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Youth in the HornIntroduction to the moduleUnderstanding theHorn.org

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Curriculum Overview• Why study youth in the Horn of Africa?• Definitions and Concepts• Demographics• Methods and Data• Case Studies• Education• Sports and Development

• Women’s Football in Kenya• Somali Rap and Poetry• The first internet meme in Kenya• Health and reproduction

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WHY STUDY YOUTH?Introduction

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Why Youth?

• Numbers• Largest segment of population• Various estimates• Ages 10 to 24 ≈ 33% (World Bank)

• Ages 15 to 29 ≈ 45% to 50% (Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures)

• The Future• Inheriting ?• Making and breaking ?*• Innovating and creating?

*Honwana, Alcinda Manuel, and Filip de Boeck. 2005. Makers & Breakers: Children & Youth in Postcolonial Africa. Oxford; Trenton, N.J.; Dakar, Senegal: James Currey ; Africa World Press ; Codesria.

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According to World Bank data,life expectancy is increasing in the region.

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Fertility rates are decreasing.

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…and even as the percentage declines, it will remain high relative to other countries and regions.

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YOUTHDrivers of change?

Radelet, Steven C. 2010. Emerging Africa: How 17 Countries Are Leading the Way. Baltimore, MD: Center for Global Development.

Mahajan, Vijay. 2009. Africa Rising: How 900 Million African Consumers Offer More Than You Think. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Wharton School Pub.

Afro-optimism…

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Optimist forecasts

http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/01/daily_chart

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And within the region, GDP per capita is trending upwards.

Africa Rising

Rise of Democracy

& Better Governance

Stronger Economic Policies

End of Debt Crisis &

Improved Donor Relations

Rise of New Technologies

Emergence of a New

Generation

YOUTH

Adapted from Radelet, 2010

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Role of ‘Youth’

Makers• Productive work• Consumers• Creators• Problem solvers

• Reproduction of social norms• Affirmation of system

Breakers• Productive ? No jobs• Dependency• Delinquency• Insecurity

• Challenge status quo• Change rules• Social anxiety & fear

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Further explorations• Explore existing data• Demographic concepts• Methodology• Adequacy of data and concepts

• Explore definitions and theories on youth in Africa• Different perspectives

• International organizations, States, Families, NGOs• Colonial and post-colonial constructions

• Agency, the individual and the group• Differentiations

• Sex, gender, ethnicity, livelihood, location, education

For More, See http://understandingthehorn.org/

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CREDITSUnderstanding the Horn of Africa

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Understanding the Horn of Africa

An online curriculum project of the Center for African Studies, University of California, Berkeley

This material was developed under a Title VI International Research and Studies grant from the U.S. Department of Education. However, the content does not necessarily represent the policy or views of the U.S. Department of Education, or imply endorsement by the Federal Government.

• Principal Investigator: Leonardo Arriola• Project Coordinator: Martha Saavedra• Project Assistant: Tami Driver,• Web Development: Kim Carl and Howie Lan• Web Designer and Graphics: Casondra Sobieralski

http://understandingthehorn.org/