Country: Sierra Leone
Website: www.waynyouth.org
Social media: Facebook
Focal Point: Mohamed Kanneh, Program Coordinator
Email: email hidden; JavaScript is required
Tel: 232 76843346

Mission and vision

WAYN seeks to serve as a primary catalyst for enhancing youth participation in issues relating to governance, human rights and peace building in the region and to further promote the visibility of young people in West Africa in governance and public policy formulation processes by supporting the empowerment and capacity building of young people. Its vision is to open societies in West Africa that involve the holistic participation of young people, and promote the visibility of young people in West Africa in governance and public policy formulation processes by supporting the empowerment and capacity building of young people.

General description of the CSO work in the anti-corruption area

WAYN was founded in 2001. Since its formation, the organization has worked to promote youth leadership in West Africa. As part of its leadership program, WAYN has worked along with youth groups on issues relating to accountability and transparency. Some of the activities lead by the organization, in relation to anti-corruption are:

• Research on the role of youth in peace building and governance in West Africa: the research work seeks to examine the level of youth involvement in conflict resolution and governance in West Africa.
• The Mano River Union Youth Peace Initiative, and the West Africa’s Future Leadership Program, which seeks to develop leadership skills in youth for governance and citizenship, which in the long run also impacts the fight against corruption.
• The West African Youth Parliamentary Forum on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), which is a democratic empowerment project seeking to mobilize young people and Members of Parliament in West Africa to actively participate in the implementation process of NEPAD and the promotion of democracy, civil education and human rights. The project represents a long-term vision for youth participation in local and regional decision making as well as a framework for a strategic partnership between young people and MPs. By recognizing of the significant role that youth and MPs can play in issues of democracy and governance, including participation in consultations for NEPAD in West Africa, the visions and objectives set by NEPAD and the Millennium Development Goals can materialize. The forum was organised in April 2005 in collaboration with the Canadian African Parliamentary Centre.
• Youth Democracy Initiative: this program seeks to make youth more visible in democratic and governance processes. The program will consist of trainings for youth to be election observers, the deployment of youth observers to the Liberian and Burundian presidential elections, and the organisation of governance and democracy clubs.
• ECOWAS youth desk: Promoting the participation of young people in the decision-making process of local and regional bodies by creating a Youth Unit within the Secretariat of ECOWAS as well as an ECOWAS Youth Parliament.

Specific description of the CSO work in relation to the UNCAC

WAYN has worked with youth groups across the sub region on issues relating to anti-corruption, transparency and accountability. Some of the aforementioned projects are directly connected to UNCAC, specially The West African Youth Parliamentary Forum on NEPAD, the Youth Democracy Initiative, and the Ecowas youth desk.

The organization also participated in the multi-stakeholder workshop on (UNCAC) and its review mechanism, organized by the UNODC, which took place in Saly, Senegal, from 8 to 11 May 2018.