The Awakening of the Somali Youth in the Political Paricipation and the Challenges they are facing
Abdikadir Dooy
dooy11@gmail.com
31st July 2013
Abdikadir Dooy
Somalia is a nation that belongs to 10.085 million (2012) . After the collapse of the central government of Somalia in 1991, Some of the people who remained in the country founded their own local administrations governing certain regions. Community elders, educated people and politicians were driving the motion. In 1991, the northwest regions of Somalia (Somaliland) achieved to declare the first administration while the civil war was ongoing in some regions of Somalia, despite Somaliland’s claim of breaking away from Somalia, it became a lesson for other regions of Somalia to form their own local governances. The other administration that has been set up from the bottom is Puntland which will celebrate in August for its 15th anniversary; Putnland beliefs united Somalia and a state under the federal national government of Somalia which is in the Somali constitution where Somaliland’s motive is to be separate from Somalia.
After the formation of these states and yet lacking any functioning central government, the UN and other donors started to deal with the states by dividing into three main zones; Somaliland, Puntland and South-central Somalia with the aim of facilitating the international aids to reach the needy people on the ground and enhancing the states’ capacities of pursuing their duties. In addition, the last two decades of Somali central government’s absence the Somali’s data were collected, recorded an kept by the UN and international organizations who operate in Somalia though it is questionable on the reliability and the accuracy these data due the fact that this data were collected as a sample based not a census.
There is no doubt that the majority of Somali population is youth, if we take a glance in Puntland, the Human Development Report (HDR) that was published by United Nations Development Program (UNDP) mentioned that the population of Puntland State is 3.9 Million (2011), but what makes embarrassing is 70% of them are under 30 years. It means the majority of the population is youth. By the way, the majority group of the state are voiceless not allowed to take part in the decision making processes, because of why? The administrations in Somalia are clan-based, parliament members are selected by the clan elders, and it becomes hardly the clan elders to figure out a young man instead of an old man.
The lost power
After the failure to benefit from the silent power of Somalia “the youth”, it plunged being an enemy of the existing crumbly peace and stability, they become the firewood of the evil ideas and violations taking place in Somalia. Uneducated and unemployed youth had seen millions of dollars making over kidnapping vessels and they joined without query. Another huge part of the youth are invited by the terrorists offering power and better income. This vulnerability of the Somali youth created by the governmantless of the decades and lack of employment opportunities and enough guidance for them. Although, the existing situations of the regions differ, yet the above challenges are common to all the Somali youth.
The last years, the number of youth who involved in the politics were increasing slowly, the youth who live in the regions which has governance have a better chance for participating in the social activities and less participations of the decision making processes as well. For instance, the youth of Somaliland and Puntland autonomous states are involved the city councils and parliament seats as well. In August 2012, Somalia got new parliament selected by the clan elders and a few young faces were appearing, it’s a step to forward that giving the youth a hope of esteem.
Furthermore, there are few inspired youths who are willing to participate in the efforts of making the country better. It seems that the Somali youth are awakening on the political dilemma in Somalia.
Challenges need to overcome
The cornerstone challenge that denying youth to be appeared in the decision making councils is the process of selecting the legislatures, it’s a clan based process that the members are selected by clan elders. When the elder is to choose who is representing their clan obviously he won’t choose a young man nor woman.
What Somali youth are supposed to be done?
In order to enlighten the importance of Somali youth, they are required to put all their efforts to change the current clan based systems by forming strong youth unions which aim to unite the silent power of Somalia and making their voice louder. Somali youth should feel the ownership of the country and stop glancing to smuggle or seeking asylum in another country, it’s the time to overtake the authority and shape a better future for the nation.
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[1] Index Mundi. This estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to the civil war and famine.
[1] The Human Development Report is an independent publication commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Its editorial autonomy is guaranteed by a special resolution of the General Assembly (A/RES/57/264), which recognizes the Human Development Report as “an independent intellectual exercise” and “an important tool for raising awareness about human development around the world.”
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