Editorial: Rethinking youth

By Gamal Nkrumah

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There is a perception among the youth that nothing substantial will be achieved as far as they are concerned, and there is a widespread notion that adult appeasement will only worsen youth aggression and pessimism.

The youth of Egypt are as angry and restive as the youth of the rest of the developing world. The youth, which constitute about 60 per cent of the country's population, feel largely marginalised and would like to play a more influential part in the decision-making process.

The time for straight dealing with the youth has come. A more circumspect look at the challenges facing the youth is long overdue. The youth, especially the disadvantaged and underprivileged, must be treated with respect and not contempt. Expressions of dissatisfaction with the status quo must be viewed more sympathetically and the underlying reasons behind youth discontent identified and resolved. Youth should not be represented in the media as alienated and problematic.

An intensification of encounters between youth and the authorities is prerequisite. The dynamics of such interactions observed and studied. Underlying this line of inquiry is the understanding that youth is the single most important social category that mediates interactions between the authorities and the citizens of the country since they constitute a majority. The social engagement and political activism of the youth is an essential feature of a vibrant democracy.

Renegotiating relations between youth and senior citizens in the family context as well as in the public arena is fundamentally important. It is also crucial to understand that no less than half of the youth are female and hence gender issues are of great significance when tackling youth issues.

The dominant masculine construct must be challenged. But this argument is often misconceived and misunderstood. Religious considerations and social conservatism are sometimes used as excuses to curtail the empowerment of young women. A series of incidents last year when young women in downtown Cairo were systematically sexually harassed by aimless young men shocked the country. Joblessness, changing attitudes, a lack of motivation have all had terrible consequences for the youth of Egypt. The young are marrying later because of difficult circumstances.

The lesson has not been wasted on the youth at large, and not just the women. Still, it is important to remember that youth of both sexes suffer and that the vast majority of youth harbour a deep frustration. Small wonder then that some are inclined to commit a wide range of contentious and socially unacceptable actions. They all share a sense of resentment.

Professionals, both youth and senior citizens, are called upon to examine and resolve the challenges faced by the youth. The youth have resorted to coping mechanisms with the challenges they come up against. We would do well to learn from the youth, and listen to what they have to tell us, to their narratives of oppression and resistance, of their struggles for self-betterment. We must make sure that the "experts" have a full tool kit to get the job done.