Beyond rhetoric: Engaging Africa’s youth in democratic governance

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) efforts to engage youth in democratic governance. It argues that while normative frameworks like the African Youth Charter and the African Governance Architecture–Youth Engagement Strategy (AGA–YES) exist, there is a significant gap between these theoretical rights and the practical reality for young Africans, who often face unemployment and political marginalisation.

• Africa possesses the youngest population globally, with individuals under 35 years old representing approximately 65% of the total population. This demographic is described as a "double-edged sword" because it can either drive innovation and economic growth or, if poorly managed, fuel violent conflict and instability.
• High levels of youth unemployment are a critical challenge and a primary driver of instability; research indicates that 50% of young people who join rebel movements cite unemployment as their main motivation.
• The African Union has established a comprehensive normative framework for youth, including the African Youth Charter (2006), the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, and Agenda 2063. However, the impact of these norms is limited by slow ratification, implementation, and reporting by member states.
• The African Governance Architecture–Youth Engagement Strategy (AGA–YES) aims to move beyond tokenism by enhancing youth capacity to engage with AU organs and RECs. A 2016 series of Regional Youth Consultations in Tunisia, Uganda, Namibia, and Ghana revealed that many young people still lack a fundamental understanding of how the African human rights system operates.
• Youth-led movements in specific countries demonstrate the potential for transformational governance: the #NotTooYoungToRun campaign in Nigeria seeks to lower the age for public office, while the Fees Must Fall and Rhodes Must Fall movements in South Africa challenge systemic inequalities.
• Specific regional challenges were identified during 2016 consultations: East African youth noted the negative impact of ethnic-based politics; North African youth cited unresolved causes of uprisings; West African youth called for education reform focusing on entrepreneurship; and Southern African youth reported a decline in civic engagement, particularly among women.
• The document recommends that member states abolish discriminatory age limits and prohibitive fees that prevent young people from running for elective office, and urges the domestication of AU Shared Values.

APA

Tracey, L., & Kahuthia, E. (2017). Beyond rhetoric: Engaging Africa’s youth in democratic governance. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/policybrief99.pdf

Chicago

Tracey, Lauren, and Edward Kahuthia. Beyond rhetoric: Engaging Africa’s youth in democratic governance. Institute for Security Studies, 2017. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/policybrief99.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tracey |first1=Lauren |last2=Kahuthia |first2=Edward |title=Beyond rhetoric: Engaging Africa’s youth in democratic governance |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=February 2017 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/policybrief99.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tracey2017beyond, author = {Tracey, Lauren and Kahuthia, Edward}, title = {{Beyond rhetoric: Engaging Africa’s youth in democratic governance}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2017}, month = feb, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/policybrief99.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }