The Youth Division within the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, MWYCFA, has consulted with the National Statistics Office yesterday to assist them in collecting data to measure the country’s youth development.
On Wednesday 17th August 2022, the Director of youth development division Mr. Andre Tipoki and Youth research officer Emily Darafoóa spoke with the Government statistician Mr. Douglas Kimi and his chief statistician Mrs. Anterlyn Tuzakana at the NSO conference room.
They discussed the authority and capability of the Statistics office to provide advice and review the draft youth indicators, to guide the Ministry of Women on the specific data collection approach to take considering sets of indicators that already have data sources and the ones that are still missing.
The Ministry of Women is currently working on an initiative to finalize a draft national youth indicator framework previously developed by MWYCFA to help quantify the status of youth expansion in Solomon Islands.
As articulated in the National Youth Policy 2017-2030, one of the key constraint identified is lack of relevant information on youth issues. Missing information undermined informed decision-making on important matters affecting youths such as youth unemployment rate.
While the ministry acknowledged line ministries, development partners, NGOs & churches for their interventions and investing in youth, it also recognises the need to take further actions to address these important information gaps and enhance timely access to relevant youth information.
Left to right; Government Statistician Douglas Kimi, Youth research Officer Emily Darafoóa, Director Youth Development Andre Tipoki and Chief Statistician Social Anterlyn Tuzakana after their meeting.
It was a successful and fruitful meeting for the youth development division and NSO.
Both offices established a common understanding and will continue to work in partnership to enhance greater accessibility to youth information in the country.
NSO brings forth the importance of supporting not only the MWYCFA but other sectors, however their challenge is taping-in resources to undertake their roles as greater demand for access to information arose across various sectors in Solomon Islands.
Mr. Kimi reiterated however, that, they are capable of working in partnership with Youth development division on this priority.