Story by Margaret Matibiri
Victoria Falls – THE Southern Africa Youth Parliament representative for persons with disabilities, Honourable Angela Nokubatha Dube, has called on SADC parliaments to enact youth-centred legislation and accelerate the development of the SADC Protocol on Youth, as she addressed the 57th Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum.
Speaking on behalf of young people across the region, Honourable Dube praised the SADC PF for its inclusive approach to youth engagement in parliamentary processes, describing it as a “profound honour” to represent youth voices at such a high level.
“As young people of the region, we are sincerely grateful to the SADC PF for opening its doors to allow our voices to be heard, our perspectives to be valued, and our contributions to meaningfully shape the future of our region,” she said.
Honourable Dube highlighted the critical support of the SADC PF Secretary General, Her Excellency Boemo Sekgoma, who also serves as the Patron of the Youth Parliament, for mentoring and opening institutional space for young people.
Through collaborative efforts with the Forum, youth parliamentarians have participated in public hearings, standing committees, and plenary sessions, contributing to legislative reviews and policy dialogue. A Youth Academy is also being developed to build capacity for emerging leaders in the region.
“Our collaboration has not been one-sided,” Honourable Dube noted.
“The SADC PF is engaging young digital experts to train women parliamentarians on leveraging digital tools and social media to increase women’s participation in politics.”
She also called for continued momentum in addressing the urgent challenges faced by the youth, including high unemployment, limited access to quality education, health disparities, and underrepresentation in governance.
She concluded by calling for inclusive platforms to amplify youth voices in governance and peacebuilding, and for targeted programmes that support both the physical and mental well-being of young people.
The address comes as part of the Forum’s broader commitment to mainstreaming youth, gender, and marginalised groups in regional democratic processes.
