Crisis of Youth or Crisis of Society in South Sudan

South Sudan. Flickr/Arsenie Coseac

Christopher Zambakari, doctor of law and policy from Northeastern University in Boston, wrote a piece titled "Crisis of Youth or Crisis of Society in South Sudan?" in the 19 June 2013 Pambazuka News.  The paper discusses the role of youth, who constitute a majority of the population, in the nation-building process.

Zambakari argues that without any real alternative, young people turn to violence as a means of survival. Given the desperate circumstances, youth can easily be mobilized and are often the primary recruits to join rebel movements. The gap between the older generation and the younger generation is wider and increasing.