2020 YOUTH POLICY REMAINS DREAM FOR EMASWATINI

Young people in Eswatini face significant challenges.Almost every household has a young person who confronts uncertainty and a bleak future. I am not exempt from this challenge either.

Young people are not suffering alone; their parents are equally frustrated. Parents invest their last penny for their children to receive an education. Many have invested in tertiary education for their children, as access to government scholarships has been a challenge for many. Sadly, there has been little return on this investment. In a country where opportunities and access to jobs are increasingly linked to connections with the influential and powerful in society, the majority of young people from poor backgrounds struggle to find employment, particularly in the public sector, where one must either pay a bribe or have access to an influential individual.

Unveiled

Young people were hopeful when the government unveiled the 2020 Youth Policy. The then Honourable Minister of Sports, Youth and Culture stated, “It gives me great pleasure to present to the Nation, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, the Eswatini National Youth Policy 2020 Document. This is not just another document but a commitment and promise by Government, through our Ministry, to the thousands of young people in our country.

Government fully understands that Eswatini’s future is in the hands of young people. With over 70 per cent of our country’s population aged 35 years and under, we have been presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change the trajectory of our country’s fortunes forever.” This was a profound statement from the Honourable Minister, especially when he pledged that the policy was a commitment and a promise to the thousands of young people in the country. He concluded by saying,  “This Policy Document presents a new dawn for the youth of Eswatini.”

This, of course, evoked hope among young people and their parents that finally the Government of Eswatini had seen the light. Alas, four years later, the question remains: have the Minister’s words been turned into reality for thousands of Eswatini youth? Where is the new dawn? Unfortunately, it is more of the same for the new administration. No special effort has been made to operationalise the 2020 Youth Policy.

Issues facing young people
What issues are young people facing that persist and are even worsening? According to the population and housing census conducted in 2017, 409 793 people out of a total population of 1 093 238 are aged between 15 and 34 years. Eswatini comprises 50.7 per cent females and 49.3 percent males. The policy also notes that the constellation of challenges faced by youth in rural areas is very different and often harsher than those faced by urban youth.

Urban youth tend to have greater access to transport networks, communications, job opportunities, and government and financial services, not to mention fundamentals like electricity, clean water, sanitation, and food security. Another significant problem facing young people is domestic and gender-based violence, with a third of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 18–24 in Eswatini reporting that they have experienced sexual violence before the age of 18. Despite notable progress in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic, HIV/AIDS continues to be one of the most pressing challenges facing young people in the country, with heightened vulnerabilities for girls and young women. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS among adolescent girls aged 15–19 years is 10.2 per cent, compared with 1.9 per cent for males of the same age. Regarding education, the net enrolment rate is even lower in senior secondary (high) school, where only 12 per cent of young people of the appropriate age are enrolled.

Dropouts

According to research, AGYWs are the most likely to become school dropouts, with most of these dropouts occurring among junior secondary school students. The reported reasons for dropping out include family issues, teenage pregnancy, a shortage of school fees, and transfers. A total of 47.4 per cent (28,735) of young people aged 15–24 years in the Kingdom of Eswatini are not employed, while about 58 per cent of young people, according to the labour survey, are unemployed. Every young person dreams of employment after years of schooling and training. They aspire to start their own families, buy cars, enjoy good nutrition, and assist parents who may be struggling to secure decent shelter, to mention a few.

My plea to the new administration
The youth crisis in our country is a national emergency. Government jobs should be open to all young people, regardless of their status. The government should invest resources in the Youth Council as well as the Youth Fund. Additionally, the government should incentivise the private sector to absorb young people.

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