East Africa, May 28, 2020: Youth in East Africa want to play an active role in their countries’ COVID19 response activities to help defeat the pandemic, this, according to a new region-wide survey by a consortium of civil society organisations.
Over 400 young people predominantly aged between 18 and 30 participated in the digital/electronic survey conducted by YouLead Summit with support from Restless Development Uganda, Westminster Foundation for Democracy and Faraja Africa Foundation.
In addition to the electronic survey, a series of moderated virtual conversations with youth in the five East African countries were conducted, aimed at gauging the extent that Covid-19 has disrupted young people’s daily livelihoods.
The Survey, among others, found that the majority of young people’s livelihoods especially incomes (59 per cent) and education (57 per cent) have been disrupted by the COVID19 Pandemic. This was reported to be the case across the region.
Excerpts:
“According to the findings, young people have felt the biggest disruptions in their Living/income activities and in their education. However, their responses also suggest that COVID-19 has disrupted many areas of their lives simultaneously – further research that looks at their lives holistically is needed to fully understand the full extent of how they have been affected and what support they need-” says the survey.
While the pandemic has brought the lives of young people to a halt, a large majority of the respondents (90 per cent) want to play an active role in their respective countries’ response activities to defeat COVID-19.
Excerpt:
“At least 90% of respondents would want to play a role in response efforts if such a role was offered. It is possible that this enthusiasm could be even higher if they were clear on what the role was since 8.3% did not simply say “no” but rather that they weren’t sure.”
The survey findings digitally launched on Thursday, through a Webinar, was attended by several stakeholders across the region. During a moderated panel discussion, the stakeholders discussed the findings and suggested response actions, moving forward.
Ivan Atuyambe, Head of Leadership and Governance Academy at MSTCDC and Director, YouLead-East Africa Youth Leadership Program said, “The study findings offer both challenges and opportunities for us all who seek to advance the cause of youth to make genuine adjustments in our plans and investments to ensure East African youth bounce back even stronger post-COVID-19 pandemic.”
Catherine Rodgers, Hub Director, Restless Development Uganda said, “It’s clear from the survey that the COVID-19 pandemic presents stakeholders with the opportunity to build a youth-collective of responsive young people to lead positive change within their communities; young people are signalling us towards their appetite to get involved, it is our duty to respond.”
Joseph Munyangabo, Country Representative, Westminster Foundation for Democracy Uganda noted, “As promoters of democratic governance around the world, inclusion is a keyword. What this survey informs us of is that East African youth are ready to dare. They are aware of their position and responsibility in society, can and want to play an active role in the preparedness and response to Covid-19 in the region. Youth are a huge human resource potential capable of driving East Africa’s post-COVID-19 transformation agenda if adequately skilled mobilised and capacitated.”
About YouLead Summit
YouLead is East Africa’s flagship Youth Leadership Development Program dedicated to amplifying youth voice and participation in regional governance and development processes. YouLead is a collective action program jointly hosted by MS Training Centre for Development Cooperation (MSTCDC)’s Leadership and Governance Academy and East African Community (EAC) Political Affairs Department in Arusha, co-owned and supported by the YouLead Consortium – a collective of State and Non-state youth led and youth serving partner organisations across all the six (6) East African Community (EAC) Member States.