Youth in South Africa

Two young South Africans at the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Youth in South Africa constituted 37% of the population in 2010, numbering 19.1 million individuals.[1][2][3][4] South Africa's National Youth Commission Act, 1996, defines youth as those from ages 15-34 years.[5] Like many other developing countries, South Africa's population as a whole is quite young.[4] The elevated level of youth population is expected to exist for the next 20–30 years; the large proportion of working-age population presents South Africa with a time period of opportunity for human capital and economic development.[2][3]

Although South Africa transitioned from apartheid to a multiracial democracy in the early-1990s, the policies from the apartheid era have left a continued legacy of significant inequalities. The burden of many of these inequalities falls on South African youth in terms of education, employment, poverty, and health outcomes.[6]

Previous government policies in South Africa have been unfavourable for twenty-first century youth, diminishing their ability to engage meaningfully in socio-economic and political activities of society.[2] During apartheid, many youths were arrested and detained in jail, often without trial; many children were held in adult prisons.[2] Youth policy is guided by the National Youth Policy (2009-2014), which was developed based on a series of legislative frameworks from 1994 onwards.[4] These legislative and policy frameworks include: the National Youth Commission Act, 1996; White Paper for Social Welfare, 1997; National Youth Development Policy Framework, 2000–2007; and the Draft National Youth Policy, 2008–2013.[4]

  1. ^ "Statistics South Africa: Mid-year population estimates, 2010" (PDF). Statistics South Africa: 8. 1996.
  2. ^ a b c d Makiwane, Monde; Kwizera, Stella (April 2009). "Youth and Well-Being: A South African Case Study". Social Indicators Research. 91 (2). Springer: 223–242. doi:10.1007/s11205-008-9279-7. JSTOR 27734827.
  3. ^ a b "Development and the next generation". World Bank Development Report 2007. Washington DC: World Bank. 2007.
  4. ^ a b c d "Social profile of vulnerable groups 2002-2012" (PDF). Pretoria: Statistics South Africa. 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2014. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ^ Cramm, JM; Nieboer, AP; Finkenflügel, H; Lorenzo, T (1 January 2013). "Comparison of barriers to employment among youth with and without disabilities in South Africa". Work (Reading, Mass.). 46 (1): 19–24. doi:10.3233/WOR-121521. PMID 23241694.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Barriers Rural SA Youth was invoked but never defined (see the help page).