Abstract

Youth exclusion in policy formulation and implementation, especially in rural areas, is worsening their socio-economic wellbeing. This article evaluates current youth empowerment policies and the institutions mandated to foster youth emancipation in Zimbabwe. In exploring the compatibility of these policies in a rural context, the researchers purposively selected and interviewed the youths involved in policy implementation and self-help projects (respectively). The in-depth and key informant interviews were transcribed and analysed in line with the thematic concerns of the article. Secondary data on youth empowerment policies in Zimbabwe were used to corroborate the findings. Amongst a host of shortcomings noted within the policy framework, was the issue of how there is little to no consultation in formulating, designing and implementing policies. Secondly, while poor coordination between actor organizations has debilitated delivery, corruption and a shortage of funds also hamper implementation. Panaceas to realizing the youth empowerment agenda are proposed, including context-specific policies that meet the real rural challenges as experienced by the youth and not as imagined by policymakers and enactors. This article advocates for youth participation at every stage of developing such programmes while also empowering relevant institutions to enhance the emancipation of youth. In contributing to the broader discussion on rural African youth empowerment, this article advocates for the mainstreaming of youth policies as a conduit to enhancing their socio-economic emancipation. In addressing knowledge gaps, the article illuminates the plight of rural youths, their exclusion from development initiatives (implemented by street-level bureaucrats) and their response to such exclusion.

摘要

青年被排除在政策制定和执行之外，特别是在农村地区，这正在恶化他们的社会经济福祉。本文评估了当前的青年赋权政策以及津巴布韦授权促进青年解放的机构。在探索农村地区这些政策的兼容性时，研究人员有针对性地选择并采访了参与政策实施和自助项目的青年。根据文章的主题内容，对深入而关键的线人访谈进行了转录和分析。津巴布韦有关青年赋权政策的辅助数据被用来证实这一发现。在政策框架内指出的许多缺点中，有一个问题是，在制定，设计和执行政策时几乎没有协商。其次，尽管行动者组织之间的协调不力削弱了执行工作，但腐败和资金短缺也妨碍了执行工作。提出了实现青年赋权议程的灵丹妙药，包括针对具体情况的政策，这些政策能够应对青年所经历的实际农村挑战，而不是决策者和制定者所想象的。本文主张青年人参与制定此类计划的每个阶段，同时也授权有关机构加强青年的解放。在促进有关非洲农村青年赋权的更广泛讨论中，本文主张将青年政策纳入主流，以此作为加强其社会经济解放的渠道。在解决知识鸿沟时，本文阐明了农村青年的困境，