Empower Youth, Secure the Future
The 21st February Youth Movement was first celebrated in 1986.
The day served a dual purpose – marking the birthday of then Prime Minister and later President Robert Mugabe, and reflecting his avowed aim of empowering youths who, he believed, played a vital role in shaping the nation’s future. It was only in 2017 that the day was formally recognised as a public holiday.
Empower Youth, Secure the Future
This year’s theme, “Empower Youth, Secure the Future”, underscores the idea that investing in young people today is crucial for Zimbabwe’s prosperity in the future. Currently, many Zimbabwean youths face serious challenges including unemployment, limited access to education and health care and lack of opportunities for meaningful civic and political engagement.
The Zimbabwean Constitution
Section 20 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe requires all institutions and agencies of government to take reasonable measures to ensure that youths (defined as people between the ages of 15 and 3):
· have access to appropriate education and training
· have opportunities to associate and be represented and participate in political, social, economic and other spheres of life
· have opportunities for employment and other avenues to economic empowerment
· have opportunities for recreational activities and access to recreational facilities
· are protected from harmful cultural practices, exploitation and all forms of abuse.
The Constitution provides a strong legal framework for the protection and empowerment of young people. However, the State has fallen short in carrying out its constitutional responsibilities. More than half the population of Zimbabwe – 67.7 per cent – is under 35 years old. Yet of those youths, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund, 35 per cent were unemployed or not economically active in 2023. In 2024 Zimstat revealed that 1,4 million youths between the ages of 15 and 24 years were not employed or in education or training. This amounts to about 48 per cent of the youths in this age range. In 2025, with recent job cuts across multiple sectors, the figures are likely to be much higher.
To empower youths and to secure our future, there needs to be more educational opportunities for them, protection from drug cartels, protection from being manipulated by political parties, active job creation and increased opportunities for their economic and civic participation.
Conclusion
On this National Youth Day, we urge young Zimbabweans to continue to be agents of change, to use their voices to advocate for a better future and to participate actively in building the Zimbabwe they envision. We also call upon the Ministry of Youth Empowerment , Development and Vocational Training to strive more urgently towards achieving the national objectives set out in section 20 of the Constitution.
