Youth shaping Africa’s present and future: Insights from IDRC youth programming in Africa

 

The growing population of young people in Africa demands inclusive development policies and programs. By 2030, young Africans are expected to make up 42% of the world’s youth, and 75% of Africa’s population will be under age 35. There is a growing recognition that Africa’s youth are actively engaged in reimagining and helping to make different sectors responsive to societal needs and the Sustainable Development Goals. The African Union has developed several youth development policies and programs seeking to harness the demographic dividend.

Through an analysis of IDRC-funded work and other relevant youth programs in Africa, this project seeks to synthesize and highlight major findings and lessons. In this learning process, youth agency will be centred to better understand how different categories of youth express themselves and their needs, and to break cycles of physical, symbolic and systemic violence, including through intergenerational dialogue and collaboration to build the desirable present and future. The work will engage intentionally with youth-led organizations to support their articulations of priorities and ways of working.

Lessons from this research will be shared with key stakeholders, such as African governments that recognize the youthful population as a major constituency, and various regional economic communities committed to strengthening, reinforcing and consolidating efforts to empower young people through meaningful participation. The project will also engage with international organizations and other development partners to enrich their investment plans. Lastly, the project will contribute to internal learning within IDRC programming seeking to better understand effective ways of working on and with youth, and on key gaps that require more support in research for development.