AYN Internship Program Day 5 & 6

Day 5 of the Internship Program was intended for the sightseeing and witnessing their Independence day celebration from France. The celebration was full of different kinds of activities like concerts, night market and fireworks. The celebration started in the ceremonial flower offering to their Independence monument. It was very nice to witness the said important celebration to Khmer History.

Whereas Day 6 was the time to meet representative from National Youth Policy Network (NYP-NET) The said network which includes KYA and YCC were very active in pushing for the creation of a comprehensive and effective youth policy. Mr. Yong Kim Eng, President of People Center for Development and Peace (PDP) who was also very active in pushing the National Youth Policy in Cambodia and has been part of the creation of the NYP-NET, KYA and YCC.

During our meeting with him, he presented and talk about his experience and the current situation of the NYP in Cambodia. During that meeting he was very open to further collaboration with AYN and future partnership to strengthen their initiatives in pushing for the NYP of Cambodia. According to him part of the weakness that he see in the said NYP is the fact that they need to create and make sure that there is a mechanism in place which will make sure its monitoring and implementation. He also emphasizes that the said monitoring and evaluation mechanism must not be connected to the Government to ensure its transparency and accountability. He specificallyt said that a creation of an independent youth council or consortium of all youth organization must be established. However the challenges remain on its sustainability because funding as well is very important.

The draft National Youth Policy paper of NYP-Net listed the key priority areas which the government must address namely:

1. Education

2. Employment

3. Poverty and Hunger

4. Health

5. Environment

6. Drug Abuse

7. Human Rights

8. Leisure Time

9. Gender

10 Full Participation in Decision Making

The Draft NYP has its 3 main parts
1. The Background
2. The Content
3. Mechanisms For Monitoring and Evaluation

The Cambodian Government is so sensitive when it comes to discussing the National Youth Policy, that is why they were all very careful in raising any concerns and issue which might offend them. That is why they are trying their very best to explain to them little by the little the needs of creating the NYP and a mechanism which will make sure that it will work and will monitor its implementation.

Mr. Rior Santos of YSDA (Philippines) raised his concern with regards to that processes because from their experience the NYP of the Philippines was almost perfect however what is lacking is a mechanism which will collectively ensure the interconnectedness of each projects and programs to avoid duplication as well as a mechanism which will evaluate its effectiveness. Mr. Santos also raised that National Youth Policy must not remained in the national level because you can only measure its effectiveness if such policies are implemented and felt in the local setting. Real problems and real solutions can be found in the local setting and such policy must support that kind of work.

He also challenged them to make sure that item number 10 of the youth policy which is Full participation in decision making be implemented. That can only be possible if the youth itself is actually involved in the decision making process. In the Philippines experienced, he said that Sangguaniang Kabataan or Local Youth Councils were created and the leaders there were actually elected by the people. Through this practice it will make sure that the youth is actually involved in the decision making process however it is not also an assurance because they need to make sure that the youth has the capacity to do such works and the people they are working understand the process.

These exchanges of ideas and experiences were actually very helpful to all of us, and because of that the group decided the need to continue the said exchanges to deepen their understanding and strengthen both capacity in addressing the youth concerns and policy. Mr. Kim suggested to have an exchange of experience in the Philippines where representative of KYA, YCC, NYP-NET and other Government Officials from Cambodia be invited to visit the Philippines and undergo certain good governance training. The said suggestion was welcomed by Mr. Santos from YSDA and gave some specific Local Government Initiatives that exhibits good governance practice like in Naga, Marikina and others. The LGU can also talk to the Cambodian Government Officials to help them understand the need to actively involved the youth in the decision making process. Mr. Santos also said that they can help in organizing an activity and link them to various NGOs, POs and Government initiatives that they can visit, which will help them understand best practices based on Philippine experience on several areas that they targeted in the National Youth Policy like education, health and others.

The only challenge for this activity is actually funding and that is why as early as now the group will be discussing several ways where they can tap possible partners and funding to make it work.

End of the Report....

Rior Santos (Mr)
Asian Youth Network Coordinator for 2008
Networking and Advocacy Coordinator
Youth for Sustainable Development Assembly Philippines