Youth Bulge, Governance and Security in Post-conflict Sierra Leone

Africa is the continent with the highest youth bulge, as over 60 per cent of its 1.4 billion population is under the age of 25 years. Sierra Leone is part of the story of the youth bulge on the continent. 74.5 per cent of its population is made up of young people under the age of 35 years. Also, 65 per cent of the youth population within the employment age do not have access to secure and sustainable jobs. This creates a burden for governance and a significant risk for security as Sierra Leone emerged from two civil wars 22 years ago and restored elective rule during the same period. In its need for reconstruction and development, the country was the first beneficiary of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), which deployed funding to support programmes for capacity building, democracy, good governance, justice, security and youth employment. While there are multiple components of peacebuilding, the fundamentals must include access to basic facilities like water, education, healthcare and opportunities. Despite the commendable efforts at peacebuilding in post-war Sierra Leone, opportunities are still limited. The current situation of the lack of opportunities for youths is concerning. A direct relationship exists between declining livelihood chances and the rising youth population. Logically connected with the lack of opportunities are poverty and hunger. Sierra Leone’s dismal ranking of 116 out of 125 in the 2023 Global Hunger Index means potential security challenges that create a major burden for governance.

In this edition of the Nextier SPD Policy Weekly, we explore the security implications of the youth bulge in Sierra and proffer options on the thrusts of governance for solutions to the challenges.

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