Youth in Africa shoulder a heavy burden as compared to other sections of the society or youth in other continents. Whenever conflict flares up, they are the ones at the forefront for recruitment and deployment. When there is human trafficking, they are the primary targets. They are also highly vulnerable to social and economic problems like unemployment, addition, criminal activities etc.
Youth represent majority of the population of the continent. Especially those at working age, between 15 and 24 represents a significant proportion of the population. This is an endowment for the continent even more than precious natural resources.
Unfortunately, due to various problems, they are rather rendered victim of various conflicts across the region. The major factor that is exposing African youth to being burden or source of problem rather than solution is poverty. Due to poverty, many African Youth do not get access to quality education, healthcare, and employment opportunities.
The political instability that followed post-colonial problems and conflicts in many African countries had also created an environment where young people grow up witnessing violence, which normalizes conflict and breeds a cycle of retribution.
Corruption, ethnic tensions and identity crises, exacerbate conflicts involving youth. Many African nations are ethnically diverse, which can lead to divisions that are exploited by political leaders seeking power.
These are but a glimpse of the problems surrounding African youth today and need due attention to reverse the situation so that the youth can play their right role of developmental and transformational forces. Indeed, if they are properly nurtured they are the right engines of change and transformation for a country.
The above accounts should not be interpreted as diminutive of the role of the youth, but pinpointing the reality and taking the right measure against each so that the youth can be well prepared to handle their future heavy-duty task.
As much as everyone describes their future role as high level and indispensable, it is also important to streamline the interventions that aim at building them up with the right, knowledge and attitude to lead the future.
As such, they are the future of every society in the whole world. So shaping the future needs to work on their life, education … etc now. This is an investment made on the young generation which is bestowed the responsibility to bear the future of the continent.
Investing in youth means providing the necessary education, leadership and mentoring as they are going to face the challenges of the future. In a recent conference of Pan African Youth Leadership at the Adwa Memorial Museum, President Taye Atskesellasie said “Youth have a responsibility to deliver forward the continent that forefathers handed over to them through formidable struggle”
UNECA Deputy Executive Secretary Antonio Pedro on his part said though the continent has a large number of youth that can be deployed towards bringing the bright future of the continent, there is a wide gap between the impending reality and the actual intervention underway towards this end.
“Africa is a continent on the rise. With over 60% of its people under the age of 25, it is home to the world’s youngest population. Despite this, it is also the continent with almost 76 million young Africans not in formal employment, education, or training”
HE further elaborated that 10-12 million youths enter the workforce annually; only around 3 million formal jobs are created in annually.
Therefore, changing the current situation of youth helps a lot in properly equipping them to handle the future. If they are taught to deal with everything through violence and gun they will do accordingly. But all of us want them to execute things through peaceful, consensual means as the founding fathers of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and other pan African elders did.
“These leaders were able to launch the genesis of the new Africa not only through the gun but also through ideas and wisdom,” Taye told the young African leaders.
Therefore, concerted efforts should be made to address the prevailing challenges of youth today in all sectors. Ongoing works of creating jobs, silencing the gun, fighting human trafficking, fighting drug abuse, discouraging criminal activities … etc should be doubled or tripled to catch up with the rapidly growing number of youth and their demands. This should be taken as a viable investment not merely on the youth but on the future of the continent.
BY ZEKARIAS WOLDEMARIAM
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 5 APRIL 2025
