ブックタイトル佐藤栄作　受賞論文集

概要

佐藤栄作　受賞論文集

第25回優秀賞discussion, I provide some general recommendations about the role that UN agenciesshould take in these areas. In both cases, youth had often been considered primarilyas a source of problems and as a threat to future political and economic stability.As I wish to argue however, young people are in fact a source of hope for futuretransformation and an essential part of any holistic strategy to deal with poverty andits many symptoms. In order to tackle issues as diverse as population, food security,environmental sustainability and natural resource management, it is vital to have apolitically engaged and aware youth population with the capacity to follow throughwith their ideas. Mainstreaming youth throughout UN policy and activities in Africa isan important step in this direction.Human development and the relevance of youth for fighting poverty in AfricaAfrican youth in crisis?A cursory look at the demographics of contemporary Africa reveals the overwhelmingsize of the youth population. As is the case in many developing countries, where lifeexpectancy is low and birth-rates comparatively high, Africa faces a demographicimbalance that is an important consideration for any strategy aimed at reducingpoverty. Based on the UN definition of youth as those between the ages of 15 and24 years old, in 2005 youth accounted for 20.4 percent of the total population of sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the huge impact of HIV/AIDS, this number is continuing toincrease (United Nations 2007: 80). It is important to recognize when addressing issuesof youth, that the concept is culturally determined. Accordingly, understandings ofwhat constitutes the category of‘youth’vary between Africa societies. Moreover,youth is by no means a homogenous category, and the way that young people699