Young people speak out

Between 2000 and 2002 over150 adolescents led studies on the problems facing young people in Kosovo, northern Uganda and Sierra Leone, with the Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children and other organisations. Despite the different stages of conflict and the diverse cultural, political and social backgrounds of the 3,000 adolescents and young adults interviewed, most said that education is critical to achieving physical protection, psychosocial recovery, peace and development.

Kosovo

Despite strong ethnic divisions most young people had similar concerns (mostly insecurity and psychosocial problems) and education was seen as a main solution. They described how young people's education needs varied along ethnic, gender and rural/urban lines and across different stages: pre-war, a refugee and internally displaced persons period, and post-war.

Albanian students were expelled from schools in 1991. Refugees who fled to Albania during the war in 1999 were not immediately accepted into host country schools, and attended non-formal and community schools. After the war, thousands of young Serbs were displaced and missed out on education; many Roma and rural Albanians, especially girls, had limited access to schooling due to cultural barriers. Quality fell for all; there were few school materials; teaching methods were old fashioned and vocational skills training limited. Overall, we found that:

• Education protects young people and helps them cope.
• Education creates a bridge to fragile post-war periods.
• Education curricula need to look ahead and help create a more tolerant society.
• Collaboration between parents, teachers and young people is vital.
• Youth activism is strong yet young people are excluded from decision-making processes.

Amir Haxhikadrija
Research coordinator, co-founder - Kosovar Youth Council
amirish_99@yahoo.com

Northern Uganda

The hundreds of young people we interviewed have lived all their lives with war. In addition to peace and security, they said education is the key to rebuilding their lives and restoring communities. Girls and boys also said:

• Parents need to see education for girls as a good investment.
• Girls should not be forced into marriage at an early age.
• Girls should not have to take care of the house while boys go to school
• Girls who attend school must be protected from sexual abuse.
• Adolescents abducted by rebels need help returning to school.
• Teachers need to be well trained; they also need more teaching facilities and resources.
• More secondary schools and lower fees are needed.
• Programmes must teach skills needed to earn a living.

Akello Betty Openy
Researcher, co-founder Gulu Youth for Action
akello20002003@yahoo.co.uk

Sierra Leone

Without education, young people say they feel hopeless and at times turn to destructive activities. Most interviewees could not get an education as it is too expensive, schools are too far away, there is gender discrimination and they lack learning materials. Many schools are barely functioning, have little classroom furniture and few teachers. Even if primary education were free the cost of uniforms and supplies is too high; there are fewer secondary schools and costs are even higher.

I lived in Makeni - under rebel control - and missed five years of schooling. My parents couldn’t pay the fees. Today I am a father and must care for myself and my child while I continue my education. For girls, it is more difficult. A girl in Makeni said: ‘I couldn’t go to school because my parents preferred paying for my brother. So I ended up in prostitution’.

Education is critical. We ask that the reconstruction of formal and non-formal education systems be prioritised. Only then will we be able to follow a steady path to peace and not be forced into prostitution, war or other dangerous work. We can rebuild Sierra Leone but we need education to do it.

Mohamed Alie Kanu
Researcher, youth advocate, Sierra Leone
c/o ngolokatta@hotmail.com

Coordinator:

Jane Lowicki-Zucca
janedlz@yahoo.com

See also

Youth speak out: new voices on the protection and participation of young people affected by armed conflict, Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children, by Jane Lowicki, 2005
www.womenscommission.org/pdf/cap_ysofinal_rev.pdf

Making the Choice for a Better Life: Promoting the Protection and Capacity of Kosovo’s Youth, Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children, by Jane Lowicki, 2001
www.womenscommission.org/pdf/yu_adol.pdf

Precious Resources: Adolescents in the Reconstruction of Sierra Leone, Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children by Jane Lowicki and Allison Anderson Pillsbury 2002 www.womenscommission.org/reports/sl/index.shtml

Learning in a war zone: education in northern Uganda, Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children, by Lori Heninger and Matthew Emry, 2005

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