Investments by the Pacific Youth Council (PYC) in civil society leadership is one way that it can sustain the voices of youth in the Pacific development discourse, a roundtable meeting in Suva has been advised.

The comments were made by the Pacific Islands Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (PIANGO) Executive Director, Emele Duituturaga during a panel discussion on PYC’s role in the Pacific development discourse at a PYC Partners Roundtable meeting this week.

Ms Duituturaga told PYC executives from Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia that PIANGO had begun developing a next generation leadership program in 2016 with the intention of ensuring sustainability of civil society efforts in the Pacific.

“PIANGO’s new strategic direction is Reshaping the Pacific We Want for Future Generations because we want to invest in the future and that means nurturing a leadership pipeline.

“Is PYC the pool from which we, as current baton holders, can pull from in this regard? Where are the young leaders that PYC has generated through its affiliates now? Are they in civil society?,”she asked.

Ms Duituturaga said civil society organisations themselves, like PIANGO, must undertake internal reflections to ascertain whether its structures were enabling and conducive to the effective participation of youth.

“This is important because civil society must continue to be the bedrock of democracy and social justice in the Pacific.

“Sustaining this is first and foremost a leadership issue – this is why PIANGO journeys with PYC and will increase its focus on next generation leaders,” she said. (ENDS)

ENDS

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