road safety campaigns, literacy programmes, water supply system repairs (in rural areas) and promoted cultural activities in the nearby communities. 261. Introducing the youth to organized life through the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students (NUEYS) is also another dimension of the effort. NUEYS is a membership based organization functioning up to the village level. It is open to any Eritrean youth and students in the age bracket 14-40 years, without any discrimination on ethnicity, religion, sex, disability …etc. Core membership is also open to the active members who enroll in awareness raising training sessions and leadership courses and who volunteer to promote NUEYS Mission and objectives among the general members. The organization so far has more than 17,000 core members and 220,000 general members. NUEYS organizes youth through a network of groups and sub-groups in all sub regions and schools. Currently, the female representation in all levels of the organizational leadership is more than 42%. 262. Awareness raising and educational programme on civics, gender, human rights, health and education is regularly conducted. Youth empowerment is also promoted through vocational training, micro credit schemes and entrepreneurship. The organization also conducts media programmes in all Eritrean languages targeting mainly the youth and has its own magazine, “The Youth” which is published in 7 languages. 263. The organization has also asserted t role by mobilizing the youth for national defense, the Warsay-Yikealo Development Campaign, advocacy and sensitization among a wide sector of the society but with more focus on the children and youth. Its visibility in schools and higher learning institutions is also evident. NUEYS runs continuous educational campaign and entertainment programme targeting children and Children‟s Associations are established in each sub region. They promote media clubs and children‟s media programmes through TV, Radio and newspapers. Moreover, a number of young Eritreans from the Diaspora also volunteer to participate in national development activities through the NUEYS volunteer attachment progammes and in the national service. 264. The National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students is an active member of different regional and international Youth organizations. Currently it serves as Vice President of the Pan African Youth Union (PYU), Member of Executive Committee of the African Youth and Adolescents Net work for Population and Development (AFRI-YAN), it is also an Executive Committee member of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY). It is also an active member CIN-SAD youth organization, Afro-Arab Youth Council (AAYC), All Africa Students Union (AASU), Nile Basin Youth Initiative, United Peace Builders Net Work (UNOY). NUEYS hosts a number of youth forums with the participation of representatives from different youth organizations from around the World. 265. Eritrea introduced National Service (Proclamation No. 82) in 1994. No Eritrean citizen is exempted from fulfilling the service on the basis of religion, gender, ethnic origin, etc., except on the basis of age, disability and motherhood. Note is also made of the following:Page 65 of 100