There is a lack of awareness about the Commonwealth Youth Council in the region, says one Pacific nominee to the council.
Young men in Vanuatu. Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
Three nominees from the Pacific are running in the elections for the nine-member council that will take place on 18 April in London.
Hilda Vukikomoala from Fiji said before addressing youth issues in the Pacific, awareness of the council needed to be a priority.
Ms Vukikomoala said it was her work with the council that made her aware of the opportunities abroad.
She said she wanted other communities such as rural youth to be familiar with the council and their representative.
"I feel that many Pacific youth have been left out with regards to the Commonwealth Youth Council.
"Quite a number of youth I know who live here in the capital, Suva, and are tech savvy and involved in social work in their community, did not know that CYC existed when I asked them and the youth workers who did know of CYC's existence, never had contacted anyone from CYC or for its relevance to the Pacific."
The Commonwealth Youth Council has been running since 2013 and aims to bring young people into the development work of the Commonwealth.
