The Forgotten Symptom Of Youth Unemployment: ‘Endless Adolescence’ in Morocco – OpEd |
Youth unemployment rates in Morocco are concerning for a number of issues, but need to also be thought of as a problem that robs the adolescent developmental period of its purpose, only worsening the issue.
During my time in Morocco, I saw teens engaging with and planning for the “real world” in ways that back in the states took me at least until my university years to tap into. In a community mapping activity in Anamer, teens worked with men who could’ve been their grandfathers to identify the most pressing needs of their communities. In a workshop with Camp Alima (STEM camp for girls) and the High Atlas Foundation (nonprofit working at the intersection between participatory development and climate awareness), one young girl remarked about her plans to go to university in Germany: “Yeah, it’s scary. But isn’t that just more of a reason to do it?”.
These instances of adolescence I observed exemplify some of the best of the adolescent developmental time frame, namely intellectual curiosity, risk taking, and attunement to roles where they get to play a real role. However, I soon learned that the youth purposefulness I saw in these two instances were, at least somewhat, an exception to the rule in Morocco. Demographic research behind the significant Moroccan “NEET” (not in employment, education, or training) cohort indicates that the country struggles to help adolescents make the jump to adulthood. 33.6% of Moroccan youth aged 15 -29 years old were estimated to be NEET in 2023, and recent reports suggest that percentage has stabilized rather than........