Youth Bulge Analysis

Those theorising about the ‘youth bulge’ define youth as being between the ages of 15 and 30 (Mabala, 2011). It may be argued that the higher the age that defines youth is, the more marginalised the younger youth become, and pushing back the age of when adulthood begins leaves young people in a state of uncertainty, as they have not been given the social space to become or be recognised as adults (Mabala, 2011). Even if the lower range of 15 – 24 years old is used, youth cannot be treated as homogenous group of people – there is a huge difference between individuals at each end of this

In the Global South, youth has generally been viewed negatively, termed as a ‘youth bulge’ – a very large youth cohort relative to the adult population of a nation (Urdal, 2004) - an evermore expanding and explosive force. All countries experience this bulge, as infant and child mortality declines and health improves, more children survive until the age of ‘youth’. The ‘youth bulge’ concept is usually focused on men, with the trend often interpreted as too many unoccupied young men, that are seen as a threat to stability and security (Mabala, 2011). Based on the perception that young men are inherently more violent than older men, or women, large numbers of young men are seen to be those who may turn to violent crime, political violence or terrorism, with such a perspective leading to measures which ‘entertain or contain’ young people, rather than providing them with opportunities for livelihoods and

Social exclusion of youth is a recurring feature of many societies and communities, and mention of the social, political, and economic marginalisation of most young people is common. (Sommers, 2007). Adulthood and masculinity expectations and pressures can also profoundly influence youth decisions and their outlook on the future. Governments can make the promotion of male youth frustration worse in many ways, including making access to land and non-agricultural employment difficult, severely reducing their ability to progress and ‘become men’ (Uvin,