5.1.1. Needs assessment

(a) All potential reintegration programmes should be preceded by a detailed needs assessment of the situation and needs of youth in the region concerned, which should inform the direction and content of relevant skills training courses. The assessment should comprise socio-anthropological study of the intended beneficiaries and a labour market survey, including identification of actual or potential employers.

(b) In the preparation of any needs assessment the views of the target beneficiaries - individuals and communities - should be elicited. The right of children and youth up to the age of 18 to actively participate in all decisions affecting them is a central principle of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; constructive engagement is a significant determinant in the success and sustainability of reintegration programmes for youth.