Definition of Youth

No official documents specifying an age range for youth are available; however, a section on youth unemployment in the African Outlook Report (2012) defines youth as 25 and under.

COM

Marriageable Age

  • Opposite Sex
  • Same Sex
  • Without parental consent
  • with parental consent
  • Male
  • 18
  • --
  • XX

Candidacy Age

Criminal Responsibility

13
Minimum Age
Age of criminal responsibility is 13 under civil and criminal codes, however physical maturity determines liability for men under muslim law. Source:  Penal Code of Comoros
(1995)

Majority Age

18

Source: Family Code of the Comoros (2001)

Voting Age

18


Source:  Inter-Parliamentary Union

Situation of Young People

Youth Development Index

--
--

Literacy Rates

87.55%
Both sexes (15-24) %
  • 86.87% Male (15-24) %
  • 88.25% Female (15-24) %

Net Enrolment Rate

Secondary School
--
Both sexes %
  • --Male %
  • -- Female %
  • Year: No data.
  • Source: UNESCO

Situation of Young People

Prevalence of HIV

--
Male (15-24) %
--
Female (15-24) %

Tobacco Use

Consumed any smokeless or smoking tobacco product at least once 30 days prior to the survey.
18.10%
Both sexes (13-15) %
  • 21.80% Male (13-15) %
  • 14.80% Female (13-15) %
  • Year: 2010
  • Source: WHO

Policy & Legislation

Is there a national youth policy?
No
Comoros has no national youth policy. An economic outlook has some info on policy impact.

While Comoros has no youth policy, a National Youth Day was held on 13 June 2013 as described on the official site of the Comoros government. At the occasion, a youth representative of the Island of Anjouan called for the establishment of a Ministry of Youth, and for funding for the professional integration of young people. A youth representative of the Island of Moheli called upon the president to “trust us and give us the chance to build skills that are ours in the service of the Nation and the Comorian people!“ The President of the Republic assured that “everything that has been said, is at the centre of my concerns and I am aware of the heavy responsibility that is mine. Youth is the centre of all the commitments that I made during my campaign.”

Public Institutions

Is there a governmental authority
(ministry, department or office) that is primarily responsible for youth?
Yes
The Ministry Education, Research, Culture and Arts is also responsible for the fields of youth and sports. Youth representatives called for a designated Ministry for Youth during the National Youth Day 2013.

Youth and Representation

Does the country have a national youth organisation / association (council, platform, body)?
No
Youth organisations of Comoros demand the establishment of a National Youth Council for the Comoros. An existing body is the Youth Parliament of Comoros, which describes itself as an initiative of youth from all Comorian Islands to make their voices heard, to fight for poverty alleviation and better management of the country. However, there is no broad-based youth representation structure in Comoros.

Budget & Spending

What is the budget allocated to the governmental authority (ministry, department or office) that is primarily responsible for youth and/or youth programming?
Unclear

No documentation could be found online regarding youth spending in Comoros.

According to the World Bank, Comoros spent 7.61% of its GDP on education in 2008, but does not calculate what this translates to in terms of percentage of government expenditure.
Total Expenditure on Education as a Percentage of Government Spending and GDP

  • % of GDP
  • % of gov. expenditure

Source: World Bank
Gaps indicate missing data from the original data source. (Accessed August 2013).

Additional Background

The African Economic Outlook (2012) highlights:

Youth unemployment, currently affects one out of two young people of working age.

Unemployment is widespread in the Comoros, averaging an estimated 14.3% but varying from one island to another. Young people – skilled and unskilled – are worst hit. Unemployment among the under 25s is 44.5%, at least four times higher than for 30‑49 year-olds … More than half of young Comorians are believed to be underemployed or living in an extremely precarious situation.

The causes of youth unemployment are many. On the demand side, there is not sufficient economic growth to absorb the number of qualified and unqualified young people of working age who arrive on the job market every year. … On the supply side, young Comorians are not sufficiently trained to meet the real needs of the employment market. Professional training and apprenticeship are underdeveloped. Poor-quality education and a strong public-sector culture mean young people undergo training not to join the private sector but to gain access to the public sector, which is the main source of employment.

The site of the ILO regional office points out that:

Youth between the age of 15 and 35 constitutes the majority of victims of the dysfunctionality of labour.

A project to support the sustainability of peace by promoting youth employment in Comoros (APROJEC) is being implemented. It will help to strengthen social justice and peace in the Comoros by promoting the integration of young people in social and economic life. This project will ensure the reintegration of young people and those at risk through employment opportunities and vocational training. This project was extended in 2013 for two years with funding from the Fund for the Consolidation of Peace.