CPA NEWS 2nd Tonga Youth Parliament serves as an empowerment tool for prospective young leaders
The recent 2nd Tonga Youth Parliament (#TYP20) galvanised young Tongan prospective Parliamentarians and leaders to actively engage in the civic and political processes and demystified the sphere of Parliamentary practice and procedure, with the theme of ‘Our Parliament: Bringing Parliament to You’. Hosted by the Fale Alea o Tonga (Legislative Assembly of Tonga) and CPA Tonga Branch in Nuku’alofa, Tonga from 12 to 20 March 2020, participants debated petitions and motions in the Parliamentary Chambers. The 28 delegates, aged between 14 and 34 years, hailed from across the 17 electoral constituencies of Tonga. The 10-day programme consisted of an 8-day orientation and concluded with a 2-day sitting for delegates to debate issues of concern.
The orientation afforded an opportunity for participants to learn about Tonga’s history and political system, human rights, social issues and development, youth unemployment, climate change and civic education. The concluding 2-day sittings provided youth delegates with a key opportunity to debate two motions in the Assembly chambers. Participants assumed their positions as Youth Parliamentarians calling for motions, that involved the potential establishment of a youth council for each electoral constituency in Tonga to address development issues predominantly effecting the youth, in addition to calling for the Legislative Assembly to direct the Government to erect a juvenile detention centre in Tonga for the custody, detention or rehabilitation of youth offenders. Participants also debated potential legislation that would help to protect young people from the risks of cyber-bullying in Tonga. Delegates also tabled petitions that called for equal access to education with specific emphasis on the outer islands’ youth needs, as well as a call for government action to improve the restrictions of unhealthy foods, especially in relation to their wide accessibility within the Tongan school system. The 2nd Tonga Youth Parliament was opened with an engaging address from HRH Princess Angelika Latufuipeka Halaevalu Mata’aho Napua ‘Okalani Tuku’aho, representing the King of Tonga. “You are in Nuku’alofa today to represent the voices
154 | The Parliamentarian | 2020: Issue Two | 100 years of publishing 1920-2020
