A consultation workshop to review the Solomon Islands National Youth Policy and its Draft Plan of Action was held earlier this week at the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP)for Honiara youths.

The workshop was held over two days and is facilitated by national consultants, Ms. Hazel Lulei and Ms. Nairi Alamu. Other similar workshops have been done in other Provinces except for the Western Province.

Ms. Nairi Alamu stated that workshop was made possible by the Ministry for Women, Youth and Children Affairs.

She stated that the policy had already been endorsed by cabinet in 2000 but is yet to be revised to fit the present issues of youths in the Solomon Islands.

She revealed that many changes had been made to the document since its endorsement and there needs to be more done particularly in the Health and Education sectors to fit the current situation faced by youths.

She also stated that since the endorsement of the National Youth Policy, there had never been an Action Plan to coincide with the Policy, "but now, we have compiled a Draft Plan of Action to go with the Policy."

She said that MWYCA wants youths to look through the policy and decide what they want best. The reason for the workshop was so youths could have a look at the policy, share their thoughts and identify what needs to be addressed and what is irrelevant.

According to Ms. Alamu after the current workshop, a final draft of the Youth Policy will be given to the Cabinet to endorse before tabling it in Parliament.