A Sustainable Livelihoods Approach and Economic Strengthening for Youth

IRC Liberia - Nimba & Lofa

October 4, 2006

Lili Stern, Technical Advisor for Youth & Livelihoods

IRC New York - CYPD

Radha Rajkotia, Youth & Livelihoods Technical AdvisorChild & Youth Protection and Development Unit

International Rescue Committee

Starting from the beginning…

What is a ‘livelihood’?‘A livelihood comprises the capabilities, assets and activities required for a means of living’

What is a ‘sustainable livelihood’?‘A livelihood is sustainable when it can cope with and recover from stresses and shocks, maintain or enhance its capabilities and assets…’

(Chambers and Conway, 1992)

What is the sustainable livelihoods framework?

What have we learned about the SL framework?

Limited practical assistance for application

Non-sectoral approach does not match reality

Downplayed importance of focused technical/ financial support services, increased emphasis on ‘soft’ issues e.g. capacity-building, social organization, participation

Very useful as conceptual or heuristic tool

Helps to see links between different factors affecting livelihoods

Helps build cross-sectoral and potentially, cross-institutional dialogue

So, what about youth in conflict/ post-conflict settings?

ScaleSub-Saharan African youth population has quadrupled since 1950 (World Bank, 2006)In 2005, 62% of Africa’s population fell below 25 (World Bank, 2009)60% of total Sub-Saharan unemployed population are youth (ILO, 2006)4.5 million unemployed youth in Côte d’Ivoire (UNIDO, 2007)48,000 child soldiers in Sierra Leone, including approximately 12,000 girls (McKay & Mazurana, 2004)88% youth unemployment in Liberia (ILO, 2006)7,000-9,000 children and youth involved in commercial sexual exploitation in Uganda (ILO-IPEC, 2004)Half of FATA’s 3.5 million population is female, but female literacy rate stands at 3% (DfID, 2003)

Crisis to Development

Jobs

Complex puzzles of youth needs/assets

Skills

Knowledge

Social networks

Family/ community reintegration

Financial services

Access to natural/ physical resources

Confidence

Advice

Trauma counseling

Healthcare Access to justice

Access to markets

Rights education

Crisis to Development

Jobs

How youth needs/ assets are frequently prioritized

SkillsKnowledge

Social networks

Family/ community reintegration

Financial services

Access to natural/ physical resources

Confidence Advice

Trauma counseling Healthcare

Access to justice

Access to markets

Rights education

Why so?

YouthExperiences of trauma

Need for change in behaviors

Fractured community relationships – particularly inter-generational relationships

Contexts Fragile peace- government and donor urgency

Weak markets not able to absorb youth

Poor capacity/ infrastructure

In crisis/ immediate post-conflict…

BUT, this does change with time Does not mean that we have to be tunnel-visioned or short-sighted in our approachNeed to explore interventions that are innovative and responsive to both needs and contexts

Youth VSLA Groups (Burundi)Micro-franchising (Sierra Leone)Complementary education and employment programs e.g. youth agriculture extension (CAR)Mainstreamed entrepreneurship education (CdI, Sierra Leone, Liberia)

Need robust evaluations of youth livelihood programming – using same holistic approach as that is applied to design

Northern Uganda – DoL funded ORACLE project (2003-2007) - Youth interviewed one year after leaving project

93% not involved in child labor72% say life is better 77% say that they have more choices67% have better community relations56% making more money

Burundi – VSLA and GBV impact evaluation