UNDERSTANDING AND TRANSFORMATION OF YOUTHS

Author: Prince Foday

The understanding and transformation of youths can be achieved through the tackling of youth conflicts with society. Conflict, from the oxford dictionary of current English, is explained as the state of confusion, fight, struggle or clashing of opposed interest. In the case of youth, conflicts may arise due to disputes with opposed interest between youth and stakeholders. It is a inevitable that youths are neglected and the degree of neglect varies for developing and developed countries. This degree of isolation has resulted to the many social discomforts dispensed by youths.  The sources of conflicts between youths and society are inadequate satisfaction of basic and other rights, youth unemployment, communication gap, and the absence of centre for youth and society arbitration. For developing countries, the gap between youths and society remains wide, as the satisfaction of the identified sources of conflicts is minimal. From my opinion, it is society that poses a great problem to youths. Most of the youths are peaceful, and if provided the opportunity, would contribute the most to national development. In our own days as youths and even now in developing nations, the issue of gun crimes were absent. Conflicts among us were responded to through stoning, using residual oranges, faeces and other mild tools. Our actions were not meant to kill. In developed nations, the gap is small and it is the youth that share the bulk of the problems or trying to open the gap. There are evidences of frantic strides by society in developed nations to satisfy the identified sources of conflicts in order to close the gap. However, these efforts are frustrated, to a large extent, by the youths. The intriguing and frustrating issue about their behaviour is the increase in gun crimes. This had led and still continue to lead to loss of innocent lives, a life that they did not create.  The question I will want to ask is, why kill someone when you are a potential dead person? Such cowardly act is highly unacceptable in a descent society. From what I had investigated independently, most of these awful killing are for flimsy reasons. It might be rivalry on a girl or boy friend, drug debt, hegemony, and other issues that does not deserve a harsh countervailing power.

Inadequate satisfaction of basic and other rights

Conflicts may arise due to insufficient satisfaction of basic and other rights. In Africa and other parts of the world, youths are deprived to a large extent of their rights to physiological needs (that is basic needs like food, shelter and clothing). Most youths cannot have square meal or the required nutrients for human health per day, shelter to sleep, cloths to wear. Furthermore, other basic human rights such as education, health care, freedom of expression, to name a few, are inadequately met. Youth education is minimal as the disparity between rich and poor has made education to be accessible only to youths with affluent background. Youths with weak parental background are deprived from their rights to education due to financial constraints to education. Health care delivery system to youths is weak and most youths cannot afford the expenses on health. They are denied of their fundamental human rights. Youths have limitation to freedom of expression, on sensitive issues, due to the despotic nature of African leaders and some in other parts of the globe. 

Youth Unemployment

The rate of youth unemployment in Africa is high and this may even be applicable to other continents. Youths that undergo university, professional and vocational education are not assured of ready jobs. The investment inertia is not much attractive to induce domestic and foreign investments that are sources of employment for youths. However, most youths remain unemployed because of their dependence on public sector absorption, thereby wasting their endowments. Youths are urged to take the employment challenge by organising themselves into youth groups or professional groups. The fact is that, financial institutions cannot fund an individual but groups. The problem is that, even where these youths organise themselves into groups, they may not have the funds to meet group establishment registration fees and administrative expenses of their organisations. Besides, the funding discrimination on the part of domestic and international donor organisations is a major stumbling block towards sustaining youth organisations. Group for African Peace had their experience in the Gambia when their drama competition among senior schools in March 2003 was launched on the theme: `The Struggle with Poverty'. The Drama competition was successful but proposal sent for funding was minimally honoured. Youth unemployment is rooted in the fact that most people reduce their age to have a longer span at work. Jobs advertised require longer term of experience. Youths are stifled from participating in politics, as old politicians are recycled.

Communication Gap

Youths are sometimes known to thrive on rumours that may sometimes lead to violence. The reason for such harsh and inhuman action is due to inadequacies in the chain of communication. There is the desire to inform youths about resolving conflicting issues through dialogue and negotiating table. It could be observed in Africa and other continents that youth violence has resulted to loss of lives and damage to state and private properties. Violent youth actions has contributed immensely to general national development setbacks. Like in most or all Africa countries, where television and other channels of communication is a luxury, communication gap still remains a problem. It is a syndrome that youths are not be informed, as informing them, leads to their awareness. Most of the funds available for youth development are siphoned into their private pockets. Youths are not informed about the national constitution and other relevant national information. Worst even, is the decision making process. There is the gainsaying that, `involving people in the decision making process motivates them and that increases their contribution towards the general object’. This is not the case for youths in Africa and other continents. Youths are isolated in decision making, and therefore, they are blind to what is actually happening in society. Such information blindness is one of the sources of their negative actions to society.

The Absence of Youth and Society Arbitration Centres

Injustice is highly prevalent between youths and society. Youths are not appropriately living up to their obligations to society whilst the basic human rights due to youths are not appropriately addressed by society. Furthermore, there is the absence of arbitration centres where youth can seek redress. Youths have to be informed on the need to present grievances affecting them to society for arbitration rather than resulting to violent action. For the arbitration centre to be successful parties to the conflict (that is youths and society) have to be fairly heard and concrete agreements reached as a permanent solution to the conflict. Parties to the conflict are required to honour their own part of the agreement. Reflecting on Africa and other continents, there is the negation of sound youth policy framework. Weak youth policy framework has had a resonate effect on youth disposition and performance. The frustration of their concerns has led to increase in the use of illegal drugs as a source of solace. The abuse of these illegal drugs is a possible source of most insanity faced by youths and it is society that meets the expenses. The disgusting thing about the insanity in Africa and some part of the world is that, they are not giving the needed attention. I had seen many instances in Sierra Leone, as a case study, where the mentally disordered are stoned and provoked. Youth insanity is always worsened and there is little provision for rehabilitation. For developed nations like United Kingdom, Canada, United States, to name but a few, there is intense action to salvage youth insanity.

Conclusion

One would conclude that, society can be youth conflict averse, if solutions to the suggested sources of conflicts are identified and acted upon. In the provision of solutions to youths and society conflicts, one would only identify the outcomes of the conflicts and not the causes. It is necessary to know the causes of the conflicts, and thereafter, provide permanent corrective measures. Society is expected to satisfy the basic human rights of youths and youths in turn are expected to measure up to their responsibilities. The needed investment inertia has to be created to increase domestic and foreign investment, as more investors mean more employment opportunities for youths. Engaging youths, through the provision of the enabling employment opportunities and with appreciable conditions of services, is one of the solutions to youth conflicts. Youth employment can engage the minds of youths away from committing criminal acts and armed violence detrimental to national development. There is the need for an investigation into those that reduce their ages to maintain themselves in jobs and anyone found wanting be prosecuted. Youths should be given the opportunity to work and acquire experience on the job rather than taking long-term experience as a bulldozing excuse. The recycling of politicians in Africa and other parts of the world needs to be replaced by a replica of House of Lords. Youths have to be allowed to engage in active politics and those politicians reaching retirement age be appointed to the replica of House of Lords. Effective communication between youths and stakeholders has to be assured, as sound communication is one way of exchanging frank ideas and eliminating tension and mistrust. Youths have to inform society about their grievances and concerns and they should ensure that there are tangible evidences of the dispensation of their obligations to society. Youths must imbibe the culture of peace and sense of patriotism as privileges go with responsibilities. Society in turn needs to forthrightly communicate to youths, on progress made pertaining to the satisfaction of their basic human rights and ensure that visible evidences are there to be seen by the sceptics. The presence of youth and society arbitration centres are outlets for promoting justice without fear or favour. The arbitration centres, if effectively utilised, can avert conflicts between youths and society. Conflicting parties have to provide satisfactory evidences to their hypothesis and arguments to the centre and adopt acceptable measures for avoiding subsequent disputes. There is the need for youths to be represented in parliament and other strata of society in order to be involved in micro and macro decision making. The identified sources of conflicts, if not solved, will make youths vulnerable to terrorists’ cells, and it is society that would bear the brunt.We are living in a world where we are all potential dead men and women. It is nice to make the world a better place for mankind. Youths are required to refrain from harsh and deadly actions in society, and society in turn, is required to promote youth peace.

Author:

Prince Foday

Reporter, Human Rights