The Garissa County Government has launched a new youth policy aimed at strengthening the participation of young people in governance, development planning and decision-making across the county.
The Garissa County Youth Policy was unveiled during a ceremony presided over by Deputy Governor Abdi Dagane, who also inaugurated the Interim Garissa County Youth Council.
The two initiatives are expected to provide young people with structured opportunities to influence decisions affecting their lives and communities while ensuring youth priorities are incorporated into county policies, programmes and development plans.
Mr. Dagane during the launch described young people as the cornerstone of Garissa’s development, saying their creativity, energy and resilience must be harnessed to accelerate social and economic transformation.
He said the policy provides a roadmap for ensuring that young people have a meaningful role in shaping the county’s future.
“Meaningful youth participation must go beyond inviting young people to public forums,” Dagane said, emphasising the need for youth to be involved in identifying priorities, proposing solutions and monitoring government programmes.
The Deputy Governor said the policy and Interim Youth Council were developed through consultations involving the county government, national government agencies, youth organisations, development partners and other stakeholders.
The Interim County Youth Council will bring together youth representatives from the county’s sub-counties, youth-serving sectors and other stakeholder groups. It will provide a platform for young people to engage the county government on matters affecting their welfare and development.
The council is expected to strengthen coordination among youth organisations and promote inclusive representation in public policy discussions.
Its agenda will include issues such as employment, entrepreneurship, education, skills development, governance, social inclusion and access to economic opportunities.
The county government said the framework would also promote the participation of young women, persons with disabilities and youth from marginalised communities in development processes.
The launch was attended by senior county officials, including County Executive Committee Member for Culture, Gender and Social Protection Hawa Abdi Sahal and County Executive Committee Member for Education Ebla Minhaj, alongside chief officers, youth leaders, development partners and other government representatives.
County officials said youth development would be treated as a cross-cutting priority covering sectors such as education, health, culture, sports, social protection, trade, agriculture, peacebuilding and economic development.
The policy comes amid challenges facing many young people in the county, including unemployment, limited access to skills and capital, and inadequate representation in decision-making structures.
The county government said successful implementation of the policy would require sustained funding, strong partnerships and continuous engagement with young people at ward, sub-county and county levels.
The launch marks a shift towards a more inclusive governance approach in which young people are recognised not only as beneficiaries of government programmes but also as partners in development.
The administration said it would work with youth representatives and other stakeholders to translate the policy into practical programmes and measurable opportunities for young people across Garissa County.
