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The forthcoming next general elections envisaged for 23 May 2010, witness a lack of substantial youth representation in either the ruling party or the contestant opposition political parties. Ethiopia has a youthful population. The 2007 population and housing census show that the proportion of young population under age of 24 is 65 percent. The ruling party is in power for over 18th years, at this age a youth in Ethiopia will complete secondary education. The vast majority of youth is not yet in a position to take a lead in the country’s political future for at least the coming five years.
Despite the commitment of many policymakers and advocates to addressing the ever-increasing development needs of youth, calls for appropriate programs, services, and funding have gone largely unanswered. Youth in Ethiopia remain at high risk of unplanned pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and sexually transmitted infections, high illiteracy rate, even though many small-scale programs are ready for scale up and would help youth achieve their potential and help nations achieve their development goals. With global attention focused on the Millennium Development Goals, countries that recognize the importance of healthy young adults (ages 15 to 24) also have a better chance of reaching their targets for Goal 3 (promoting gender equality and empowering women), Goal 4 (reducing child mortality), Goal 5 (improving maternal health), and Goal 6 (combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases).
Many, even those who reach lower secondary levels, can hardly read or write and are unprepared to cope with the practicalities of daily life. In several African countries, half or fewer of all young women ages 15 to 24 can read a simple sentence after three years of primary school… Many young people do not know basic facts that could save their lives, such as what causes HIV/AIDS, at a time when many begin sexual activity. Knowledge about condom use is very low regardless of grade attained in both high- and low-HIV prevalence countries. (World Development Report 2007, World Bank)Why youth participation?
Young people are a valuable asset to their countries and investing in them brings tremendous social and economic benefits. They also face challenges – including violence and crime, unemployment and HIV/AIDS – that undermine their rights and create significant social and economic costs to society.
It is crucial that we engage the young decision makers of tomorrow in the development decisions of today. There is growing momentum on youth participation within the development community. Governments around the world are increasingly supporting youth ministries, youth policies and youth programmes, and there is now greater recognition that young people are better able to make choices that support the pursuit of educational goals and the development of life skills necessary for national and local leadership positions.
These large numbers of young people are an opportunity; an investment. Youth participation in development:
- Strengthens young people’s abilities to meet their own subsistence needs;
- Prevents and reduces vulnerabilities to economic, political and socially unstable
- Promotes ownership and sustainability of interventions;
- Helps gain entry into target communities and build up trust and social capital.
- What needs to be done?
Having seen the socio-economic and political environment of the country I tend to be convinced with the latter idea. People who are in decision making position need to be certain that young people participation is crucial to respond for the ill effects of underdevelopment. And programs and policies that target young people development in particular and the nation’s development in general will best respond to the needs of the youth if youths took part meaningfully in the design and implementation of the programs.
That also goes hand in hand with expanding opportunity to education and developed democratic practices that young people can take responsibility in making decision makers accountable for inadequate representation of youth. Access to media, information communication technology, free associations, have a significant contribution for the development of youth participation in politics and national development endeavors.
I hope the situation will improve in the years to come and it won’t be far too long to see young policy makers and parliamentarians in the country.
This is a critical issue and it would be ideal if we could share our opinions on the issue!
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