African Youth Report 2009

This inaugural African Youth Report provides an in-depth perspective on youth issues in Africa. It builds on recent African initiatives, in particular the Fifth African Development Forum on “Youth and leadership in the twenty-first century” which was organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Africa Union together with other partners. The resulting Consensus Statement, adopted by a wide range of stakeholders, calls on African governments, partners and young people to take action that will promote not only youth development, but broader economic and social development, and hence, progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

In this context, the report serves to highlight the importance of popularizing, ratifying and implementing the African Youth Charter, which is the regional framework for youth development. Overall, the main contribution of this report is to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of the current status and trends in selected key economic and social development dimensions relevant to youth, namely, education, employment, health, and participation in political and decision-making processes. The report also reviews policy initiatives in these areas, highlighting best practices, and proposes clear recommendations for all stakeholders.