Yoneco stimulates citizens’ power in Ntcheu

Youthnet and Counselling Organisation (Yoneco) has advised development stakeholders to progressively empower citizens if they are to enjoy the right to development.

Speaking last Friday at Ntcheu during a ‘Stimulating Citizens Power’ project exit meeting, Yoneco assistant programmes manager Sewenthe Chipofya-Mawhayo said if youths and women are economically and intellectually empowered, they can enjoy their right to development.

She said the project facilitated withdraw of 42 children from child labour, 12 from human trafficking, 62 girls from child marriages and helped facilitate payment of labourers working in estates.

Ntcheu District Council chairperson Henry Jimu said capacity of volunteers in articulating human rights issues and following-up on development projects has helped in the consolidation of democracy, rule of law and good governance.

Yoneco has been implementing ‘Stimulating Citizen Power’ projects in Ntcheu, Mangochi, Nkhata Bay and Machinga districts since 2008 with funding from Democracy Consolidation Project (DCP) to contribute towards realisation of right to development, improved service delivery and increased responsiveness of governance structures for the betterment of Malawians. n