A generation at risk

Lazarus Sauti

With 200 million people aged between 15 and 24 (the youth bracket), the continent of Africa has the youngest population in the world, and the current trend indicates that this figure will double by 2045.

This is according to the 2012 African Economic Outlook report prepared by experts from the African Development Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and the industrialised countries’ Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, among others.

This rise in population brings a foe in the form of unemployment; and frankly, youth unemployment is Africa’s greatest challenge. The World Bank notes: “Youth account for 60 per cent of all African unemployed.

“In North Africa, the youth unemployment rate is an eyebrow-raising 30 per cent. It is even worse in Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, South Africa and several other African countries.”

Unemployment is a devil claiming lives of many young Africans. It has become an unforgiving force as it is killing the dreams of youths, and at the same time playing an all-rounder role in hindering the development of the continent.

Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013 – International Labour Organisations report agrees: “The economic and social costs of unemployment, long-term unemployment, discourage­ment and widespread low-quality jobs for young people continue to rise and undermine econ­omies’ growth potential.”

Together with lack of equal opportunities, the relatively low skill level among unemployed youth in the continent is contributing immensely to the problem. In most – if not all African countries – young people lack foundation skills, often because they had never attended school or they dropped out of school before gaining basic literacy or numeracy.

The International Labour Organisation blames skills mismatch.

“Skills mismatch is adding to the youth employment crisis, noted ILO in its Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013 report, adding that “skills mismatch on youth labour markets has become a persistent and growing trend.

“Over-education and over-skilling coexist with under-education and under-skilling, and increasingly with skills obsolescence brought about by long-term unemployment.

“Such a mismatch makes solutions to the youth employment crisis more difficult to find and more time consuming to implement.

“Moreover, to the extent that young people in employment are actually overqualified for the job they are doing, society is losing their valu­able skills and forfeiting stronger productivity growth that would have been achieved had these young people been employed at their appropriate level of qualification.”

Coupled with low attendance level at schools, national education systems also provide little opportunities for youth to gain critical skills that can help them in their future endeavours.

As put across by Haji Mohamed Dawjee, social media editor of a South African weekly newspaper, young people of today moreover suffer from a lack of willingness to do just about everything and anything, and this is heavily contributing towards youth unemployment in countries within and across the African continent.

Because of this and other reasons, Africa’s future generations are at risk as unemployment remains an all time hindrance to Africa’s development. Southern Africa, for example, is in mucky waters.

“Some of the highest rates of unemployment are in Southern Africa, where 51 per cent of young women and 43 per cent of young men are unemployed. This large unemployed population indicates lost potential since communities and nations fail to benefit from what the young people could theoretically contribute.

“Also, difficulties finding and sustaining employment detract from a young person’s lifetime productivity and earnings, making it more challenging to escape poverty,” explains Kristen Devlin of the Population Reference Bureau.

Devlin adds, “Unemployed youth are therefore readily available for anti-social criminal activities that undermine the stability of society.”

Sharing same sentiments, Jorge Saba Arbache, Senior Economist in the World Bank’s Office of the Chief Economist, Africa Region, says unemployed and under-employed youth are also more exposed to conflicts and illegal activities; meaning unemployment is a ticking bomb.

Deputy President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa agrees: “Youth unemployment is a ticking time bomb and requires greater attention if the continent is to sustain its development goals. If we could effectively address youth unemployment, not only would we lift millions of Africans out of poverty, but we would also place our economy on a trajectory of sustainable, inclusive growth.”

Addressing youth unemployment in Africa requires an integrated holistic approach as shortcuts will not work. Yershen Pillay, Executive chairman of the National Youth Development Agency, says Africa’s young people need to take responsibility for their own future.

Ramaphosa concurs: “Young Africans need to be at the centre of every process of economic transformation… A co-ordinated and multi-pronged response to youth unemployment is needed, and it must be present in every policy discussion, in every law drafted, and also in every strategic plan developed.”

The second-in-command in South Africa, Ramaphosa cements Professor Mthuli Ncube, Chief Economist and Vice President of the African Development Bank, assertions that stronger job creation mechanisms grounded in a deliberate strategy for inclusive growth and social development are needed to arrest unemployment challenges in Africa.

Governments, as biggest stakeholders in Africa, should therefore create enabling environments so as to promote investments.

This means regional blocs such as the Common Markets for Eastern and Southern Africa, the Arab Magreb Union, the East African Community, the Economic Community of Central African States, the Economic Community of Sahel-Saharan States, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and the Southern African Development Community must ensure that policy for economic integration is not just on paper but clearly implemented in real terms, across the borders.

More so, minimum standards should be set for products that will cross borders; and free movement of people and goods should be allowed, within the limits of regional and international trade treaties if the region is serious about job creation for its youth.

Far-sightedly, players in the private sector should priorities youth services in the region by working together with governments to develop energetic young Africans who are relevant to the needs of the continent and to pursue integrated, comprehensive policies and strategies that create jobs for young people.

Significantly, strategies should take in policies to improve labour standards and social protection for youth, like acceptable wages and work conditions; and programs that target specific youth populations, like disadvantaged young women, to boost their skills and employability.

Since youth unemployment is not only putting youth at risk but also the continent, it is high time for leaders to focus on education. The education system must support skills development models, and new learning models should also support flexible courses, learning and coaching not only on work skills but also on life skills.

Furthermore, education curriculum in most African countries must be immediately revised to incorporate these skills and enterprise development.

Frankly, decision makers need to listen to the voices of young people and allow opportunities for dialogue if the continent is to arrest youth unemployment. Failure to listen to them will further put Africa and her citizenry at risk.