The Demographic Dividend and the Power of Youth: Voices from the Global Diplomacy Lab

(Hardback)

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As fertility rates decrease, a countrys working-age population grows larger relative to the young dependent population. With more people in the labor force and fewer children to support, a country has a window of opportunity for rapid economic growth if the right social and economic investments and policies are made in health, education, governance and the economy. Conversely, research shows that resource requirements to support a large population of children and youth can depress the pace of economic growth and prevent needed investments in human capital. The discourse on responding to this population growth frequently excludes the youth. The result can be an apathetic community of young people who withdraw from participation in political and democratic processes.

The book is a compilation of articles that address the issue and highlight solutions from different parts of the world, from members of the Global Diplomacy Lab to external contributors: how they see their work promoting, enhancing and contributing to harvesting the demographic dividend.

Reviews

In reviewing this book, I found the authors use of unconventional case studies with illustrations to convey stories quite interesting. It brings even a layman to the understanding of the importance of youth in relation to the demographic dividend and what can be done to harness it to the benefit of nations and the world at large before it is too late. Elizabeth Adekunle, Executive Director, African Women and Youth Organization

This compilation is of enormous value to researchers, scholars and university libraries. The essays explore topics in an innovative and creative manner. The authors know their subjects and explore them with commitment, often producing exquisitely expressed documentation. Melanie Cheary, strategic communications developer for humanitarian programmes

Author Bio

Eirliani A Rahman is an executive director of YAKIN (Youth, Adult survivors & Kin In Need) and works for Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi on issues of child sex trafficking and child labour. She is the author of Survivors, Breaking the Silence on Child Sexual Abuse (2017) and won the 2015 BMW Foundation Responsible Leaders Award.

ElsaMarie DSilva is founder and CEO of Red Dot Foundation (India) and president of Red Dot Foundation Global (USA). Its platform, Safecity, crowdsources personal experiences of sexual violence and abuse in public spaces.

Sonja Peteranderl is the Latin America correspondent for Der Spiegel in Tijuana, Mexico, and is the founder of BuzzingCities Lab, a think tank focusing on how digitalisation influences security, organised crime and urban violence in megacities.