Morgen Makombo Sikwila
Young people are key agents of change and a driving force for economic development. Investing in the youth could lead to higher GDP growth and help resolve youth-related issues such as crime, drugs, and the spread of diseases such as AIDS. Ultimately, education is the conduit through which young people should be able to access the job market and hence gain economic independence.
The rising number of uneducated and unqualified people is the ensuing outcome of weak education systems that need to be addressed in connection with the problem of corruption. What leaders should recognize is that the more unemployed people there are, and the more income disparities exist, the more political instability will ensue and give rise to additional security costs, which could lead to regional and global disparities entailing increased tensions and acute conflicts leading to geopolitical changes. Rather than contributing to the overall growth of economies and helping to ease tensions and defusing conflict through increased trade and hence interdependence, this perpetuates the promotion of finely tuned problems. In view of the potential dividends that could potentially be derived from poor or hostile regions and markets, the unemployed or the underemployed cannot be seen as a solvable problem. Leaders should prioritize education and influence labor markets to preserve social cooperation through lowering the probability of employment discrimination, nepotism, and social unrest. Corruption therefore represents a major obstacle on the way to achieving these enumerated labor market reforms.
The social contract, whereby citizens surrender some freedoms to the state in exchange for social order, rules of law, and public services, is frustrated by corruption. Corruption is an abuse of public office for private gain. It should not be seen as only about money, as it comes in many forms such as bribery, nepotism, and the misallocation of resources. Corruption creates a rogue administration that behaves as a law unto itself and appoints itself the judge and jury in the execution of its functions. People have to put up with this capriciousness because corruption is a hidden, secretive, and illegal action that prevents a predictable rule-based environment in politics, the economy, and society.
Youth unemployment and corruption are two separate problems. They have different consequences for society, but they are rooted in failed public policy. When countries establish political and economic institutions that are not inclusive and do not level the social playing field, corruption develops, and in the end, widens and deepens social differences and the future of youth unemployment. The scourge of youth unemployment, that is, millions of youth growing up with little hope for a conventional future, becomes a present-day reality. The Social Contract failed with the rise of modern government and this is the root cause of the malaise. The new citizenry, the youthful generation, the youth graduating from schools and universities to join the workforce and take up family responsibilities deserves durable social solutions, as offered by the most successful and stable societies, developed countries with a strong social fabric. After all, the lasting political and economical success of a country depends on good citizens and inclusive political and economic institutions.
Corruption creates a climate of social injustice, political instability, and security problems. All these contribute to reducing the effectiveness of efforts and programs aimed at creating employment. Prevention programs, assistance to young people, as well as measures aimed at reducing economic instability, will be less effective in a corrupt nation. They will lack legitimacy of the people, and the nation’s ability to implement its programs will be reduced. Corruption is a major obstacle to creating employment for young people and to global respect for human rights. Corruption is linked to the employment of young people both because it hinders the growth of commercial, industrial, and service activities and because it increases economic instability. The model of economy plus corruption is not sustainable. Production takes place on the basis of corruption and not on that of the most economically advantageous production: choosing low quality for self-interest means keeping the growth of real per capita income below the “advantageous” rate.
Corruption, in its various manifestations, does not only diminish the wealth of nations and their people, discourage investment, increase inequality and poverty, but it also leads to lowered effective demand for labor by increasing the cost of employing workers. Regulatory and administrative restrictions related to corruption that increase the cost of redundancy and dismissal, as well as the cost of hiring workers, create disincentives for firms that may otherwise hire workers. These restrictions may discourage investment and create an environment that is least attractive to employers and employees in order to make productivity-enhancing investments in human capital. Given these restrictions, workers, out of necessity, accept whatever job opportunities exist in the formal sector that have high wages at the margins of preference. In addition, they may eschew workers’ rights and accept informal sector jobs at whatever wages may be offered. Consequently, these restrictions are likely to support a reduction in youth employment and a growth in youth unemployment, which can often lead to frustration and make them even more open to corruption and being tempted by bribery. Very often, young people who are neither in work nor education are potential frustrated future job seekers and underutilized resources. They are both a threat to political and economic stability and a major threat to democracy and stability.
Economic factors are frequently considered to be significant causes of corruption. The economic factors that can lead economic actors, or a portion of the public, to seek to alter economic relationships with certain unethical methods such as inequality in income distribution, and increases in the real income or preservation of well-being of the poor part of the public.
Education is an essential right with evident impact on several pillars of human development, such as health, economic development, and social stability. Improving educational results and increasing government funds seek to be the unanimous decisions of governments. Corruption closes the door to these results. The process through which corruption affects education quality is made in two ways. Firstly, corruption can occur in the infrastructure improvement process, meaning that schools may not be supplied with resources such as books, and salaries may also remain stagnant. The existence of ghost schools is another form of corruption. But it is also possible to see education as a path to fight corruption, given that corruption affects are multidirectional. First, education promotes values of integrity and excellence. Secondly, education increases the level of political participation and citizens’ accountability. High levels of illiteracy facilitate the seizure of power by dictators or increase citizens’ vulnerability to policy abuse. It can also lead to individuals making damaging decisions to themselves in the name of their interests. The existence of ghost schools justifies the offering and demand for education. High levels of educational attainment can permanently raise the income-generating capacity. Countries with an educated population have better public health and safety and create greater prosperity. The level of education and the patterns of investment in human capital can be used to explain the differences between countries that engage in effective strategies in fighting against corruption and in directing resources.
In discussing the economic causes of youth unemployment, it is important to address first the nature of unemployment of young people. To a degree, young persons always have been identified as being unemployed more frequently and remaining without work for longer periods than older workers. This is because the proportion of youth people seeking work for many years is increasing all the time. As a result of both a greater proportion of young people remaining in school and the trend toward longer periods of study, the youths’ labor market performance in all countries becomes poorer. They appear to be the age group most affected both by seasonal changes and by the rapid cycles of the business economy. In the employment of persons under 35 years, the economic problems of adjustment between supply and demand for labor are always acute and particularly accentuated in periods of economic recession, despite social services which support youths in many countries. Assistance is given through a variety of mechanisms, among them the creation of more trainee places in the public sector, public works programs, a reduction in employers’ social security contributions for young workers, and the introduction of special measures to encourage small and medium-sized firms to employ young persons. However, the problem of youth unemployment is now increasing even more rapidly to be approached in the construction and operation of a modern economy. It is now high time to re-examine the reasons which give rise to this situation.
Aside from economic fallout, youth unemployment holds a number of social and health-related risks. Unemployment hurts the self-esteem of workers, corrodes their sense of self-worth, and leads them to question their value to society. Frequent or continual unemployment encourages a declining attachment to the workforce. As a result, the unemployed often experience a feeling of social alienation and increased levels of criminal conduct and uptake of drugs and substance abuse. In the case of young people, employment has an especially profound effect on their social identity and relation to society. Corrosion of self-esteem can cause problems that result in violent family relationships (such as spousal abuse), substance abuse, depression, crime, and suicide.
Research has determined that the death risk for unemployed citizens is twice that of the employed citizen death risk. The unemployed are less likely to marry or to be functional in marriage, more likely to get divorced in two-parent households, and more likely to have illegitimate children. Unemployment fuels racial and ethnic hostilities within its culture. When jobs are scarce, ethnical beliefs are intensified and a rising availability of jobs lowers residential segregation. With a lack of jobs, young people lack structure in their lives, which can often lead to serious problems of delinquency. Low self-esteem and alienation are linked to more political apathy, including a decrease in voter turnout and levels of community organization. The costs for taxpayers skyrocket and the burden on social security grows when a rising number of youth are idle.
High-level corruption, especially in the form of policy capture or narrow-interest groups that use their influence to shape policy in a way that benefits them in the short term, is extremely costly as it distorts policy and allocation of resources. The effects are particularly severe in developing economies as large-scale theft of assets and public resources reduces funds for public services, investment in infrastructure, and the quality of public services. On the other hand, petty corruption, which is more associated with public service provision like policing or primary health care provision, not only takes away from the quality and quantity of public goods but also worsens both income distribution and labor market outcomes by affecting education, health, and justice. More specifically, higher levels of corruption are associated with lower levels of output, lower investment, more uncertainty, and lower-skilled migration, with a higher number of children in the workforce. In addition, higher levels of corruption reduce the probability of foreign investment, which is important for economies to grow as it both complements domestic capital and is associated with better technology, more human capital, better management, and more efficient organization of production. Indeed, there are risks posed by corruption as a key bottleneck to economic growth in developing countries; deal-breaking corruption is one of the dramatic risk discontinuities that threaten global growth. The costs to the local economy are also great as firms are forced to reduce the scale of operations, which not only reduces the labor force but also has nonwage costs such as labor training and the relationship with developed markets.
Corruption, in general, thwarts the endeavors of individuals and economies in reaching a higher well-being. It undermines good governance and destroys the confidence of citizens in democracy and good governance. Corruption undermines the rule of law and delegitimizes the fight against corruption itself. Young people in Africa consider corruption one of the main obstacles to obtaining a suitable job.
Corruption is part of the problems that drive dissatisfaction with the ruling authorities, whether they are managers, managers of departments, or officials. When it is not related to these officials, it is associated with punishment of the immediate subordinate for bribery with any of the rules. The numerous examples of corruption can be classified as money laundering and attempting to legalize the source of these funds, open profiteering, illegal enrichment, and violations related to human trafficking in the region. As a result, corruption and embezzlement have contributed greatly to increasing the risk of losing stability and growing dissatisfaction with public and private institutions. This is the condition precedent to major transformations that challenge fully the expectations of institutions and put them on the path to achieving public confidence in their institutions.
Corruption may lead to youth discontent with public policies, which are essential for sustaining an inclusive labour market. Youth are more likely to become involved in non-institutional forms of political behaviour, such as strikes and demonstrating in the streets, and less likely to be involved in institutional forms, such as voting, parties, and unions. Youth who are completely excluded from the political sphere do not believe that economic or political institutions are legitimate. Youth dissatisfaction with the political system can decrease political development and create tense and confrontational relationships with the police and other local authorities. Ironically, the main reasons for unemployment – namely poor governance, institutional instability, and economic inefficiency – are also constraints on the supply of goods and services, weaknesses in the rule of law, and unequal access to education and health services. Only democratic governance has the capacity to create an unemployment insurance system that supports the most vulnerable during times of distress. Majority choice can be shifted to strategic decisions when youth are politically weak, and state resources are misallocated because of inefficient supply. In other words, democratic rules do not prevent state capture by the most powerful interests, the generation of inefficient public policies, and the persistence of extreme material deprivation. In this scenario, electorates choose politicians who provide private goods in exchange for votes, and these politicians in turn divert resources from important public goods for re-election purposes. Such private deals between voters who are in desperate need and decision-makers interfere with rational searches not only for government policies that generate positive aggregate economic performance but also for policies that are beneficial from the point of view of all citizens. High youth unemployment puts social grievances on the agenda and reduces the credit-granting capacity of the political system.
Economic instability, a lack of policy continuity, and a lack of adherence to governance, economic, or political commitments can generate a cycle of unemployment, which may be unable to be overcome as time passes. This is mainly due to the fact that in the particular context of youth unemployment, both demand and supply-side factors are established. Therefore, the fact of not directly incorporating young people into working life can have long-term economic and social impacts. As a response, a possible solution could be to use a policy that seeks a relationship between education, training, and work for young people. Reducing the level of corruption in society and in government is one of the greatest challenges facing almost all countries. To achieve this, some channels are proposed to address these issues that are centered on improving the quality and implementation of public administration services, public grants, merit-based staffing, non-politicization of public administration, good governance reforms, anti-corruption efforts, and the suppression of the monopoly of violence, both legal and illegal. For this, it is necessary to recognize that there are also next steps within each of these policy fronts that need to be implemented.
Research often suggests drug testing for youth who receive unemployment subsidies. It has been argued that the drug testing and the fear of drug testing can serve as a discipline device by which to motivate youth to accept job offers.
Policies which reduce levels of corruption in the economy such as those which increase government transparency, policy stability, and fairness should be considered when studying levels of youth unemployment rates and activity rates. If regional anti-corruption reforms such as these are adopted, in theory, they could help prevent similar higher economic costs associated with youth unemployment and disaffection in developing countries. Policymakers in these countries and others must work harder to increase levels of civic culture and to instill greater levels of trust in their governmental institutions within their teenage
In more detail, formal education can be affected by corruption as follows: bribery can allow for promotion through the education system without actual learning or indicate lack of merit, thereby weakening meritocracy and the system of formal education itself. The processes can be informal learning (i.e., instead of following formal prerequisites for promotion, based on bribery, special treatment related to better scores, tutoring) or formal examinations and learning (test score manipulation or hiring someone to take a test for the student). If the process gives a good education or grades, it may further discourage the chief educator and also the students from making a better effort and motivate them from general learning, explaining teacher absence and inattentive class. Furthermore, bribery can give the opportunity to access scarce educational infrastructure (of high quality). The result of a general lack of learning is crucial for the future economic prospects of the students and society, as well as the quite immediate consequences of lacking knowledge pertaining to youth unemployment and reduction in earning potential. To combat corruption, while promoting good teaching without rewarding corruption, requires an alternative teacher incentive. Long term, the key is to guarantee formal but not only non-economic benefits to teachers who improve the quality of teaching. Specifically, non-economic benefits could correspond to promotions, awards, and other forms of recognition or more work autonomy of high-level teachers.
Youth empowerment is another solution similar to policy change, in that it may not directly affect the prevalence of corruption but rather improve the chances of youth in a labor market with corruption, both lower participation and unemployment rates. Empowering youth is increasingly a topic among research and policy agendas and is thought to result in more positive development outcomes. Education initiatives, for example with the goal of sustainable re-entry and acquisition of work-related and life skills for non-traditional students, is one way to align policy, education, skills and employment mismatches, stakeholders, and political actions and raise the expectation youth have about their jobs. Concentrating on increasing the participation and equality of young people provides different partnerships and builds results in youth empowerment. Youth unemployment reduction is
ultimately about helping youth, showing compassion for those who are struggling and want to do better, and making markets work for everyone.
Morgen Makombo Sikwila
MSc Peace and Governance
BSc Counselling
Diploma in Environmental Health
Certificate in Marketing Management
Email address: morgensikwilam@gmail.com
Phone Number: 0772823282
