| dc.description.abstract | Lack of uniformity in the youth work sector about the concept of youth has led to various classifications of the youth age group. The United Nations (UN) considers anyone between the ages of 15 to 24 years as ‘youth’; a criterion endorsed by the UN General Assembly in the context of preparations for the International Youth Year 1985 (UN, resolution 36/28 of 1981). This criterion of youth applies to development measurements of education, health, employment, and demography reflected in the UN yearbooks. The global youth population is estimated at 1.8 billion youth, ninety percent of whom reside in developing countries and make up most of the population there. There are more than 235 million youth in India and 225 million in China. Africa's population is noticeably young, with 60% of the entire continent aged below 25 years, making it the youngest continent in the world. Individuals in the 15 to 34 years age group make up about 20.4 million or 63.9% of the entire population in South Africa (Statistics South Africa, 2022). The imbalance in the population spread implies that young people suffer the worst economic burden. There are frequent assertions that the youth are the future, even the famous Nelson Mandela once spoken about the the youth of today as the leaders of tomorrow. These words are inspiring, however, the current challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality that young people face raise concerns about how the youth can achieve what society says about them in the global competitive economy. It is important also to reflect on the role of the youth in the UN, African Union (AU), Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), and other foreign embassies' initiatives in the South African context. This study is concerned with the present opportunities that are available to empower young people for them to truly be the future. The problem with using the slogan “The youth are the future” while neglecting to empower them is that this leaves them unprepared when they are expected to take a stand in society. The significance of this study is in probing the issue of empowering South African youth to be competitive in the global political economy unless they rely on foreign actors and nationals for a livelihood. It is high time that the South African youth take responsibility as leaders at the community level, and step onto the global stage.
This study argues from empowerment theory that youth empowerment in South Africa is focused on individuals instead of communities and organisations; and the people who benefit from such initiatives are those from well-off families, the politically connected and
youths in universities or those who are intrinsically motivated to seek out information. The poor and disadvantaged youth have no semblance of contacting a foreign embassy, SADC or UN offices to inquire about leadership and economic development programmes. As result, the poor are in a permanent state of disempowerment. Using interviews and document analysis, the study incorporates the voices of young people who indicate that they are now aware of youth empowerment initiatives from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), foreign embassies and youth development organisations. Their complaints include the political patronage in BEE deals by the government and other funding opportunism from the NYDA. The youth indicated that they were not aware of anybody from their neighbourhoods who is a role model on an international scale, whether in the UN, SADC, AU circles or business. Foreign embassies and regional bodies do not communicate effectively with the youth to let them know of available opportunities. Thus, the need that the study prospects is that of youth empowerment. Focusing on the word prospects is important to show what solutions to implement in the context of existing hindrances to youth empowerment. Applying the political economy framework enhances the dialogue and creates awareness among South African youth to start imagining themselves as global actors. This will help the youth to realise what job and entrepreneurship opportunities exist internationally. That kind of global imagination will help reduce the xenophobic sentiments in South Africa as the youth see themselves as The research findings and recommendations could help to enhance and direct positive curiosity for the youth to become the future leaders that Mandela spoke of. The findings will help the South African youth to appreciate that international issues have an impact on local issues, and they cannot be ignored. As one respondent said, “The best way of youth empowerment is to let the youth know what the real world is and get them prepared for their future career.” For organisations and regional structures, open communication and accessible platforms will increase the prospects for youth empowerment. The role of local government is, therefore, vital to ensure that the youth in rural communities partake in the global economy. | en_US |
