with maximum opportunities to become
actors of change in all aspects of life and at all levels of decision making
process.

7. Monitoring and Evaluation

The lack of a system for evaluation constitutes a big hindrance since it prevents
programmes from being rectified and devised, which would help to avoid
repeating the same mistakes.

The main challenge for monitoring and evaluation processes is not but the
determination of qualitative and quantitative criteria for checking on efficiency
of youth sectoral policy initiatives.

8. Partners of the youth sub-sector

Activities Partners
1. Promoting  MIJESPOC, MINEDUC,
civic MINICOM, MIJEPROF,
education in MINAGRI, MINISANTE,
youth, MIFOTRA, MINALOC,
cultural RNYC, NURC, NGOs, etc.
dynamism,
entrepreneurs  MIJESPOC, MINEDUC,
hip, work MINICOM, MINAGRI,
love and safe MINISANTE, MINALOC,
health. PPPMER, UBPR, CAPMER,
 36

GIRAMAHORO CENTER
2. Improving and other NGOs.
the youth
welfare  MIJESPOC,MINEDUC,
through the MINICOM,
promotion of MINAGRI,MINISANTE,
youth MINALOC, MINAFET,
initiatives and GIRAMAHORO
income CENTER and other NGOs.
generating
activities.

3. Promoting
cooperation
and exchange
of views
among the
Rwandan
youth as well
as between
the Rwandan
youth and
those from
other
countries.