I am currently a student at Loreto Convent Msongari and also an Institute of The Blessed Virgin Mary (IBVM) NGO Youth Advocate. I found myself at the UN Civil Society Conference when I, together with my friend Keendi and teacher, Ms. Phylice Nyabate were called upon by our Principal to represent the IBVM NGO at the conference. I was really excited to be given such a great opportunity that I could hardly sleep that night.
When I got to the United Nations Gigiri headquarters, I was a bit terrified because I did not expect to find that many people at the conference. However, after sharing views and seeing how people freely fought for their rights, I finally adjusted, and all the fear went away. This really motivated my peers and me to stand up and speak for our rights, especially after seeing people boldly advocating for the rights of the youth and future generations. That assured me that my future and the futures of other youth like me were safe. I also learned about the different problems people face all over the world, which even made me shed a tear, especially the situation in Congo with all the ongoing genocide.
I was honored to attend a meeting with the UN Women Deputy Executive Director Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, where we discussed some matters concerning the problems women and young girls face all over the world. I was able to give a short speech on gender-based violence where I pointed out some of its causes like cultural beliefs which make most women suffer in silence.
I also joined some coalition groups. One was Children’s Rights and Participation where we had a discussion about children being able to stand up for their rights and not be undermined. Another was the Drug Policy for the Future, where we discussed how to stop drug abuse. We realized the best way to achieve this was through funding education on the effects of drug abuse. This is because it is cheaper to spread awareness than to cure the ones already affected by drug abuse.
My takeaway from the conference was that “youth energy, creativity, and idealism hold the potential to cultivate a brighter future.” However, they face a landscape of obstacles that threaten their growth, especially regarding access to opportunities.
Sadly the conference had to come to an end. The President of Kenya, His Excellency William Samoei Ruto was able to attend the closing ceremony where he graced us with a wonderful speech. Afterwards, I had to rush to the airport to avoid missing my flight back home, as I needed to prepare for school, which was about to reopen.
I am thrilled to proudly say that my experience at the UN Civil Society Conference was a really nice one and without a doubt, I would love to attend another one if given a chance.
Read Latifa’s Position Paper on Quality Education HERE.
Author: Latifa Okoyo
