What is the role of youth in economic development?

Answer 1

IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH IN EONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:

Nearly 50% of the developing world population is youth and children there are 1.2 billion 15 to 24 year olds in the world and one billion live in developing countries this is often referred to as the 'youth bulge' as young people constitute a high and peaking proportion of many populations. youth bulge represents both a challenge and an opportunity for development.

EXAMPLE:

In Uganda it is estimated that the country needs to create over 600,000 new jobs per year for the next 12 years - equivalent to the total size of the formal employment sector at present. If this is not achieved, it will be impossible to reach the Millennium Development Goals targets, particularly on extreme poverty and hunger, child mortality, and environmental sustainability

These large numbers of young people are an opportunity; an investment.

Youth participation in development:

• Strengthens young people's abilities to meet their own subsistence needs;

• Prevents and reduces vulnerabilities to economic, political and socially unstable environments;

• Promotes ownership and sustainability of interventions;

• Helps gain entry into target communities and builds up trust and social capital..