[WSIS CS-Plenary] Nigerian Youth Declaration on the WSIS

['Gbenga Sesan]

URL: www.ycdo.net/policy/wsis-nigeria

WSIS Youth Nigeria is an electronic platform for Nigerian youth 
participation in the ongoing World Summit on the Information Society and 
the eventual network that will act out the words of the action plan
coming  out of the summit.

Yesterday, we complained about what we didn't get, today we'll talk about
what we can give - in order to avoid being asked, "what did you do
when you  had all the strength and will to act?" Welcome to WSIS
Youth Nigeria,  welcome to the future of Nigeria in the Information
Society space. 

In line with our desire to host a Nigerian Youth Summit on the
Information  Society (NYSIS), we conducted a nationwide (representative)
study on the  thoughts of young Nigerians with respect to the ongoing
World Summit on the  Information Society and the global Information
Society itself. We tagged  the process the WSIS Nigeria Policy Train
since it helped create awareness  on the WSIS in Kano, Port Harcourt and
other cities in Nigeria (Ogbomoso,  Ibadan, Lagos), along with serving
the primary purpose of delivering a  Nigerian Youth Declaration on the
WSIS.

Please see the declaration below:

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NIGERIAN YOUTH DECLARATION ON THE WSIS

1.0	Introduction 

This declaration is an outcome of the National Youth Consultation process, 
tagged “Policy Train” which held in Port Harcourt, Kano and Lagos between 
the 11th and 22nd of October 2003 and was co-ordinated by the Nigerian 
Youth Coalition on ICTs. One hundred and thirteen (113) young Nigerians 
participated in the process, along with over two hundred (200) members of 
the Zaura Babba community of Kano state. 

2.0	Preamble 

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is an initiative of the 
United Nations. It seeks to provide a framework for governments, non-
government organizations and associations, companies and others. Between 
the African regional meeting in Bamako and the final preparatory committee 
meeting in Geneva, Nigerian youths took active roles in the entire process. 
Through this declaration, we choose to lend our voice to the emergence and 
conscious establishment of an equitable Information Society that focuses on 
people and development above technology and profit.

3.0	Participants of the Consultation Process: 

3.1	Recognizing: 
Ø	That Nigeria holds high potentials within the global Information 
Society, 
Ø	That Nigeria’s youth must take appropriate action in order to safe-
guard their future,
Ø	The need for Nigeria’s youth to get more involved with national 
level processes within the Information Society,
Ø	The need for government, civil society, academia, private sector 
and special interest groups to collaborate on efforts that can deliver 
Nigeria’s Information Technology vision.

3.2	Endorsing: 
Ø	ITU Africa 2001 Youth (Forum) Declaration, Johannesburg. November 
2001,
Ø	The Bamako 2002 Declaration – African preparatory meeting to the 
WSIS, Bamako. May 2002,
Ø	The WSIS Youth Africa eConference Final Statement. November 2002,
Ø	WSIS Youth Caucus Statements to PrepCom 1,2 and 3, Geneva. July 
2002 – September 2003,
Ø	Report of Nigeria PrepCom hosted by the National Information 
Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and attended by all Nigerian 
Information Society stakeholders.

3.3	Made the following recommendations: 
Ø	The need to empower and include youth in national level processes 
must be pursued to ensure that today’s efforts provide the foundation for a 
sustainable future,
Ø	Awareness on the use of Information and Communication Technologies 
(ICTs) – and the role of such in national development – must be embarked 
upon as a matter of national urgency,
Ø	Since the barrier of ownership remains for majority of the 
population, access to ICTs must be top priority for government, the private 
sector and all stakeholders,
Ø	ICTs are major tools for national development, and Nigeria must 
embrace and take advantage of this opportunity in order to remain relevant 
in the emerging information society.

4.0	Declaration

Having considered the aforementioned, along with the opportunities that are 
provided by commitment to the goals of the United Nations Millennium 
Declaration Goals (MDGs) and the New Economic Partnership for Africa’s 
Development (NEPAD), we realise that the future of Nigeria and its 
relevance in the Information Society depend on the commitment of all 
stakeholders in the present; and in recognition of this, we commit our 
resources to the accelerated involvement of our nation in the global 
Information Society. We invite all to do the same.

-- 
'Gbenga Sesan
www.gbengasesan.com
Team Leader, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria | www.pin.itgo.com
Co-founder, African Youth Initiative | www.ayinitiative.net