ChildFund Laos, NCAWMC join forces to strengthen role played by young people

The National Commission for the Advancement of Women, Mothers and Children (NCAWMC) and ChildFund Laos are continuing to help adolescents to build resilience and forge a productive path in life.
This is being done by enhancing young people’s capacity to plan, access information, voice their ideas, make decisions, and take actions that positively affect their psychological and socio-psycho wellbeing.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the second phase of a project titled “Child and Youth Participation for Resilience in Laos” (the Ready for Life Project) was signed on Friday between the Director General of the NCAWMC Secretariat, Ms Chansoda Phonethip, and Country Director of ChildFund Laos, Ms Keoamphone Souvannaphoum.
The project, which targets young people aged 10-19, is financed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade under the Australian AID programme, according to ChildFund Laos.
The NCAWMC and ChildFund Laos will begin project activities in 30 target secondary schools in Xieng Khuang and Huaphan provinces, and in Vientiane. 
The signing event was also an opportunity for NCAWMC to launch its National Guidelines on Child and Youth Participation, an approach to improve child and youth participation in reporting on the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the two Optional Protocols report, and the National Children’s Forum. 
The event was also a good opportunity for adolescents to speak out about their experiences of participating in Phase I of the project, how they improved their knowledge of children’s rights, and their participation at local, national and Asean levels.
Children and youth representatives in the three target areas will showcase the achievements of four of the small grant initiatives led by adolescents, namely “The Youth-led Anti-drug Use Campaign”, “Youth Peer-education on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights,”, “Youth Volunteers for the Environment and Children’s Forum”, and “The Youth-led Campaign for the Elimination of Violence Against Children in Schools”.  
Speaking at the MOU signing, Ms Keoamphone said “ChildFund is pleased to promote adolescents’ capacities and leadership in taking action through different youth-led projects during the first project phase.  We look forward to working with adolescents to create more spaces for youth to voice their opinions and influence actions that impact their well-being in all respects.” 
The project is led by a framework constructed around the three themes of realising individual rights, decision making and critical thinking, and looking forward. The project continues until June 2021. 
The initiative is based on the premise that the rapid pace of change in Laos is dependent on Lao youth being able to make a successful transition into adulthood and assume their roles within society to guide the country forward on a path of sustainable, positive, development.
Given the population statistics, the project leaders believe that now is the right time to focus on young people’s health, education, skills, and protection from abuse, including online bullying and exploitation, and to provide a space for them to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
The NCAWMC and ChildFund Laos will partner with the Vientiane Youth Centre, Lao Youth Union, Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, and other relevant offices at the village, district and provincial levels.

By Viengdavanh Banphahaksa
(Latest Update June 4, 2019)