Sierra Leone’s civil war from 1991-2002 was widely viewed as fueled by a crisis of youth. Although the RUF rebels lacked a coherent ideology, their anti-establishment message resonated with frustrated young Sierra Leoneans who blamed a self-serving elite for monopolizing abundant resources, accessible only through exclusionary patronage networks under the one party All People’s Congress (APC) state. Post-war, fears that soaring unemployment and political marginalization might again push the country’s youth into violence have dominated discussion of development and security.

Time and again, UN, NGO and government reports have warned that frustrated ex-combatants will return to arms if not pacified with jobs and educational opportunities. Yet despite placing youth employment and empowerment at the heart of peace building discourse, successive Sierra Leonean governments have done little to turn this rhetoric into practice. Sixteen years after the war ended, approximately 70% of youth remain unemployment or underemployment, with illiteracy widespread and educational opportunities beyond the reach of many.

In the run-up to the first round of March’s presidential election – the country’s fourth post-war poll — the youth question has once again been a key part of the discourse. The opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) manifesto described unemployed and underemployed youth as “a phenomenon which started as a little tremor” but is now “a full-blown youthquake posing a serious threat to national stability if future prospects for education and training and productive and gainful employment are not assured.” Like the other leading parties their manifesto identifies policies and programs that will offer greater support to youth through increased access to education, greater involvement in decision making structures and the creation of much needed jobs. But these promises are nothing new; a truly novel development would be if an elected government actually followed-through on its stated ambitions to support youth.