In line with the government policies geared towards empowering Emirati youth as future leaders of various vital sectors in the UAE, the General Secretariat of the Supreme Legislation Committee in the Emirate of Dubai (SLC) has announced the formation of the ‘Youth Council’ (YC). The YC aims to motivate and encourage the youth to play an active role in consolidating the legal and legislative systems, with the ultimate goal of contributing to Dubai’s ambitious development plan: to transform Dubai into a city of the future, competing with the world’s leading cities of the future.
The formation of the YC demonstrates the SLC commitment to creating an ideal legislative environment that encourages excellence, creativity, and innovation. The YC is also hoped to provide the youth with the opportunity to drive the legislative development process, with a view to catapulting Dubai to the forefront among the world’s leading cities.
The formation of the SLC Youth Council is a leap forward towards unleashing the potentials of the youth and honing their leadership and decision-making abilities to cope with world developments. The Youth Council will provide a platform for direct communication with the youth, giving voice to their suggestions and concerns. The Youth Council will enable the SLC to capitalise on the youth’s actionable creative ideas and talents to achieve the vision and mission of SLC, namely, to develop legislation that keeps pace with the latest developments and looks ahead to the future. The Youth Council is set to coordinate with the Dubai Youth Council, the Federal Youth Authority, and the Emirates Youth Council in key areas related to youth, including implementing youth-oriented initiatives and projects.
H.E. Ahmad bin Meshar Al Muhairi, SLC Secretary General, explained that the formation of the Youth Council illustrates the SLC’s commitment to supporting the UAE Government efforts to qualify and empower the youth to lead the UAE national drive towards envisioning and shaping the nation’s future. Al Muhairi pointed out that the Youth Council will facilitate engaging the youth in the process of updating laws and other legislation that support government excellence. Al Muhairi added that the initiative will make the youth as true partners in the process of improving the legislative and legal frameworks of the emirate, in line with the UAE Vision 2021 and the UAE Centennial 2071; and in implementation of the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who said: “Youth is the driving force for the country’s development efforts, and their energy is our most precious resource.”
Rashid Mohammed Essa, Head of the SCL Youth Council, noted: “The formation of the Youth Council reflects the SLC’s commitment to investing in the Emirati youth to unleash their potentials, in line with the UAE Agenda for Youth, which aims to serve the development needs of the youth and help them become global role models. We are pleased to join the ranks of other federal and local government entities, which have established youth councils that serve as an effective link between the youth and decision-makers. A youth council is a strategic approach adopted, in implementation of our wise leadership’s aspirations to capitalise on the abilities and hone the skills of Emirati youth, as the powerhouse that will in shape the future of our beloved nation.”
Elaborating on the formation of the SLC Youth Council, Al Muhairi reaffirmed, “The Youth Council has been formed in line with the Corporate Youth Council guidelines, and in implementation of the UAE Agenda for Youth, which was issued by the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future. We, at the SLC, strive to create a nurturing environment where the youth’s ideas are heard and acted upon, and their creativity best channeled into furthering the SLC vision of achieving legislative excellence, which contributes to building a better, more secure and prosperous future.”
The duties and responsibilities of the SLC Youth Council include the development of a general policy, strategic and development plans, and future approach for the junior SLC employees. The SLC Youth Council will also communicate with the junior employees at SLC to identify their future aspirations and challenges. The Youth Council will also develop, and periodically update, operational plans in line with the SLC strategy for youth. The Youth Council responsibilities also include preparing an annual calendar of initiatives, events, activities, and programmes for SLC youth, and keeping the SLC youth informed of their initiatives, events, and activities.