The Demand for a Holistic Approach to Peace: Recognizing the Role of Youth in Peace Building in Ethiopia

Abstract

The study investigates and boldly reflects the role played by youth in the area of peace building in Ethiopia. It also briefly discusses approaches which encourage and positively promote the untapped potentials of youth in relation to peace building. In Ethiopia, youth constitute the lion share from the total population.  Ethiopia has recorded impressive economic growth over the last decade and is ranked among the ten fastest growing economies in Africa. Despite its fastest economic progress in the continent the positive role of youth are not well documented. For instance, the roles played by Fano, Qeerroo and other youth organizations to bring change in the country are not fairly documented. Since youth are seen as dynamic and open, they have potential to have a role both in violence promotion and in peace building. If they are provided with opportunities to socio-economic development, they can transform their roles and become actors in peace building. However, much of the literatures focus by reflecting negativity about youth towards peace building. For instance, the right based approach and economic approach link youth with violence. As the right based approach see youth as a victim of violence, the economic approach link youth as a threat of peace. However, keeping the equilibrium about the role of youth in peace building is very pivotal. Accordingly, reflecting via keeping both roles of youth as an actor of peace and vector of violence should be discuss in a fair manner. Factors which affect the role of youth in peace building in Ethiopia includes unemployment, lack of youth autonomy in decision making (dominated by top down approach of the federal government), quantity oriented educational policy and negative attitude towards the role of youth (considered as an actor of violence either victim or perpetrator).To break the vicious circle of violence a holistic approach to peace which integrates youth (by recognizing their positive role)in peace building is very important in the era of human security.