TakingITGlobal - Panorama - Youth and Rights

Published on: Feb 28, 2007

Topic:

Type: Opinions

https://www.tigweb.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=11389

The youth form more than half the worlds overall population. As seen in most nations this group takes up more than half of their countries total population. Kenyan youth in particular constitute approximately 60% of Kenyans. The group's large number and vitality are undoubtedly a big resource to political, social and economic struggles of any nation. However for a long time, the youth's participation to these nationally important processes has been peripheral and somewhat cosmetic. Due to reasons not limited to ageism, lack of knowledge, skills, capacity, empowering information, favourable institutions or structures and organisation, they have failed to influence political and socio-economic processes of change aimed at benefiting the citizenry in general and the youth in particular.

Owing to these shortcomings, the youth world over have continued to languish in endemic poverty and gross human rights violations within their countries or local settings. Youth are living undignified lives; those particularly in developing nations are confronted with bad governance and undemocratic leadership, unemployment, lack of information and access to technology, lack of quality healthcare, lack of quality and relevant education and a myriad of other human rights issues. Civil society organisations, development agencies and even governments of the day have attempted and even gained considerable mileage in empowering and organising the youth to participate in and engage more visibly with political and socio-economic processes that can bring about change in these situations facing them.

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by Sean Amos
Published on: Feb 28, 2007
Topic:
Type: Opinions
https://www.tigweb.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=11389


The youth form more than half the worlds overall population. As seen in most nations this group takes up more than half of their countries total population. Kenyan youth in particular constitute approximately 60% of Kenyans. The group's large number and vitality are undoubtedly a big resource to political, social and economic struggles of any nation. However for a long time, the youth's participation to these nationally important processes has been peripheral and somewhat cosmetic. Due to reasons not limited to ageism, lack of knowledge, skills, capacity, empowering information, favourable institutions or structures and organisation, they have failed to influence political and socio-economic processes of change aimed at benefiting the citizenry in general and the youth in particular. Owing to these shortcomings, the youth world over have continued to languish in endemic poverty and gross human rights violations within their countries or local settings. Youth are living undignified lives; those particularly in developing nations are confronted with bad governance and undemocratic leadership, unemployment, lack of information and access to technology, lack of quality healthcare, lack of quality and relevant education and a myriad of other human rights issues. Civil society organisations, development agencies and even governments of the day have attempted and even gained considerable mileage in empowering and organising the youth to participate in and engage more visibly with political and socio-economic processes that can bring about change in these situations facing them. « return.