Subscribe
KHOWST PROVINCE, Afghanistan – With assistance from the Khowst Provincial Reconstruction Team, the Youth Affairs Department of the Ministry of Information and Culture held Khowst’s first official youth shura in the Governor’s Guesthouse Complex in Khowst City, Afghanistan, April 5.
Approximately 300 young men and women and a variety of Afghan government officials attended.
“We started the youth shura initiative six months ago,” said Najeeb, the deputy minister of youth affairs for the Ministry of Information and Culture, addressing the audience.
“These youth shuras have started at the village level and expanded to the district- and provincial- level,” Najeeb said.
“This is the 22nd of 34 youth shuras the ministry is holding throughout the country,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Kelly Brown, the strategic partner for the Afghan government’s Ministry of Information and Culture from Warner Robins, Ga.
The focus today is on three main concerns that affect youth in this area: the need for education, the lack of employment and the use of drugs, said Brown.
But the deputy minister did not shy away from other, potentially more controversial, topics.
“If our holy prophet could go into business with a woman and then marry her, why do we have a problem with women who go to school and start careers today?” Najeeb asked the audience.
Najeeb encouraged the youth to address any and all concerns amongst themselves following the shura.
“I recommend you all sit together and talk about the problems you have and [discuss] solutions for those problems. If you need (the ministry’s) help, write a proposal and send it to us,” Najeeb said to those present.
U.S. Navy Capt. Steve Deal, Khowst Provincial Reconstruction Team commander from Chesapeake, Va., stated the importance of education and the recently completed and planned construction projects.
“Our peace and security depends on how this generation of youth chooses to live their lives,” said Deal.
At the conclusion of the event, Afghan National Police helped distribute supplies the PRT provided including soccer balls, prayer rugs, hygiene kits, notebooks, pens and calendars.
Within a day, the youth who attended the shura issued a statement in response to the speech made by the deputy minister of youth affairs.
In it, the youth outlined their concerns for education and employment opportunities, as well as the need for continued security in the region.
But the overall tone was one of hope for the future.
“We are really grateful of all the effort the Khowst governor put in to resolving conflicts in the province,” the statement read. “The governor led nearly 2,000 armed young men back to a peaceful life. Now these men have time for education and work to support their families.”
| Date Taken: | 04.08.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 04.07.2011 16:13 |
| Story ID: | 68425 |
| Location: | KHOWST PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 59 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, PRT ensures first youth shura in Khowst is a success, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
