The Status Of Youth in Somaliland: HOPELESSNESS

The Status Of Youth in Somaliland

Hargeisa, 2 May 2009 - The cities of the world are often regarded as hubs of wealth and privilege, but they are also home to hundreds of millions of people for whom unemployment and poverty are daily realities. Growth and development have brought millions of jobs and higher living standards to billions of men and women. Yet, it is not a wealth which every one enjoys.

In Somaliland thousands of people live each day in object poverty and nastiness. Children are hungry, they cannot read or write. They are needlessly ill. With no chance of education or safe health care. Young peoples dreams shattered by the joblessness and graduates spent a good time of their life in the cafes with little to do, there tribalism, futile stories is the order of the day.

We Somalilanders, as young people, as student and as leaders of tomorrow lack of courage of our society, our government and our educators.. Low rates of literacy and lack of resource centers characterized our lives and makes us hopelessness.

We live in a world were nations spend as much as the entire income of all to their youth. While in Somaliland the problem of youth unemployment is more complex than in some other parts in the continent. A complex mix of factors contributes to Somaliland 's unemployment figures, it includes an increasing number of young graduates in the high schools and a university adds to the pool of job seekers every year, worsening the situation.

Slow growing economies are unable to generate enough job opportunities to absorb the young people qualifying from institutions of learning every year. Young graduates of men and women are roaming the streets of Hargeisa with nothing to do, observing the country and waiting a chance of employment.

Another problem is the moving rural young people to the major towns in the country. With little access to education, health, economic and job opportunity resulted that young rural willfully decide to move to the big towns in the hope of greater chances for employment, as well as more exciting life, causing urban drift and also fuel unemployment in the country.

Having a job provides a person not only with a source of income but also a basis for dignity and self respect. To be leaders in the context of their families and in the broader community, young Somali Landers need to find a decent job. How ever, young Somali Landers have a hard time in Somaliland job markets and affected by poor employment prospects.

Stagnant or slothful economies that are not growing fast enough to produce jobs for growing population forced many young men and women to migrate in Libya their way to Europe in order to search better life and job opportunity. Sadly, Somaliland youth have lose the hope of finding a decent job and this compelled them to cross dangerous path and waters to better pastures, with all too tragic consequences.

In the long risk journey some of them died in the way, while others arrested due to unaware of the political, legal, social and economic consequences involving in moving one country to another. In Hargeisa youth are asking their selves the question of where do I go from here? What do graduates do? The answer is, I need money to go to Europe and America ….. The land of plenty.

Europe and America still echoes in the minds of many Somaliland generation and they believe life is there is bed of roses. We Somaliland generation of today miss out on a good quality of education and access to jobs. We have little hope in life; our future looks uncertain and our lives are characterized by hopelessness, tomorrow where shall we go?

A substantial focus to be placed on kick-starting Somaliland 's economies that have experienced at minimal growth in the last years. This will entail creating comprehensive, integrated and coherent macroeconomic view and employment policies that will benefit young people through job creation in the formal labor market. Somaliland governments have not yet in corporate job creation plans in to their development frame work. And that is the only way to tackle job unemployment existing in our country.

Let us remember the wisdom says, "Youth are like young plants, they need to be cared for, if you take good care of your plants, you will have strong plants and a good harvest. It is the same with youth, if you look after them".

Farhan Abdi Suleiman (oday)
Economic student at University Of Hargeisa
Email: oday1999@yahoo.com