YOUTH VULNERABILITY AND YOUTH VULNERABILITY AND EXCLUSION IN AFRICAEXCLUSION IN AFRICAGOVERNANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL, SOAS-CDD, GHANA 09/0513Presentation by ’Funmi Olonisakin

MEANING/USE OF KEY MEANING/USE OF KEY PHRASESPHRASESYouth in Africa – people between 15 and 35

Youth bulge – predominance of young people in the population.

Exclusion – “left out” or “kept out” from a range of activities and spheres in mainstream life; relegation to the “edge of society”

Vulnerability – a risk of falling into disadvantaged, or “dangerous” places, relegation or slide into oblivion

KEY ARGUMENTSKEY ARGUMENTSYouth exclusion and vulnerability stall development and entrench insecurity

Unemployment is not the real issue nor is employment a panacea

The “youth bulge” offers an opportunity as well as a challenge for development and security

Perception of youth only in negative ways – extremists, violent, radicalized – is damaging for development

KEY MESSAGESKEY MESSAGESYouth: Engage socially constructed definitions

Some solutions lie at the “edge” of society

Unemployment does not offer adequate explanation for YOVEX; comparable access, living standards, participation in decision-making; societal recognition are also crucial

Global assessments of youth in sub-Saharan African must be placed in context e.g. see The Economist, 27 April 2013

KEY MESSAGESKEY MESSAGESWarning: Dangerous intersections between youth bulge, youth exclusion & violence

Youth radicalization thrives at these intersections; radicalization here, is not necessarily constructed as a bad thing

Narratives that promote and sustain youth radicalization is led by dynamic non-mainstream voices; and doesn’t always produce violence

KEY MESSAGES CONTDKEY MESSAGES CONTD

Formal leadership lacks real understanding of the challenges of youth & transformation paths

The opportunity for transformation lies at “THE EDGE” of society outside of mainstream life

TRENDS: YOUTH BULGETRENDS: YOUTH BULGE

Africa’s youth population will keep rising until 2050

Population of 15-24 year olds will rise by more than 1/3rd to 275m by 2025.

(Source: UN DESA/Pouplation Office)

National planning in many cases: misses rapid population rise

TRENDS: YOUTH TRENDS: YOUTH EXCLUSIONEXCLUSIONResultant pressure on systems – creates exclusion of youth: poor access to education, health, decent jobs; lack of societal recognition

Youth seen “as risk” a threat to be addressed rather than a group “at risk”

Many youth “pushed” to the “edge” of the state

State approach is “top down”

TRENDS: LIFE AT “THE EDGE”TRENDS: LIFE AT “THE EDGE”

The “edge” offers limitless possibilities opportunities & challenges

Informal processes and activities are the heartbeat of life at the edge: networks of social security, trade, creativity, risk

Mainstream and officialdom ignore the “edge” at their peril

RESPONSE PATTERNS: WHO RESPONSE PATTERNS: WHO CARES?CARES?

State policies/ responses: More of the same: focus only on formal and mainstream; dismissive of the “informal” and of discourses at “the edge”

Reactive, defensive and unimaginativeThe neglect of the important “intangibles”

Pitches one group of youth against another

Condemns and fears the unknown “edge”

WHO CARES? WHO CARES? NARRATIVES /DISCOURSES AT “THE NARRATIVES /DISCOURSES AT “THE EDGE”EDGE”

Discourses at the edge: Challenge conventional wisdom with radical ideas

Articulate legitimate grievancesSee mainstream as the foePropose coping mechanismsCreate new/ alternative systems/ solutions

Promote creativity and innovation

Attract rogue elite; criminal networks – who hijack youth narratives of exclusion

WHY “THE EDGE” WHY “THE EDGE” MATTERSMATTERSThe bulk of African society now gravitates toward the edge – and relishes its authenticity and opportunities

Informality at the edge captures the intangibles that hold solutions

But the value and strength of the edge is also its weakness: It is home to the “hijackers” of well intentioned, radical edge-thinking

It transmutes innocent radicalization into violence and brutality – sheer terror

““THE EDGE”: AN THE EDGE”: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OPPORTUNITY FOR TRANSFORMATIONTRANSFORMATIONAny serious effort to prevent violent extremism among Africa’s youth must seek to “demystify” life at the edge

Officialdom must travel to the edge, embrace the edge and its talents, decriminalize the edge

Knowledge of “who and what thrives at the edge”, whose narratives influence, counter the narratives that promote violent extremism is key

DEMYSTIFYING THE EDGEDEMYSTIFYING THE EDGE

The hope for increased levels of stability social capital, trust and political participation requires:◦Genuine connection between the formal and informal; tangibles and intangibles; and mainstream and edge – avoiding parallel systems

◦Societal recognition for genuine leaders at the edge

◦Demobilizing “youth veterans” at the edge through credible and meaningful “national service”

◦Commitment of the elite to invest in such a plan