The Executive Committee of the Pan African Youth Union at its first meeting in Bamako mandated the President in collaboration with the Secretariat of the PYU to appoint Commissioners able to lead six newly created commissions.

Course Level: Job

Eligible Countries: African countries

The commissioners will be answerable to the Executive Committee and will participate in all meetings of the Bureau without the right to vote until the end of the term of the Executive Committee. Their opinions are advisory. At this meeting, the Executive Committee tasked the Secretariat to draft the Terms of references in order for it to proceed with the designation of Commissioners.

The Commissions approved by the 5th Congress are :

Peace and Security, Employment and Youth Entrepreneurship, Health and Lifestyle, Political Participation, Civic participation.

Profile, Roles and responsibilities:

a. Commissioner For Peace and Security

His/her main role will be to advise on strategies that make the youth an important actor in the process of conflicts prevention and peace keeping. The Commissioner for Peace and Security must have a sound understanding of the UNSCR 2250, the AU Agenda 2063 / Aspiration 4 as well as other key documents promoting youth empowerment in the peace process. The Commissioner must speak one of the six AU languages. Additionally, he/she must be able to communicate in either French or English.

The Commissioner will have to :

1. Vulgarize UNSCR 2250 so that Youth are aware of their role in promoting peace;
2. Fill the gaps and set priorities in promoting and supporting youth’s active involvement in conflict prevention, conflict transformation, social cohesion and sustaining peace in their communities, institutions, countries and regions.

b. Commissioner for Employment and Youth Entrepreneurship

He/she has good knowledge in finances and have good project management and persuasive skills in one of the six AU languages. Additionally, he/she must be able to communicate in either French or English.

The Commissioner will have to :

1. Promote youth employment and entrepreneurship throughout the African continent through specific programs.

c. Commissioner for Education

His/her main role will be to develop strategies on how to raise awareness on youth access to quality education and to help the PYU contribute to the implementation of the Education’s pillar of the AU Agenda 2063. The Commissioner is expected to have a clear understanding of the challenges facing the youth in the education sector and be familiar with education policies aimed to overcome current challenges. He/she is expert in the field and have good critical skills as well as good research, reading and speaking skills in one of the six AU languages. Additionally, he/she must be able to communicate in either French or English.

The Commissioner will have to :

1.Vulgarize and implement UNESCO’s programs aiming at improving the quality and relevance of education on the African continent by strengthening national capacities to address challenges of teaching and learning including teacher-related challenges;

2.Propose innovative education policies and solutions helping to improve access to quality education.

d. Commissioner for Health and Lifestyle

He/she is an expert in the field and has good critical skills as well as good research, reading and speaking skills in one of the six AU languages. Additionally, he/she must be able to communicate in either French or English.

The Commissioner will have to :

1.Give the opportunity to all African Youth and the Diaspora to visit places in their continent, beyond their region;

2.Encourage Youth to travel in Africa to learn about other cultures and languages and share theirs.
3. Use efficiently available platforms to promote African cities
4. Award each year an African Youth City and develop its selection criteria.

e. Commissioner for Political Participation

The Commissioner will be expected to bring innovative ideas to help solve the problem at hand. The Commissioner for Political Participation will advocate for the rejuvenation of the political class, in a continent where the 5 longest presidencies in 2015 cumulatively amounted to 169 years.

Moreover, he/she will advocate for a better representation of youth in politics. He/she is an expert in the field and has good critical skills as well as good research, reading, and speaking skills in one of the six AU languages. Additionally, he/she must be able to communicate in either French or English.

The Commissioners will have to :

1. Advocate for a minimum quota of Youth representatives in politics and other decision- making bodies. This means that youth must be included in political parties

f. Commission for Civic Participation

The Commissioner will be expected to bring innovative ideas to help solve problems at hand. He/she is an expert in the field and has good critical skills as well as good research, reading and speaking skills in one of the six AU languages . Additionnaly, he/she must be able to communicate in either French or English. The actions of the Commissioner must be of the interest of African youth in the 6 Africa regions.

The Commissioner will work on :

Advocating for national civic education classes in secondary school so that young people are prepared to face the world knowledge of their rights and responsibilities
The vulgarization of the work of AU towards the youth.
The vulgarization of national and AU legal texts that concern young people ;
The implementation of the African Youth Charter especially Art.10.3b on Development, Art.11 on youth participation, and Art. 26 on Responsibilities of youth.

Eligibility Criteria: Be an inspiring young African with demonstrated commitment to youth issues and to working with youth; applications of young women are particularly encouraged;

  1. Have demonstrated leadership skills on youth issues; and be capable to mobilize resources;
  2. Have had national, regional, continental and international experience, be an excellent communicator and, able to express and cleary opinions, interests of African Youths.
  3. Have experience in facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogues and processes;
  4. To be between 23 and 35 years old.

Number of Awards: 5

Method of Application: 

  • Responses to all critical questions and justifications.
  • Up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (summarized in 3 pages)
  • Letter of motivation (1page)
  • Letter of reference from the Ministry of Youth of his/her country or the equivalent.

The application form must be typed and completed in full CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE FORM. Note that we are not able to consider incomplete applications.

Visit Programme Webpage for Details

Important Notes: The 13 countries already in the Executive Committee of the Pan-African Youth Union are not eligible for this application.

Scholarship Application Deadline: 20th December 2018