By Patricia Mashiri and Byron Mutingwende
The 3rd edition of the Space has been held in trying to address issues affecting the youths in the country. The programme has been running for three years and focuses on initiatives that empower youth coming out tertiary institutions.
The programme is running under the theme “challenging power” in which the youths are advised to overcome all the barriers that are a stumbling blocks to their success in Zimbabwe’s informal economy.
Phillippe Van Damme, the Head of European Union (EU) delegation who was one of the panellists urged youths to be innovative to counter rampant unemployment in Zimbabwe.
Naome Chakanya, an economist from the Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe (LEDRIZ) said the informal economy was an unprotected sector with unregistered and unrepresented players in which most of them are women.
“It moved from being an informal sector to an informal economy where social protection of people in the informal sector is not addressed,” Chakanya said.
Dr Beddies, from International Labour Organisation (ILO) said the Space organisation and the victims of informal sector should both at what causes informal sector and tries to address those issues as Zimbabwe has the potential to rise again.
“This country has a potential to create its own employment through its own resources which will ensure participation of the youth in the informal sector,” Beddies said.
In 2015, the 94, 5% of employment was informalised which means that to the present day the informal employment rate can hit up to 98%.
Dr Ben Muller who was also among the panellists said the informal sector which is in Zimbabwe needs people who are innovative so as to reach the top.
Dr Tawanda Mutasah, a human rights advocate and senior director of law and policy at the Amnesty International Secretariat said that one should be extraordinary at what she/ he do.
“Thrive to be the best and be creative in a field you are in so that you will reach the top,” Mutasah said.
David Takawira, a leadership student said he was passionate about empowering youths to take the driving seat in the political, social and economic spheres of life. He hailed The Space for convening platforms that raise public awareness to address some of the most pressing generational challenges of our time.