Put youth at the heart of Somalia's development: UNDP
Listen /With more than 70 per cent of Somalia's population under 30-years-old, empowering young people will be key to the country's future, according to the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
UNDP on Friday launched the Human Development Report for Somalia, the first in more than a decade.
Dianne Penn has the story.
The report finds the majority of Somali youth believe they have the right to education and decent work but that they are frustrated by a lack of viable opportunities.
As a result, UNDP recommends what it calls "radical shifts in policies and attitudes" so that young people are empowered and placed at the centre of the development agenda.
The report calls for the creation of national youth policies, as well as the creation of more job opportunities, and support for youth organizations and youth-led initiatives.
The report also contains a Youth Charter, developed by representatives from throughout the country and the Somali Diaspora which will serve as guiding principles for government, aid agencies and civil society.
Dianne Penn, United Nations
Duration: 47″
