GAROWE, Puntland (August 7, 2012) – Somali Family Services (SFS), in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), hosted members of the Garowe youth community at the Puntland Library and Resource Center last Tuesday to elect a representative to the Somalia United Nations Country Team (UNCT) Youth Advisory Panel (YAP).  Eighteen young men and women attended the event, representing youth organizations from around Garowe. Five candidates, four men and one woman, delivered compelling speeches to contend for the vote of their peers and participants voted by secret ballot in a fair and transparent election process. After a tie in the initial election, Abdirahman Jama emerged as the elected YAP representative in a close run-off race against Faduma Abdule who will serve as an alternate. The event started off with introductions from SFS Executive Director Abdurashid Ali, SFS Program Manager Mohamed Hamud and Dr. Ibrahim Obsiye Elmi, UNFPA-Somalia National Program Officer. The Youth Advisory Panel, they explained, will promote meaningful dialogue between Somali youth and the UNCT, serving as a platform to involve the youth in advising the UN to design youth-friendly strategies, policies and programs.

Group presents on entrepreneurship challenges and opportunities for youth.

The participants broke into small groups to discuss the political, social and economic issues affecting youth, especially focusing on human rights, civic education, political inclusion, economic opportunities and entrepreneurship. They also reviewed the Somalia Youth Charter and discussed its compatibility to the needs of youth communities. This forum in Garowe is part of an ongoing SFS effort to identify qualified youth to represent Puntland in the UNCT, and similar forums have been held in Bosaso and Galkayo. Of the five youth elected to join the YAP from Puntland, two will come from an IDP and minority group, with the other three elected to represent their respective hometowns of Bosaso, Galkayo and Garowe.  The five representatives meet in Garowe this Saturday for their first YAP meeting and orientation. SFS acknowledges the role of the youth as future leaders of Puntland and Somalia, and aims to incorporate youth communities into all SFS projects.

Somali Family Services is a non-governmental organization dedicated to fostering a peaceful and democratic Somalia through the support of civil society, women, youth and other marginalized groups.

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For more information, please contact Kathleen.Schmermund at Kathleen.Schmermund@ussfs.org or visit www.ussfs.org.