The Role of Youth Empowerment in Eradicating Unemployment, A Case Study of the “employed Project” in Awach Sub County, Gulu
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Date
2025-05-13
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Uganda Christian University
Abstract
Unemployment remains a challenge in Northern Uganda, particularly among the youth in Awach subcounty of Gulu-Uganda. According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, 2021, the youth unemployment rate in Northern Uganda is about 16.8%, which is higher compared to the national average. Besides the economic challenges, this age group faces social problems associated with poverty, criminality, and mental health (Kibera and Kasule, 2020).Despite numerous interventions aimed at addressing unemployment, including government initiatives and NGO-led programs, the impact on the youth population has been minimal. Empowerment programs such as the employed which are designed to equip young people with skills, resources, and confidence, have not been adequately integrated into the broader unemployment reduction strategies (Friedrich et al., 2022). This may answer the question as to why unemployment rates are unchanged among young people in this region-the targeted initiatives that focus on youth empowerment remain insufficient. In addition, although recent evidence indicates that youth empowerment increases job opportunities, little prior research has investigated the underlying linkages of how empowerment affects the pathway to employability and entrepreneurship within Northern Uganda (Nabunya et al., 2021). Consequently, this study will critically explore the role of youth empowerment in ensuring a reduction in unemployment among the people of Northern Uganda through addressing the gaps in the initiation and implementation of empowerment programs. Notably, the study ascertains the relationship between empowerment initiatives and employment outcomes to proffer evidence-based recommendations to policymakers and relevant stakeholders on how best to empower the youth for effective unemployment reduction in the region.
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