Background
The project was funded by Oxfam Australia through the then
Oxfam International Youth Parliament (OIYP) now called Oxfam
International Youth Partnerships (OIYP) where Kenneth Msiska,
Executive Director of Y.A.A.ICT-D served as an Action-Partner
on Trade Justice (2005-2007). The funding award was given to
a selected partners within the OIYP family who had presented
compelling proposals in the areas of interest. Kenneth was
awarded AUD 5, 000 financial award to conduct a series of
activities aimed at highlighting the ills of the
international trade regime. The project put much focus on the
effects of Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)
on People Living with HIV/AIDS and the farmers.
Prior to receiving the financial award, Kenneth attended a
WTO and Human Rights Training Workshop in Phnom Pehn,
Cambodia from the 14th-22nd September 2005. Kenneth was part
of a 25-member cohort chosen from within the OIYP family and
elsewhere. The participants were drawn from four continents
of the world namely, Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe.
March for Trade Justice
Over seventy youths from surrounding areas of Blantyre city
converged at the Old Mutual offices next to the symbolic
-Hong Kong Restaurant- to demand trade justice and sanity in
the World Trade Organization (WTO). The demonstration which
was preceded by a day-long seminar held at the Malawi
Polytechnic on 16th December 2005 was organized by a network
of youth groups within the city of Blantyre. During the
demonstration the youth sang and chanted anti-WTO songs and
pleaded with the Trade Ministers then meeting in Hong Kong
for the 6th Ministerial Conference (MC6) to consider the
plight of the farmers and the people living with HIV/AIDS in
Malawi who are affected by the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA)
and Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)
respectively. Clad in white bands the youth demonstrated
peaceful through the streets of Blantyre City centre. They
were later joined by other people as they made their way
through the busy streets.
The march took the marchers to the Blantyre Youth Center
(BYC) where a free concert was held thereafter. At the
concert the Young Generations teamed with another youthful
Musician, Steve Kachingwe to entertain the crowd that had
gathered.
You Have Spoiled Our [Xmas] Party March
The Machinga Youth Network comprising ten (10) youth groups
organized a protest march against the resolutions of the MC6
called “You Spoiled Our Party” on the 24th December 2005 at
Nsanama. The march was just as was the case in Blantyre
preceded by a briefing session for the youth and other
community members that had come to grace the occasion. Among
the marchers was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area
Honourable Ernest Yahaya. In his address at the end of the
event the MP urged the youth to take the campaign on trade
justice seriously because trade rules are impacting greatly
on the rural people most of whom are young.
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