With about 200 million people aged between 15-24, the United Nations (UN) recognises Africa as the youngest continent in the world. However, deliberations on the second day of the the SADC Debt Conference show that young people continue to be marginalised from discussions on developmental issues despite the on their future.
Speaking on a panel tackling the question of youth and debt, Michael Ndiweni, Executive Director of Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) summarised African youth’s experience of debt as a “double edged sword”. Focusing on informal workers, he indicated that young people are adversely impacted not only by the reduction of fiscal space for social issues such as health, education and social security, but also by debt repayment policies such as the shrinking of public service, all of which drive youth unemployment and further compromise youth livelihoods.