National Youth Policy of Malawi

This National Youth Policy is a result of broad consultations with all those concerned with youth development and the youth themselves. Although this policy defines ‘YOUTH’ as those falling between fourteen and twenty five years of age, the definition is quite flexible bearing in mind the variety of parameters that could be used in categorising the youth. The youth represent a vast human resource potential, which, if properly prepared and tapped can contribute to positively to national development. If neglected however, the youth can spell disaster for the nation.

However, a number of issues impinge on the youth’s contribution to national development. High illiteracy rates, unemployment, underemployment, lack of scientific awareness, a high population growth rate and the HIV/AIDS epidemic, are some of such issues affecting the youth that this policy proposes to address.

The policy therefore aims to empower the youth to face the social, cultural, economic and political challenges facing the nation. The document gives a broad guidelines from which action programmes and services can be developed to facilitate meaningful involvement of the youth in the overall national development efforts. These programmes will also respond to their needs and problems.

It is the hope of the Ministry that this document will provide guidelines to all Government Ministries, religious Organisations, Non-governemntal Organisations (NGOs), the Private Sector, the Donor Community, the International Youth Organisations and indeed the General Public in our endeavour to build a better Malawi.