Event:Youth in War and Post-War Africa ,Priorities and Policies

In war and post-war Africa, youth populations are colossal and most governments are weak. Most international observers do not realize that African youth are faced with a daunting irony: that while they are demographically dominant, many if not most of them feel like and act as if they are members of an outcast minority. The separateness of so many young citizens raises questions about who is actually represented by mainstream civil society groups and traditional community leaders, the entities with which most international actors engage. In turn, this casts doubt on the degree to which governments claiming to welcome and support youth programs are viewed as legitimate, and whether these programs for finite numbers of youth cohorts are appropriate, since only a tiny fraction of young people in need stand to benefit and many more may feel, yet again, left out.

The Youth in War and Post-War Africa: Priorities and Policies conference will feature a panel of experts and practitioners on the priorities and situation of war-affected African youth and another panel of policy and opinion leaders on the strengths and deficits of government and donor policies that impact this population. In addition, the issues and challenges that the April 2012 conference will have direct relevance to war-torn and exceptionally youthful countries in other regions, such as Afghanistan and Timor-Leste, as well as the entire Middle East, where youth bulge demographics and youth-driven political resistance are overriding concerns.

To RSVP for this event kindly send an email to Africa@wilsoncenter.org

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