Definition of Youth
The national youth policy (2003) and the draft revised policy (2012) define youth as being between ages of 15 and 35. It also provides for flexibility to accommodate young persons below 15, depending on the nature of programmes.
Marriageable Age
- Opposite Sex
- Same Sex
- Without parental consent
- with parental consent
- Male
- 18
- 18
- XX
Candidacy Age
- Lower House
- 21 Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union Partially indirectly elected.
- Upper House
- --
Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union
Unicameral.
Situation of Young People
Literacy Rates
- 75.84% Male (15-24) %
- 59.29% Female (15-24) %
- Year: 2015
- Source: UNESCO
Net Enrolment Rate
Secondary School- --Male %
- -- Female %
- Year: No data.
- Source: UNESCO
Situation of Young People
Tobacco Use
Consumed any smokeless or smoking tobacco product at least once 30 days prior to the survey.- 20.30% Male (13-15) %
- 24.10% Female (13-15) %
- Year: 2010
- Source: WHO
Policy & Legislation
The national youth policy (2003) established the Ministry for Youth and Sports – now Ministry for Youth Affairs, and outlined the definition, rights and responsibilities of young people, the state, parents, and other stakeholders The vision of the draft national youth policy (2012) is of: "Nationally conscious and patriotic youth empowered to contribute positively to the development of Sierra Leone." The policy has 15 intervention areas, including: Employment; Youth sensitive policies; Entrepreneurship; agriculture; education; ICT; Gender; Health; The environment; Participation; Volunteerism. The policy outlines a mainstreamed approach to implementation, through various actors (youth organisations, NGOs, the private sector) and complimentary policies. The implementation structure is also outlined.
Public Institutions
(ministry, department or office) that is primarily responsible for youth?
Youth and Representation
Budget & Spending
- % of GDP
- % of gov. expenditure
Source: World Bank
Gaps indicate missing data from the original data source. (Accessed May 2014).
Additional Background
Sierra Leone, in West Africa, emerged from a decade of civil war in 2002, with the help of Britain, the former colonial power, and a large United Nations peacekeeping mission. More than 17,000 foreign troops disarmed tens of thousands of rebels and militia fighters. A decade on, the country has made progress towards reconciliation, but poverty and unemployment are still major challenges.One of the main employment schemes is Youth Employment Support Project (YESP), founded by the World Bank. It seeks
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to improve technical capacity and promote creation and/or expansion of small youth owned enterprises in economically viable activities;
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to improve the skills base of young people to make them more employable;
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to provide a safety net and income supplement for the most vulnerable youth through;
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public works;
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Promoting positive perceptions about young people;
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Bridging social and cultural;
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To instill values of volunteerism and working towards toward the collective good through participation in activities that contribute to reducing poverty and transforming society;
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Instilling discipline and work ethic;
The widespread participation of young voters in the 2012 elections and the significant proportion of candidates under 35 years elected to office, is very encouraging evidence that young people are embracing democracy and have both the will and the ability to play a central role in governance. However, neither the National Youth Policy nor the National Youth Commission Act specify mechanisms or processes through which active participation in governance, decision-making and democratic processes should be realised. It is not clarified how, for example, the District Youth Councils or any other structure created by these instruments, should interact with local councils, ministries or other decision-making bodies when it comes to drawing localised youth issues to their attention, participating in planning processes or holding those bodies to account. Neither does it clarify how to avoid duplication with existing structures, for example whether the Youth Advisory Committees created under the National Youth Commission Act should interact with or supersede the Youth and Sports Committees which already exist at local council level