The youth are disproportionately at risk from extremism, particularly in situations where they have little to lose. In Mozambique, the challenges of poverty, unemployment, low levels of participation in governance and the lack of inclusive development are stark. The violent conflict waged by the Islamist group Ahlu-Sunna Wa-Jama’a continues to threaten the country, with potential spillover effects for the region. This paper details the findings of two focus groups held with youths in Cabo Delgado and is complemented by findings from the latest national Afrobarometer survey data from Mozambique, which was collected in the second half of 2021. Youths were questioned about their perspectives on the insurgency, the drivers of extremism and means of building resilience. Overwhelmingly, material factors came to the fore as drivers of youth extremism, while religion was only mentioned in terms of the manipulation of insurgents promising food and employment and adapting religious texts. Safety and security, politics and governance, and social cohesion were other key factors that were cited. For youth, it is critical that they be better engaged in conversations with local officials over issues of employment and skills development, education and so on. Moreover, youth also yearn for greater involvement in peace and security discussions, noting that at present they are only engaged during election time. While the North Integrated Development Agency (ADIN) develops its strategy for the region, it is important that youth perspectives are included in the conceptualisation of projects from the outset, and that more is done to engage the youth in the peace and security arena. ‘Soft’ approaches to peacebuilding are also as critical as ‘hard’ approaches, meaning that a larger focus must be placed on dialogue and youth inclusion in politics, peace and security.

By: Amanda Lucey and Jaynisha Patel
Pages:38
Dimensions: 210 x 250mm
Date of publication: 2022