Story by Peter Chivhima
ZIMBABWE Broadcasting Corporation’s producer/presenter Ian Vambe, Popularly known as ‘The Advocate’, who is a disability advocate, is set to represent Zimbabwean youths at the Southern African Youth Forum in South Africa.
The forum serves as a platform for young people from across the SADC region to mingle, discuss issues affecting youths, and share successful strategies from their respective countries.
Each SADC member state is represented by two participants, with Vambe(29) attending alongside Fundile Nkala.
Drawing on his background in disability advocacy, Vambe is keen to champion the cause of inclusive representation for young people, particularly those with disabilities who are often marginalised.
“My role is to ensure that the youths from Zimbabwe are all well represented at the forum,” he said.
“It is to ensure that the youths are doing what it takes to be actively involved in issues of satellite integration, specifically focusing on youths with disabilities, they have been marginalised for a very long time, being left behind in terms of these kind of developments.
“My focus is to ensure that when other young people are benefiting, when other young people are contributing, youths with disabilities are not be left behind. They should have their voices heard. They should face their concerns. They should raise areas that should actually be focused on.
“For example, looking at issues around political participation, youths with disabilities should be actively involved as voters, whether as candidates who want to be voted into power, when looking at issues around them, a quota system, and comparatively you also look at what other countries within the region are doing.”
Running under the theme ‘Empowering Youth for Sustainable Development
and Inclusive Governance in the SADC Region’, the forum is running from March 25 to March 27 in Johannesburg.
