The United Nations defines Youth as persons between ages 15 to 25 while the African youth charter sees youth as persons between ages 15 and 35. Age has become the easiest way to define this group particularly in relation to employment, education, politics and the likes.
Youth have often been discriminated as a result of this and no fair chance given for the full expression of their potentials.
The Youth form about 85% of the world's population and 30% of migrations world wide; so it would be OK to say, the youth make up the world...
This years 'International Youth day' celebrations has the theme; ''Youth Migration: Moving Forward'' . As a young person myself, I am not unaware of the challenges (whether social of economic) we face. Rural-Urban migration has been recurring for centuries and it's not about to stop; and youth are most often the ones moving. Several factors are responsible for this move.
In Nigeria for example, most youth raised in rural communities are all in a hurry to move into the big cities in search of a better life. The attraction is often that life is better in the cities. This move accounts for the crowded nature certain cities in the country.
For any nation to thrive there is need to create space and opportunities for empowering young people and giving them due recognition for their contributions. When the youth of our nations are brought into nation building and development rather than being reduced to political thugs and tools of propaganda, real progress can be recorded.
It is no surprise that the active population of any nation is it's youth, the passion and energy they channel into productive means can quickly be misdirected when proper avenues of channeling skill and know-how is not provided.
Rural-urban migration can be reduced when infrastructure and equal opportunities are created across border. This will also help to curb cases of trafficking as well as abuse and modern slavery.
Let the youth speak with cohesion so that a clear voice is heard, let the youth shun violence and refuse to sell their mandate for a piece of bread. When the youth take a stand, change can be effected.
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