
The continent of Africa has the youngest population in the world which requires an increase in investment in economic and social sectors. These sectors are major providers of employment for the youth in Africa, including Ethiopia.
The AU has developed several youth development policies and programs at regional level. These policies have been adopted by member countries with the goal of ensuring employment benefits for the youth. These policies include the youth plan of action, and the youth empowerment among others. All these policies and programs are to be implemented through various AU Agenda 2063 programs.
The African youth charter protects young people from discrimination and ensures their freedom of movement. It also guarantees them the freedom of speech, association, religion, ownership of property and other human rights. Moreover, the AU and African countries including Ethiopia are fully committed to promoting youth participation throughout society.
The “youth decade” plan of action focuses on five key priority areas and these are: education and skills development; youth employment and entrepreneurship; governance, peace and security; youth health and sexual reproductive health rights; and agriculture, climate change and the environment.
Also, the technical, vocational, education and training (TVET) continental strategy provides a comprehensive framework for the design and development of national policies and strategies in African countries including Ethiopia. It also addresses the challenges of education and technical and vocational training to support economic development in these countries.
In so doing, it creates national wealth and contributes to poverty reduction through youth entrepreneurship, innovation and employment. The department of the human resources, science & technology promotes the work of the AU in the area of youth development. Ethiopia has made immense strides in the training and skills development of the youth that enhances their employability in various sectors of the economy.
Another instrument that strengthens youth empowerment is the African youth charter. It is a political and legal framework which serves the goal of providing a strategic direction for youth empowerment. It encourages the youth development at continental, regional and national levels across the African continent. The charter is consistent with the efforts of the AU in providing a strategy for effective youth participation in development programs and projects in African countries including Ethiopia. It is an element of the efforts to implement the AU’s strategic plan which is devised towards institutional transformation.
In this process, the AU strengthens its outreach within Africa and improves its working relationship with regional economic and global development partners. The charter defines youth as any individual between the ages of 15-35 years. This ends the argument of defining the youth within the African context based on the continental development realities.
The youth charter took into account provisions and successes of previous declarations. The AU analyzed the plan of action and charters particularly, the African charter on the rights and welfare of the child. It also considered the NEPAD strategic framework for youth, the world program of action for youth and the millennium development goals (MDGs).
The African youth charter was based on research on the state of the African youth. This was undertaken by the AU and has moved through various stages of development. African and Ethiopian experts meetings have been held to discuss the various issues related to the youth. These meetings made recommendations and amendments to the contents of the youth charter.
After the initial discussions, the charter was sent to member countries for national consultations with youth and youth organizations. After critical discussions, the charter was finally endorsed by Heads of government. Its goal is to empower the African youth through the provision of employable skills.
Major issues affecting African youth are in the areas of employment, sustainable livelihood, education, health, and skills development. Also, other issues related to the youth are national youth policy, peace and security as well as law enforcement. The youth in the Diaspora and youth with disabilities, among others, are adequately addressed within the framework of the African youth charter. It calls on governments and political parties to ensure the youth the freedom of movement, expression, private life and property.
In this regard, Ethiopia has taken measures to encourage the youth in guaranteeing self-reliance through employment and income generation. The charter calls on member states to develop national youth policies with cross-sector programs and projects which take into consideration the dire needs of the youth. This is done with a view to integrating and mainstreaming the youth into decision making and development processes. The AU calls on state parties to guarantee the participation of youth in parliament and other national decision making bodies.
The African youth charter recognizes that every young person shall have the right to education of good quality that guarantees employment and income. It also focuses on multiple forms of education including formal, informal, non-formal, distance learning and lifelong education.
Ethiopia has embraced in its youth policy various forms of education in order to meet the diverse needs of its young people. In this respect, the charter calls on member states to provide free ad compulsory basic education as Ethiopia has done in the public sector in the past several decades. It has also taken steps to minimize the indirect costs of education; revitalizes vocational education and training relevant to current and future employment opportunities of its youth. Ethiopia has expanded access to vocational and technical training by creating centers in its rural and remote areas. Graduates of these centers are guaranteed equal opportunity of employment as the rest of the students.
The youth are guaranteed sustainable livelihood and employment by the African states and political parties. These entities ensure the availability of accurate information on youth employment, unemployment and underemployment for facilitating the national development plans, programs and projects. Such information contributes to the promotion of youth entrepreneurship by including “entrepreneurship training” in the school curricula. This will facilitate access to credit, business development skills training, and better information on market opportunities. These efforts will open the door for entrepreneurial graduates to start their own businesses firms in Ethiopia.
These firms will also create employment opportunities for new Ethiopian graduates seeking productive employment. Such Ethiopian firms are only stepping stones for employees seeking their own private business. What they need is only entrepreneurial guidance including access to the Ethiopian financial institutions that lend them money to start their businesses in any sector of the economy within their country.
African governments and state parties ensure the availability of equitable and accessible health care to Africans. They focus on the rural and urban areas with emphasis on the development of primary health care systems. They institute comprehensive programs to prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. This is done through the provision of education, information, communication and awareness creation. They also provide protective measures and reproductive health services to the youth who needed medical assistance.
Regarding the youth living abroad, the charter calls for the establishment of structures and networks. These measures encourage and assist them to return to and fully reintegrate into the social and economic life in Africa. In so doing, they promote and protect the rights of young people living at home and abroad. These measures contribute to the full integration of the youth.
With respect to girls and young women, the charter on women calls for the introduction of legislative measures that eliminate all forms of discrimination. These measures ensure the human rights and fundamental freedoms of girls and young women. These girls and young women are able to participate actively, equally and effectively with boys. Their participation is guaranteed at all levels of social, educational, economic, political and cultural lives.
Civic life and leadership as well as scientific endeavors of girls and young women are preconditions for ensuring their political and economic rights. The charter outlines a number of responsibilities for the AU that will collaborate with governmental, nongovernmental institutions and developmental partners. In so doing, it identifies best practices on youth policy formulation and implementation. It also encourages the adaptation of principles and experiences among states and political parties. The youth charter invites states and parties to include youth representatives as part of their delegations to the ordinary sessions of the AU.
The charter reminds the policy organs African states to broaden the channels of communication and enhance the discussion of youth-related issues. Similarly, the youth are being expected to contribute to the promotion of the economic development of their countries. They have to assist the continent by placing their intellectual and physical capabilities at its service.
The African youth charter is, therefore, a unique opportunity to unite the youth movement in Africa to move along the same strategic avenues. It is also a political and legal framework which serves the purpose of providing a strategic direction for youth empowerment and development. The youth have to be involved in activities at continental, regional and national levels across Africa.
The charter is consistent with the efforts of the AU in providing the means for effective youth participation in development. Several African countries have adopted the youth charter taking the realities into consideration.
The youth charter strengthens branches within Africa for improving its working relationship with other institutions. It also promotes the participation of the youth with regional economic communities and international development agencies. It calls on African governments to guarantee the freedom of the youth to move and to access education, training and productive employment.
In this regard, Ethiopia has made progress in building the capacity of the youth to participate in the economic and social development of the country. It has mainstreamed the perspectives of its youth into decision making and development processes. It has established and strengthened the participation of the youth in the national decision making processes.
Ethiopia’s leadership in shaping the African youth charter has contributed to its productive implementation. It has also created platforms for youth participation in African governance, especially through the AU’s youth focused initiatives. This experience could be shared with neighboring countries with the goal of strengthening youth participation in the political, economic and social affairs of their country.
BY GETACHEW MINAS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 19 JUNE 2025