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Panna Madziga [ Profil ] |
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Week 2 Questions Summary.
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Jun 30th, 2008 - 07:26:48 |
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Dear All,
Thanks alot for all your responses that came in this week through the discussion forum. I apologise for the delay in summary.
This week\\\'s Summary, highlights the points participants responded to, in regards to
1- Making Cities Economically Productive and Equitable.
a) In your town or city, what sectors of the economy (both formal and informal) are young women and men engaged in? What kinds of work are they doing?
There were responses from Kenya and Ghana which accoring to Anthony Kamau from Nairobi Kenya said that most of the young people in Kenya are engaged in the informal sector commonly known as the Jua Kali Sector, which is characterized by hard work condition. Accoring to Kamau, for young men and women, personal principles, intergrity and purity have been traded for cheap favors like job allocation, petty cash for some indecent lifestyles.He also indicated that the youth have been victims of exploitation by the affluent who seek for lavish lifetyles, hence formation of illegal militia groups, incresed robbery crimes.
Micheal Baompong from Ghana indicated that most young people are engaged in the informal sector, some serve as head porter which is popularly known as Kayayei in the big cities and suburban communities. He also explained that most of the young people who want to enter the formal sector do not have the means to get them through and sometimes parents cannot afford because of the high cost of training requirement. He also also expalined that the argument is supported by the fact that in the age of globalization, every opportunity that will lead an individual to the form sector is full of the \\\"who you know\\\" phenomena and also competition.
b)What do you see as the consequesnces of the urban economic inequality for youth? Are the consequences different for young compared to young men.
Young girls being lured into irresponsible relationships simply because they have no other economic alternatives, increased social crimes like robbery, prostitution, increased poverty margins within the youths abating the potential growth and development for future generations, an unstable economic dynamic. and also the inequality in urban economies youth who suffer, suffer to the horror to urban economies. Victims who are young and have suffered inequality will engage in social vices such as armed robbery.
c) What three strategies or initiatives would you recommend to your municipal government to increase the conomic option for young women and men in your town or city?
Governments should have a clear National Youth Policy with programmes and projects for youth development and also cater for rising unemployment situation of graduate students and other vocational/technicallt trained young people.
Policy Review to enhance availability of policies that address the emerging issues and problems of young women and men. Allocation of an institutional body for youth to act as youth representatives in the political arena and also enhace equitable distribution of resources within the youths. Policy formulation processes should adhere to the needs of youth hence it is advisable to include informed young women and men into the policy forming team.
d) What should be the role of young women and men in the above mentioned strategies or initaitives?
To raise issues and problems affecting other young women and men during decision making process. This will lead to equal allocations of resources at the local and national level process, to enhance sustainablity of projects at the local and national level among young women and men, to act as role models to other young men and women to seek for leadership opportunities as it is their democratic right as well as promote the image of youths withing the society, to enhance young men and women socio-economically.
Youbng people should take up the challenge of being entrepreneurs.
Questions:
What are the major urban environmental issues in your town or city? Do you see a differential impact of these issues on women and men?
Kamau from Kenya gave an example of Air Pollution in Kenya. Air Pollution from industrial emission of gases into the air without prior treatment hazardous gases, from noise emanated from the factories and motor industry, increaing lead emission into the air due to the use of leades petroleum for fuelling vehicles.
Water Pollution through liquid and sloid wastes disposal into water systems like rivers. Land degredation resulting from irrational garbage disposal onundesignated land for waste disposal.
Loss of environmental aesthetic value emerging from poor waste disposal, emerging unplanned settlements most of which are shoady housing structures.
Natural resourse depletion due to over exploitation of natural resources which have been harvested rates beyond their capacity to replenish, to cater for the ever increasing number.
Men and Women suffer alike as they are both involved in activities like agricluture. CVlimate change has impacted on the weather in Ghana and in some cases people have lost theri farm products to floods, according to Micheal from Ghana.
b) Are young women and men in your town or city engaged in urban environmental issues? Please elaborate how. If not, why do you think they are not engaged.
According to Micheal from Ghana, most young people in Ghana are not foing creditabilty was well as compared to what other people in other countries are doing. Most young people are of the perception that you dont need to take practical issues. Those who are into youth work and advocacy work are not understking the real practical activities that will address some of the challenged that confront socities and cities.
Accoring to Kamau from kenya, young people have shown remarkable response to the environment well being, in regrad to theri level of environmental knowledge, they have prtrayed this through overwhelming numbers trun-up during field claen-ups organized from time to time. Many Young Orientated organizations and institutions have been established to enhance environment whereelse acting as environmental change agents.
c) As a young woman or young man, what do you think are the three major urban environmental issues that could enable harmonuous urbanization?
Education on Climate chnage, proper urban planning the incorporate tha fact that human populations are going to increase and the need to have proposal wast disposal startegies, increased opportunities for young people.
Formulation of adequate policies that balance the neds of mankind and the ability of the environment to replenish adequately. Adequate planning of urbanization to enhance harmoniuos existence of people as well as promoting increased alternative economic opprotunities for the young.
d) What do you see as the role of young women and men in bringing this about environmental change?
Young people pose lots of creative ideas, energy and can adapt well to change. The views of young people should be priortied during policy formulation, decision-making and they should also be involved in the implementation of this environmental guidelines.
Thanks alot for your contribution to this week\\\'s questions.
Best Regards.
Panna.
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