ABSTRACT
The youth have long represented an important constituency in African countries. During the early years of independence in the 1960s and 1970s, African youth, especially young women, did not pose a serious social problem (Kraidy 2002, p. 205). As a consequence, unemployed and ‘disadvantaged’ youth were not a major focus for scholars, governments and policy-makers. However, concerns have been rising over the socio-economic situation of African youth especially females, and the prospect of creating livelihood opportunities for them. Today, as the continent faces a growing ‘youth bulge’ (see Ayelazuno in this volume) that is burdened by challenges including unemployment, capturing the relevance of the gendered implications of this demographic within the context of neoliberal globalization and inclusive growth is becoming more important than ever before.
