By Draxon Maloya
Civil rights organisation, Youth and Society had advised emerging civil society leaders to be internationally activated with the right tools and networks if they are to develop into a new generation of human rights defenders.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of a weeklong training workshop, YAS’s Executive Director, Charles Kajoloweka said human rights defenders needs to be authentic, aligned with values consistent with clear representation of their mission.
Kajoloweka emphasized on the need for the emerging civil society leaders to build their Calibre along the line of professionalism which is the basis for one to provide checks and balances to the benefit of the society.
“The importance of your image representation, work and credibility should be internationally activated with the right tools and networks aligned with your organisation mission,” Kajoloweka said.
In an interview one of the participants, Cannon Chenjezi said the training workshop has been an eye opener having centred on issues to do with governance, communication and resource mobilization which are the basis for sustainability.
“These sessions covered on issues of governance, communication and resource mobilization, as upcoming activists we are going to engage our fellow youths on how to take Authorities accountable to their promises because we still stand by the Youth Manifesto,” Chenjezi said.
In addition Chenjezi stressed that the youth will not relent on their demand to have a minister responsible for the Youth Ministry being a man or woman below the age of 35 years.
Commenting on the program, Youth and Society Project Officer, Mwandida Theu said the theme of the training is to nurture the emerging leaders who are going to fill in the gaps of civil society leaders in the country.
“We advised them to be internationally activated with the right tools and networks if they are to be nurtured and developed into a new generation of Human Rights Defenders,” Theu said.
This is the third round of trainings and the emerging Civil Society Leaders had only three modules to wind-up the four trainings before graduating into human rights defenders after internship trainings which will run for three months starting from the month of September.
The training workshop was conducted with funding from National Endowment Democracy to a tune of 40 000 United States Dollars.