The workshop/seminar on the "Integration of Population Education into Programmes for Rural Youth in Zimbabwe" is part of the second phase of activity of FAO project INT/86/P08 "Integration of Population Education into Programmes for Rural Youth in Low-Income Countries". This project is operated by the Agricultural Education and Extension Service (ESHE) of FAO using funds made available by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) through the office of the FAO Population Programme Coordinator.
Over the past several years, many countries have begun to introduce population education into elementary and secondary school programmes. Unfortunately, in many developing countries, the majority of rural youth may have dropped out of the educational system, or never have attended school at all. Therefore, there is a need to develop a methodology for reaching out-of-school rural youth with a population education message.
The project was approved by UNFPA in December 1986 and became operational in early 1987. The long-range objective of the project, as specified in the project document is:
To reach rural youth with population education information which will draw attention to the effects of rapid population growth and the need for responsible parenthood.
The immediate objectives of the project are:
During the first phase of project activity, existing population education materials were collected and reviewed and contact was established with the major organizations active in the field, including Unesco, WHO, ILO, Population Communication Services and Population Information Programme of the Johns Hopkins University, the Population Reference Bureau, and the International Planned Parenthood Federation. An annotated bibliography of the collected materials was prepared and a report of the first phase of the project was written.
Based on an analysis of the collected materials and discussion with appropriate persons in the organizations cited above, FAO made a preliminary selection of core contents for use in population education programmes for out-of-school youth. The appropriateness of these topics and the way in which they might be most effectively introduced into ongoing programmes for out-of-school rural youth has been discussed in seminar/workshops scheduled to be held in three pilot countries (Swaziland, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe).
After the conclusion of the seminar/workshops, a prototype leader's manual will be prepared, incorporating the approved topics as fully-developed core content modules, In each case, suggestions will be provided for integrating the population education concepts into ongoing activities for rural youth. The leader's guide will also suggest audio-visual aids which may be helpful in presenting the core content modules, and provide detailed instructions for the production of these materials.
The prototype population education materials will then be field tested in the pilot countries and revised as necessary before being introduced on a national level. After the population education programme has been established on a national level in the, pilot countries, a regional workshop will be held to facilitate the adoption of the programme by other countries in the region.
The process will be repeated in the other regions of the developing world over the lifetime of the project, now scheduled to continue through 1991.
The overall purpose of the workshop/seminar was to discuss the appropriate focus and presentation of population education materials for use by youth groups at the village level in Zimbabwe. As such, the primary objective of the workshop/seminar was to listen to and learn from local youth groups, their leaders, members of government and non-governmental organizations involved with rural youth.
More specifically, the workshop's objectives were:
The workshop, held at the Kadoma Ranch Motel in Kadoma, Zimbabwe, from 9-12 February, 1988, brought together youth group leaders, government officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations and national experts on topics related to youth and population. The workshop was chaired by Mr. J. S. Mtukwa, Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Youth, Sport and' Culture. (The list of participants is attached as Annex 1.)
The workshop was introduced by Mr. Mtukwa, Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture. Mr. Mtukwa welcomed the participants, briefly outlined the organizational work which preceded the workshop and introudced Mr. P. Ngondo, Senior Youth Officer of the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture.
Mr. Ngondo stressed the commitment of the Ministry to improving the overall social, health, cultural and economic conditions of youth in Zimbabwe. He noted that over-population was already a serious problem in the rural areas, and that in some areas, more than 40% of women and men between the ages of 16 and 30 are landless.
Mr. Ngondo said that rural youth could play a vital role in reducing the population growth rate and that a population education programme was basic to this aim and therefore a priority of the Ministry. Mr. Ngondo also called for inter-ministerial cooperation in tackling the population problem. (The text of Mr. Ngondo's remarks are attached as Annex 2.)
The participants were also addressed by Mrs. J. R. Tsodzai, Chief of Youth Advisory Services of the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council. Mrs. Tsodzai described the efforts of the Family Planning Council. She said they cater for both in- and out-of-school youth and parents. She stressed the need to link population education and family planning and to orient youth to the availability and accessibility of family planning information and supplies. She also noted that in the near future, seven regional youth centres would be constructed, with the goal of disseminating a family planning message.
The workshop was officially opened by the Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, The Honourable, D. J. Kwidini. Mr. Kwidini said, "Population is an asset for any country; but when the size and growth rate of the population exceed the ability of the nation to attain and sustain the desired levels of the quality of life of its people, then population instead of being a source of strength, becomes a source of weakness ."
The Minister detailed the population growth rate in Zimbabwe and conpared it to the rate of economic growth and the rate of depletion of natural resources. He stated that the time has come to do something to control the population growth rate and stressed population education as an important of all organized youth programmes. The Minister also noted the need for a formal population policy.
In concluding, the Minister thanked FAO for organizing the workshop and stressed its importance. (The text of the address by Minister Kwidini is included as Annex 3.)
During the official opening (held on the morning of the second day of the workshop) the participants were also addressed by Mr. J. Winderickx, FAO Representative ad interim in Zimbabwe. Mr. Winderickx commented on FAO's commitment to the development of appropriate population education programmes as part of overall rural development efforts, and urged the participants to give their full energies to the task before them.
Project background was provided by Dr. W. I. Lindley, FAO Agricultural Training and Extension Officer. Dr. Lindley related the current project to activities initiated in Rome in 1985 as part of'] International Youth Year. He specifically referred to the 1985 Expert Consultation on Rural Youth and Young Farmers in Developing Countries which asked participants to consider four basic questions:
Following the Expert Consultation in Rome, a national Rural Youth Workshop was held in Zimbabwe in December 1985. This workshop, jointly sponsored by FAO and UNICEF, examined the problems, priorities and prospects of rural youth. Since that time, FAO has been working with the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture to develop project support for agricultural training in several rural training centres In addition, the efect of rapid population growth on the environment educational and employment opportunities, and a number of other issues have been discussed over the past two years.
Dr. Lindley recognized the workshop coordinating committee and thanked them for their strong support and hard work. Participants were urged to participate actively in the workshop in order to ensure, that FAO had adequate input to prepare relevant prototype materials in the next phase of project activity.
