Youth submission to the APRM in South Africa

A youth-led submission to South Africa's second APRM review identifies nine critical governance gaps, including youth political exclusion, extreme economic inequality, and the tension between economic growth and climate action. The report calls for systemic reforms in land distribution, education quality, and the implementation of social protection and health schemes.

• Young South Africans are largely excluded from policymaking despite making up over 60% of the population, facing barriers such as the closed-list proportional representation electoral system and tokenistic engagement from political parties. The submission recommends reviewing youth policies and introducing youth quotas in both private and public sectors to address low voter turnout and registration.
• South Africa is characterized as one of the world's most unequal societies, where nearly half the population is chronically poor and unemployment is at an all-time high. While policies to combat poverty, inequality, and unemployment exist, they often fail during implementation, necessitating a greater focus on entrepreneurship, local economic development, and education.
• The government has achieved nearly 100% school attendance for children aged 7 to 17, but educational outcomes remain poor and tied to income and race. Issues include substandard infrastructure, such as pit latrines and overcrowded classrooms, with similar inequalities persisting in higher education access and throughput.
• South Africa's climate policy is defined by a tension between its status as a heavy emitter with a high carbon footprint and its needs as a developing country requiring economic growth. The document notes a government unwillingness to legislate the changes necessary for meaningful climate impact and calls for more corporate responsibility for environmental degradation.
• Governance failures extend to land and housing, where the majority of land remains held by white people and the National Development Plan's land reform goals have not been met. Additionally, the government has struggled to provide universal access to sanitation, water, and adequate housing.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2021). Youth submission to the APRM in South Africa. https://saiia.org.za/research/youth-submission-to-the-aprm-in-south-africa/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Youth submission to the APRM in South Africa. 2021. https://saiia.org.za/research/youth-submission-to-the-aprm-in-south-africa/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Youth submission to the APRM in South Africa |date=24 May 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/youth-submission-to-the-aprm-in-south-africa/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2021youth, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Youth submission to the APRM in South Africa}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = may, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/youth-submission-to-the-aprm-in-south-africa/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }