The marginalization of Kenyan youth

  

Date Posted: 1/24/2013 2:23:51 AM

Posted By: KOROHS  Membership Level: Silver  Total Points: 840

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Who is a youth? During the United Nations International Youth Year in 1985, the General Assembly defined a youth as those persons who fall between the ages of 15 and 24.In Kenya there are many such people who feel excluded and powerless, and who struggle to survive. After independence , young people were generally seen as the Promising generation that held the future in its hands and education would give them an even better chance of reaching prosperity. Many years after independence has not shown a takeover of power by the young or a substantial improvement in the life of youth in Kenya. To be young in Kenya has come to mean being disadvantaged, vulnerable and marginal in the political and economic sense. Youths have been made to believe that youthful stage is an unhappy phase of human existence and the reality is that youths in many parts of Kenya share the responsibilities of providing food or income, taking care of siblings and (partially) running the household

The marginalization of Kenyan youths is within the context of uncertain social status, and increasing unemployment. Youths in Kenya today must struggle to make a living in a Context of cut-throat competition, where the exigencies of daily life demand Constant resort to illegal activity and erode the functioning of common morality and ethics. Young people seem to need an exceptional degree of strength of character, innovation and endurance to have any hope for the future. Too frequently the needs of youths are only addressed as an afterthought when it comes to political and economic development initiatives. It is due to this injustices that youth protest Because of social marginalization and high unemployment rates etc.

Kenyan youths are caught in the chasm between childhood an unattainable social, political and economic status

that would define them as adults. Deprived of educational opportunities and livelihoods, youths are actively mobilized by politicians, who recognize that their alliance is valuable and their enmity dangerous. As a result of this they involve in various degrees of conflict as was evident during the disputed presidential election in 2007. Young people should therefore form youth clubs to provide positive direction for themselves and their colleagues who have suffered from disruptions in their education and exclusion from the job market. Such clubs will promote ‘fine’ youths and would an important bridging role in assisting young people to adapt to adult life.

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