SOCIAL Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) provisional candidate Ioane Tupou Nawaikula will be focusing on championing youth and children’s agenda during this year’s general election.
Raised in Pacific Harbour, Serua, Mr Nawaikula, 49, attended Lomary Secondary School and later earned himself a Diploma in Hotel Management and a BA in Tourism and Industrial Relations.
Mr Nawaikula said the participation of young people was crucial in the development, democratic and decision-making processes of the country.
“It is prudent and sustainable to include, involve and consult them on topics that concern the people and the country, as they will be leaders in the future,” Mr Nawaikula said.
“I believe the greatest resource that one country can have is its young people, therefore, building their knowledge capacity is important to start grooming the next generation of leaders of our country.”
He also stressed that issues concerning young people and children should not be discussed without them.
He said his focus would be the importance of respect to everyone and the ending of all forms of violence on children and young people irrespective of their background.
Mr Nawaikula said he would pay particular focus in Ba/Tavua and Vatukoula urban areas and reach out to the young people of the country, encouraging them to register and vote because this would be their way of having their voice heard and to participate at national level in the coming election.
Mr Nawaikula has worked with non-government organisations (NGOs) such as FRIEND (Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprises & Development) and Model Towns Charitable Trust (Koroipita Project) in Lautoka.
“I also contributed to the development of young people through the National Youth Council of Fiji (NYCF) which was based at the Ministry of Youth and Sports. I worked as general secretary and served the needs of young people through the two highest youth bodies in the country — the Provincial Youth Council of the Fiji Islands (PYFFI) and the Youth Assemblies of Fiji (YAF) both under the NYCF.”
“I worked as a children’s participation officer at Save the Children Fiji advocating and promoting child’s rights and their responsibilities, children’s participation at all levels and having their voices being heard on issues pertinent to them,” he said.
He was also awarded the Commonwealth Pacific Youth Worker Award for 2015 and said he looked at the plight of youth workers in the country and how they were faring and working to form a youth worker association in the country.
