Poverty Alleviation and Development Endeavors in Ethiopia-The Need for and Conditions of Youth Empowerment

Abstract

Ethiopia has a huge youthful population who can determine both the current and future development of the country, and it also owns abundant natural resources. However, poverty has been a widespread challenge in Ethiopia. Thus, poverty alleviation is the central concern of the country. The objective of this paper is concerned with explaining the need for and conditions of youth empowerment in Ethiopia. And the paper prepared through extensive consultation of literature and observations. Youth empowerment is a key to alleviate poverty, transform societies, and develop well-balanced citizens. Having cognizant of this fact, Ethiopia has witnessed several development efforts, especially since 2002, which recognize youth empowerment as an invaluable measure to combat poverty. However, although there are significant growth gains and progress as a result, the society still suffers pervasive socioeconomic problems. Particularly, the youth continue to experience a myriad of problems such as lack of access to functional education, appropriate technologies and information, unemployment and underemployment, and mistreatments. Especially young women and rural youth have often experienced more problems throughout the country. They are extremely vulnerable to poverty, illegal migration, risky behaviors, and various social evils.