Being young in Africa: The politics of despair and renewal

Abstract

The 'problem of youth' in AfricaIn his most recent book on Africa, Négrologie, the French author Stephen Smith makes a sober assessment of Africa's problems: 'il faut cesser de travestir les réalités de l'Afrique en mêlant ce qui serait souhaitable à ce qui existe .... le présent n'a pas d'avenir sur le continent ' (2003: Avant Propos).Even if we are less Afro-pessimist than Smith, see more diversity and variety than hè does and look for positive aspects, this remark could very well apply to the overall situation of young people in Africa.They are facing tremendous odds and do not seem to hâve thé future in their own hands.While there has been progress in some respects -for example, in éducation, migration and job opportunities in the urban arena -the exponential population increase and thé fierce compétition for resources within thé contexts of malfunctioning or failing states have led to a relative décline in thé well-being and social advancement of young people in Africa.They are growing up in conditions of mass unemployment and are facing exclusion, health problems,' crisis within thé family due to poverty and thé AIDS pandémie, and a lack of éducation and skills.They also are marginalized in national state policies and hâve a weak légal position.African youths are over-represented in armed rebel or insurgent movements of various kinds as well as in criminal activities, to which they are so easily recruited.There is no prospect that this situation will change for thé better in thé near future.

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