Department of Youth Innovation and Awareness

 Department profile

Somali youth make up over 75% of the population in the country yet they face political and socioeconomic challenges to unleash their potentials. These challenges undermine the effectiveness of Somali youth to positively contribute to the peace building and nation building processes in the country.

Department of Youth Innovation and Awareness is a ministerial department under the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Federal Government of Somalia.

Department of Youth Innovation and Awareness is established under the purpose of tackling political and socioeconomic challenges faced by Somali youth. The department is designed to support the transformative ideas of Somali youth to actively participate in political and socioeconomic development of the country.

Mandate

The overall scope of work of the department is:

1. To unleash the potential capacities of Somali youth with specific emphasis on supporting their innovative ideas and giving them the guidance to play an important and positive role in the maintenance and promotion of national and international peace and security.
2. Assessing the challenges facing Somali youth to transform their innovative ideas into successful solutions and barriers confronting them to actively participate in the peace building processes in the country.
3. Setting strategic plans for Somali youth to provide opportunities for their increased participation in governance and peace building processes.

Mission

Department of Innovation and Awareness endeavors to empower Somali youth through innovation and awareness for positive social change.

Vision

Department of Innovation and Awareness envisions an innovative environment and inclusive society where youth have access to peace building and different socioeconomic opportunities in the country.

Main objective

To maximize the full potential of the Somali youth through giving support to their innovative ideas and raising their awareness in the context of Youth Peace and Security (YPS).

Focus areas

• Youth empowerment
• Innovation
• Entrepreneurship
• Research
• Peace building
• Youth advocacy
• Socioeconomic development

Core values

• Integrity
• Rule of law
• Respect for others
• Professionalism
• Team work
• Accountability
• Transparency
• Flexibility

Sections of the Department

Department Of Youth Innovation and Awareness is comprised of three sections each one having its own mandate. The following are the departmental sections that come under the Department of Youth Innovation and Awareness of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Federal Government of Somalia.

Peace building section

This section is a departmental section under the department of Youth Innovation and Awareness. This section is designated to work on youth inclusion in peace and security and raising their awareness in peace building and conflict resolution.

Somalia’s peace building processes demand active participation from the Somali youth since they represent over 75% of the population in the country and are identified as the primary victims of the conflict.

In December 2015, the United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 2250 (UNSCR 2250), the first-ever thematic resolution on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS). This historic document is very important for young peace builders, as it brings recognition and legitimacy to youth’s efforts in building peace. This ground-breaking resolution on Youth, Peace and Security recognized that “young people play an important and positive role in the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security”

In recognition of the roles that youth play as leaders, partners and beneficiaries in the succession of peace building, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Federal Government of Somalia has decided to play its key role of empowering the youth in order for them to actively participate in the reconciliation and peace building processes in the country. By ensuring this the ministry established a peace building section under the department of Youth innovations and awareness.

This section will raise the awareness of Somali youth in the context of youth peace and security by organizing a nationwide series of trainings on peace building as well as creating space for young Somalis to engage conversations about youth peace and security in Somalia.

Mandate

• Empowering youth in peace building and conflict resolution
• To put in place measures that support the localization of UNSCR2250 (2015) on

Youth Peace and Security

• To organize nationwide series of trainings on peace building
• To organize youth dialogues on peace and security
• Equipping the youth with the skills and knowledge to become peace ambassadors
• To develop short courses on mediation, conflict resolution and dialogue
• Deigning projects related to youth peace and security

Research section

Section of Research and is a departmental section under the Department of Youth Innovation and Awareness. This section is accredited to carry out academic researchers in the scope of Youth innovation and Youth Peace and Security which is very crucial for the achievement of the assigned goals of the department.

Mandate

• The section is responsible for any activity related to research planning, supervising research projects and research publication.
• Create development plan and review the events to make a written documents for dissemination.
• The section is also responsible for collecting, analyzing, interpreting and presenting data in the scope of Youth Innovation and Youth Peace and Security.

Entrepreneurship section

Entrepreneurship section is a departmental section under the department of Youth Innovation and Awareness. This section is mandated to scale-up youth entrepreneurship which is fundamental for youth empowerment and social development.

Mandate

• To foster youth entrepreneurship
• Supporting young entrepreneurs throughout mentorship
• Organizing youth-led forums related to entrepreneurship
• Create a bond between young entrepreneurs and public institutions
• Empowering youth for positive socioeconomic change

Environmental Education section

This section is a departmental section under the department of Youth Innovation and Awareness. This section is mandated to improve youth education on climate action.

Somalia, like other countries in the Sub Saharan Africa, is viciously affected by climate change and climate extreme shocks. The country is highly prone to natural disasters and it is anticipated that the incidence of extreme weather events, including heat waves, floods, and droughts will likely to increase.

Somalia’s demographic profile not only shows the numerical superiority of Somali youth but also makes them the most effective tool to combat climate change. In recognition to the potential capacities of Somali youth to combat the destructive potential of climate change the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Federal Government of Somalia has established a new Environmental Education section which will work on youth-led climate action initiatives.

Mandate

• To engage, inform and empower youth take action through Environmental Education
• To raise awareness about climate change
• To elevate youth engagement for climate change
• To develop youth -inspired policies and action plans to be enacted locally and

nationally

• To promote behavioral change campaigns and youth led advocacy towards climate

change

• Promote Volunteerism for environment protection and community-driven climate

initiatives

Department structure

Department of Youth Innovation and Awareness of Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Federal Government of Somalia composes of four (4) sections.

• Peace building section
• Research section
• Entrepreneurship section
• Environmental education section