Job creation for today’s youth is essential to creating a better tomorrow. But as more and more young people enter the job market, many African governments are not doing their part to ensure that they have secure jobs.
That’s where our Jobs Now Africa campaign comes in. Keep reading to learn more.
The need for jobs
In Africa, about 2.3 million jobs are lost every year due to obstacles that are avoidable. If the right policies were in place to facilitate business survival and youth empowerment, we could avoid these obstacles.
But over the last 10 years, only 37 million wage-paying jobs were created, while over 110 million people entered the job market. At the peak of the pandemic, almost 30 million Africans lost their jobs. Across the continent, the numbers of the unemployed and the number of people in vulnerable informal employment before and after the pandemic illustrate that African economies haven’t been delivering enough jobs. This leaves a huge number of young people idle and unable to contribute to their community.
The issue of job creation can no longer be side-lined. We must tackle it alongside all human needs like healthcare and education. If this issue continues unchecked, it will cast a tall shadow over Africa’s potential.
How we’re addressing the issues
The ONE Campaign, alongside youth networks, think-tanks, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), businesses, and industry experts, launched the People’s Charter on Jobs in Africa. The charter outlines the scale of this urgent crisis. It encourages the public to urge governments and non-state partners to prioritize job creation.
The launch of the charter in March 2022 brought together speakers from various private and public sector organizations to discuss dismantling barriers to creating decent jobs in Africa. All the speakers agreed on one thing — job creation must be at the top of the agenda for all African governments. Failure to address the job crisis today could spell a chaotic future for us tomorrow.
We must act together now. African youth’s aspirations for decent employment creation requires the commitments of national and subnational governments to:
- Create decent jobs.
- Facilitate business and provide the necessary infrastructure for this.
- Harness youth potential and secure jobs for future generations.
- Ensure safe and dignified employment in all sectors.
- Meet the above commitments with openness, transparency, and accountability.
Add your name to the people’s CALL TO ACTION on jobs in Africa now!
