By Yiep Joseph
The National Legislative Assembly (NTLA) has passed the long-awaited National Youth Development Policy, 2025.
The parliament made the progress after serious deliberation during its Thursday morning sitting.
The long struggle by youth organizations and civil society has finally been realized as lawmakers passed the policy.
During Thursday’s deliberations, Deng Tong, who presented on behalf of the standing specialized committee on Youth and Sports, outlined that the policy will guarantee youth empowerment, participation, and protection.
The policy will also task the Ministry of Finance and Planning, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, to immediately operationalize the Youth Enterprise Development Fund to finance youth entrepreneurship and innovation.
According to the committee, the policy will increase youth participation in politics as well as empowerment, as stated in the peace agreement.
The policy mandates that young people hold 20% of positions in national and state governments and pledges that 10% of the national budget will be allocated to youth projects. It defines youth as those aged between 15 and 35 years in a country where more than 70% of the population is under 30.
The legislation, first drafted in 2013, also overhauls the existing youth union, transforming it into a South Sudan National Youth Council to align with standards of the East African Community, to which the nation belongs.
The policy officially defines “youth” as citizens between the ages of 15 and 35. It also transforms the existing youth union into a more robust South Sudan National Youth Council, bringing it in line with standards set by the East African Community, to which South Sudan belongs.
After a series of discussions in the parliament, the policy was passed with all recommendations and observations.
The sitting, presided over by the deputy speaker in the National Assembly, Parmena Awerial Aluong, deliberated on all the available avenues to ensure that the policy framework for youth becomes a success.