A nation that rides on youth development should
be classified as a developed nation; from the definition of contemporary
philosophy of reality young people are agents of change. The previously
mentioned word “agents of change” has left young people around the world at
risk given their energy and zeal to transform society. As alluded to by some Scholars
and Politicians, “if you want to lose power, empower young people.” However, the previous quotation is just a
fallacy from pseudo minded power hungry leaders who equate the development of
the young generation to their loss of power. Many African countries fall into
this category of the arm –chair politics of devising policies that usher
rhetoric without a clear implementation plan, this is done to cripple the development- path of youth in which their
needs will not be addressed but remain a volumable political rhetoric. The gate-way
for some African Politicians is to starve young people of opportunities, coupled
with high unemployment and therefore manipulate them as agents of violence.
As defined by humanity, throughout the edge
history, it has disproportionately placed the burdens of war and violence on
young people and the achievements of peace to older generation. As we theorize
and reverse the thinking that young people are violent, are not organized, we
need to introspectively unearth the causes of such, not in the vain of
validation of the former, but as an exposure strategy, to the failed policies.
Those in power must create a conducive environment for the young people. It is of
paramount importance to note that young people are vital stakeholders in
conflict and in peace-building. In some cases, young people are directly
involved in violent conflict, including as child soldiers, usually due to the
plans of the so-called leaders who are in positions of control, the young
people face hard realities of poverty that drives them to the train of
manipulation.
It is important for young people to understand
the world around them and their role within it.
While social, cultural, and economic forces all
contribute to young people being conscripted and massively labeled as agents of
violence, these are reinforced by normative expectations in many societies and
traditions that youth are – in some manner – inherently volatile, and even
dangerous. As one scholar shashadly
observed in line with the elucidations, “the 'teenager' seems to have replaced
the Communist as the appropriate target for public controversy and foreboding.”
However, the power should be diverted from
viewing young people as agents of violence, but positively to be viewed as
agents of peace. As opposed to viewing youth as a period of
life in which violent behavior is something to be channeled and checked –a re -conceptualization
of the qualities of youth takes place and they are seen as essential to the challenges
of building peace. In this call,
policies of government must be designed in such a way that young people are
groomed from tender age, with array of practical opportunities and framework
that sidelines poverty in the name of unemployment, lack of skills, among other
poverty tenants.
The potential of young people is not in the
negative realm, but positively, young people act as community leaders in
peace-building, reconciliation and post conflict reconstruction, in
establishing themselves as the next generation of leaders. The present government
must locate themselves with the needs of young people, failure to empower them
through sound policy will temporarily benefit the polity, but the long run might
be premised on the uprisings, as was witnessed in the Arab States. In any case
of laymen philosophy, if the ball continues to receive continued pressure it
will burst and the result will be the end of the match. Peace is equal to
development, hence the participation of youth in peace -building is a pyramid in
developing the nation, an empowered generation operating in a well governed
state is less likely going to engage in violent acts, and in this case the
focus will be to guide and consolidate the national interests and to further
facilitate stability and development.
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