NGOs

The Organisation of African Youth (OAYouth) is the youth platform for information exchange, forum for debate on African issues and a network of future political, corporate, academic, literary, religious and traditional leaders in all African contexts.

The African Youth Day was declared and adopted by the African Union (AU) in 2006 to be commemorated on 1 November each year. It has since evolved as the most powerful platform of young people of Africa.

OAYouth, in collaboration with Phelps Stokes and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), is hosting the ‘African Youth Day Conference 2011 (AYDAC'11)’ on 1 November 2011 in Johannesburg.

The youth of Africa will convene at AYDAC’11 to celebrate the African Youth Day. The conference will pave way for youth to examine workable methods to improve youth unity as well as strengthen youth economic empowerment through leadership development, entrepreneurship support and agricultural transformation.

Conference Objectives:

• Echo the voice of ordinary young people of Africa;
• Share information and best practices in promoting opportunities for youth encouraging youth to start new entrepreneurship initiatives;
• Establish suitable structures for meeting the unique needs for youth business start-ups in developing economies in Africa;
• Build lasting relationships between youth and business institutions;
• Infuse a gender perspective and rights-based approach to policies and programs for youth;
• Cultivate in the youth the spirit of accountability, transparency and integrity (ATI).

Only young people of between 15 and 35 who are of nationality of any African State will qualify to apply.

Cost: R2 430 per delegate.

For sponsorships, exhibitions and applications, write to: info@oayouth.org.

Enquiries: Tel: +27 73 445 4355.

For more about The Organisation of African Youth, refer to www.oayouth.org.

Government has set up a task team with the private sector and civil society to provide immediate relief to people who have been affected by floods.

Social Development Minister, Bathabile Dlamini, said the primary function of the task team is to coordinate humanitarian assistance and to provide an opportunity for social partners to, through their projects, respond to the immediate emergency priority needs while at the same time laying the foundation for early and eventual long term recovery of the affected communities.

Speaking to the media after meeting with business and NGOs in Pretoria, Dlamini, also said the task team will also look at setting up a special fund through which aid can be channelled to those in need.

To read the article titled, “SA Govt, business partner to provide relief to flood victims,” click here.

Members of civil society and security organisations want the Ugandan Parliament to two sections of the controversial HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Bill, which seeks to criminalise a person who attempts or intentionally pass on HIV to another person.

The Northern Regional Prisons Commander, Alfred Okullu, warns that it will not be easy to prove that one has intentionally transmitted HIV/AIDS to another person.

"More resources should be invested in behavioural change in the fight against HIV/AIDS," explains Okullu.

To read the article titled, “Gulu NGOs oppose HIV bill,” click here.

 Child welfare experts say a Tshwane day- mother who has been accused of assault after an eight-month-old baby was allegedly abused at her house acted ‘irresponsibly’ and was ‘neglectful’.

Lidia Venter, from the Pretoria Day-Mothers Association which the accused day-mother belongs to, says it is the duty of a day-mother to ensure the person they leave children with is responsible.

“You cannot leave the children with a stranger. It has to be someone responsible, someone you know very well,” says Lidia.

To read the article titled, “Day mother blamed over alleged child abuse,” click here.