THE MINISTER FOR YOUTH AND SPORTS
HONOURABLE PARVEEN KUMAR BALA
Saturday 13th February, 2021, 2:00PM
USP Pacific TAFE, Namaka
• Master of Ceremonies
• Trainers
• My Ministry Staff
• Youth Participants
• Ladies and Gentlemen
Bula vinaka and a very good afternoon to you all!
It is a pleasure to do the honors of marking yet another milestone achievement of our youth as they complete their 3 – day Empowerment training today.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is pleasing to note the equal participation and contribution made by all 40 youth participants from the ten youth clubs here with us. For most young people, their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are a crucial part of their lives, and this training, which creates awareness on sexual and reproductive health is key to ensuring that all young people can be equal and free to make decisions in all spheres of their lives, without discrimination, without violence or coercion, and with the assurance of their dignity upheld.
The program is in line with the Youth Capacity Building Program which the Ministry utilises to empower, capacitate and enhance youth’s knowledge on socio – economic developments. It also provides various technical skills and training offered as part of the youth development program.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Two of the leading causes of death for adolescents in the developing world, maternal mortality and AIDS, are related to SRHR and preventable with adequate education, treatment and care.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports is committed to providing relevant & comprehensive SRHR education and making it accessible for all adolescents, and young people, to gain knowledge and develop the necessary skills to make conscious, healthy, and respectful choices about relationships and sexuality.
This is done through the provision of workshops and short courses to our young people. Youth Health and Wellbeing is one of the four Strategic Priorities for the Ministry of Youth and Sports. I am delighted to inform you that within this financial year 13 SRHR trainings have been conducted and 469 youths have benefited and directly empowered through them.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to say that the Ministry is comprehensive in its approach to empower our youth and through our non-formal education program, it has provided many youths with opportunities to be employed and sustain their livelihoods over many years. This non-formal education program includes carpentry training, empowerment skills training, agricultural training and more.
Through these programs providing accredited training, we seek to maximize the potential of our youths and provide them with an avenue to achieve their goals in life.
This Government, through the Ministry of Youth and Sports, is determined to strengthen the youth sector in Fiji. This is not limited to providing non–formal education but includes the areas of sports and the development of sporting facilities as well. Our vision is to build values that lead our youth to succeed at the highest levels.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope that these short courses will enable you to achieve your goals and aspirations because they are our national goals and aspirations. Please encourage other youths to take up courses to have a purpose driven life.
Your Government is committed to an inclusive policy for all Fijians regardless of your ethnicity, your social background, your status in the community, your culture or your religious beliefs.
I encourage you all to remain focused and use what you have learnt this week to your advantage. Set your priorities and always strive for the best. I also urge our youths to learn new skills and continue to upgrade yourselves because that is what is required in these changing times. With those words, I congratulate you all and hope that the knowledge you have gained during the training will assist you in your future endeavours.