Unemployed youth organize themselves [Archives:2007/1080/Local News]
SANA'A, Aug. 25 ) With an unemployment rate exceeding 30 percent and a growth rate of 6.8 births for women, Yemeni youth are at loss. “Not only is our problem with the authorities who did not plan right for the young men and women seeking jobs now, it is also with the fathers and mothers who keep having many children,” said Abdullah Obaid, an unemployed young man from Lahj.
Obaid is a member of a newly formed association called: “unemployed youth” steering committee in Lahj. A similar association had been established in Mukalla – Hadramout. The later carried out their second event last Thursday in presence of activists and lawyers from Hadramout and Dhale governorates. In Abyan, Basim Mansour, a young man from Musaimeer district, chaired a similar association that deals with youth unemployment.
According to the United Nations Population Fund representative in Yemen, Hans Obdeijn, the country was ranked sixth globally in 2006 in population growth rate. “Nearly half of the Yemenis are younger than 15 years, which is a reflection of the high population growth rate,” he said.
The problem is that infrastructure and development are not improving in a rate quick enough to contain the demands of population growth. Yemeni youth realize that they are facing a dreadful future if they let things continue as they are. Education, jobs, and accommodation were the primary demands for the unemployed youth association in Hadramout. Although these demands seem fairly basic, the key note delivered by Hassan Ba-Uom at the association's function last week unveiled the discrimination and prejudice Yemeni youth face.
“There is no equal citizenship. Our wealth and opportunities are wasted on the irresponsible corrupt officials. This is why we will fight for our rights until we achieve them,” said Ba Uom.
Unemployed youth in Lahj governorate declared that they will be going on a peaceful sit-in today, Monday. The demonstration is to take place in front of the governor's office demanding better attention and more opportunities for youth.
“It is all over the country, and we want to start taking up actions instead of passively waiting for someone to solve our issues,” said Afrah Qassim Ali, a youth working in a phone booth in Sana'a. She also added that although she has a university degree she could not find a better job and she has to support her family.
Additional to the high population growth rate, bad management of the education system and not matching the education system outcomes to the market demands are of the main causes of unemployment, which causes unrest and economic problems.
According to Ibb University Rector Ahmed Shuja'a Al-Din, Ibb is the most populated governorate with a small area of approximately 5,200 square kilometers and a population over two million. Also, its average crime and unemployment is Yemen's highest.
Dr. Arwa Alrabee, deputy in the Ministry of Health and Population, mentioned the negative impacts due to the internal migration, indicating that such migration creates poor distribution of the population and consequently the services offered to citizens. This means that internal immigration especially for youth migrating to the cities is likely to increase the unemployment rate and its unpromising consequences.
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