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Is Africa’s youth engaged enough

to be empowered?Results from Afrobarometer Round 6 surveys in 36 African countries

12 August 2016, Johannesburg, South Africa


At a glance

■ Political and civic engagement is generally lower among African youth

than among their elders, particularly in terms of voting.

■ Attendance at campaign rallies is the most popular form of pre-

electoral engagement among young Africans.

■ Youth participation in demonstrations and protest marches is lower

than in more conventional forms of civic and political engagement.

■ On most indicators, young women report lower engagement levels than

young men. In particular, female youth report significantly less interest

in public affairs and discussion of politics.

■ Youth engagement levels have declined since 2005/2006, particularly

interest in public affairs and measures of civic activism.


At a glance


What is Afrobarometer?

• A pan-African, non-partisan survey research project that measures

citizen attitudes on democracy and governance, the economy, civil

society, and other topics.

• Started in 12 countries in 1999, expanded to 35 African countries in

Round 5 (2011-2013) and to 36 countries in Round 6 (2014-2015).

• Goal: To give the public a voice in policymaking by providing high-

quality public opinion data to policymakers, policy advocates, civil

society organizations, academics, news media, donors and investors,

and ordinary Africans.

• A national partner in each country conducts the survey.


Where Afrobarometer works


Methodology

• Nationally representative sample of adult citizens

– All respondents are randomly selected.

– Sample is distributed across regions/states/provinces and urban/rural areas in

proportion to their share in the national population.

– Every adult citizen has an equal chance of being selected.

• Face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice.

• Standard questionnaire allows comparisons across countries and over

time.

• Sample sizes of either 2,400 or 1,200 adult citizens per country yield

results with a country-level margin of sampling error of +/-2% or

+/-3%, respectively, at a 95% confidence level.


Round 6 global releases

• Round 6 (2014/2015) includes almost 54,000 respondents in 36 countries, representing more than 3/4 of the continent’s population.

• Previous global releases (see www.afrobarometer.org):

– Citizens’ priorities

– Infrastructure development

– Lived poverty

– Tolerance

– Electrification

• Upcoming global releases include:

– Elections

– Leadership performance

– Access to justice

– Africa’s middle class

– Africa’s middle class

– Corruption and

trustworthy institutions

– Democracy

– Water and sanitation

– Health care

– News media

– Regional integration


Interest in and discussion of

public affairs


Key results

■ Slightly more than half (53%) of African youth report being

“very” or “somewhat” interested in public affairs.

■ Two-thirds (67%) of youth say they discuss politics with

friends or family “occasionally” or “frequently.”

■ Youth report slightly lower interest than their older peers

(53% vs. 58%) and the same level of discussion (both 67%).

■ Compared to young men, young women report significantly

less interest (48% vs. 60%) and discussion (61% vs. 74%)

levels.

Interest in public affairs

| 18- to 35-year-olds |

36 countries |

2014/2015

Respondents were

asked: How

interested would you

say you are in public

affairs?

(% “very interested”

or “somewhat

interested”)

44%

51%

53%

58%

58%

24%

34%

44%

46%

46%

48%

48%

49%

49%

49%

50%

50%

50%

50%

51%

51%

53%

53%

53%

54%

55%

55%

55%

56%

56%

57%

57%

57%

58%

58%

60%

61%

65%

68%

69%

71%

73%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Central Africa

West Africa

East Africa

Southern Africa

North Africa

Côte d'Ivoire

Gabon

Togo

Tanzania

Algeria

Cameroon

Kenya

Guinea

Zimbabwe

Mauritius

São Tomé and Príncipe

Swaziland

Liberia

Benin

Burundi

Sierra Leone

Sudan

Madagascar

Average

Morocco

Cape Verde

Ghana

South Africa

Mozambique

Niger

Burkina Faso

Senegal

Zambia

Mali

Nigeria

Lesotho

Namibia

Botswana

Uganda

Egypt

Malawi

Tunisia

Interest in public affairs | by employment status, lived poverty,

education, age, gender, and urban-rural residence | 18- to 35-year-olds

| 36 countries | 2014/2015

Respondents were asked: How interested would you say you are in public affairs? (% “very

interested” or “somewhat interested”)

53%

53%54%

48%60%

51%55%

47%50%

52%65%

48%52%

55%57%

49%53%

55%59%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Average

UrbanRural

FemaleMale

18-25 years26-35 years

No formal educationPrimary

SecondaryPost-secondary

High lived povertyModerate lived poverty

Low lived povertyNo lived poverty

Not employed (not looking)Not employed (looking)

Employed, part timeEmployed, full time

Discussion of politics


36 countries |

2014/2015

Respondents were

asked: When you

get together with

your friends or family,

would you say you

discuss political

matters frequently,

occasionally, or

never?

14%15%19%19%21%

8%9%10%11%11%12%13%14%14%14%15%15%16%16%16%16%16%17%17%17%18%18%18%18%20%21%21%21%22%23%23%23%25%26%29%30%

38%

53%46%

48%48%

53%

54%49%48%

53%49%

56%47%47%45%

56%47%

54%48%

41%49%

39%37%

54%48%52%

56%49%

42%54%

38%63%62%

40%53%

55%50%

47%44%

40%55%

42%38%

30%38%

33%31%

25%

36%42%42%

36%39%28%

40%38%

37%23%

34%30%

35%40%

34%44%

46%28%

35%31%

26%32%

36%27%

42%16%16%

34%25%

22%25%29%32%

34%16%

27%24%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

North Africa

East Africa

Southern Africa

West Africa

Central Africa

Algeria

Madagascar

Tanzania

Mauritius

Côte d'Ivoire

Morocco

Swaziland

Togo

Mozambique

Egypt

Sudan

Zimbabwe

Zambia

Cape Verde

Uganda

Burundi

Guinea


Kenya

Namibia

Benin

Average

Sierra Leone

South Africa

Burkina Faso

Niger

Nigeria

Liberia

Tunisia

Gabon

Cameroon

Botswana

Mali

Ghana

Senegal

Lesotho

Malawi

Frequently Occasionally Never

Discussion of politics | by employment status, lived poverty,

education, age, gender, and urban-rural residence | 18-

to 35-year-olds | 36 countries | 2014/2015

Respondents were asked: When you get together with your friends or family, would you say you discuss

political matters frequently, occasionally, or never? (% “frequently” or “occasionally”)

67%

70%64%

61%74%

65%69%

56%61%

68%80%

64%67%68%

67%

62%67%

70%72%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Average

UrbanRural

FemaleMale








Trends in interest in and discussion of public

affairs | 18- to 35-year-olds | 16 countries | 2002/2015

Respondents were asked:

1. How interested would you say you are in public affairs? (% “very interested” or “somewhat interested”)

2. When you get together with your friends or family, would you say you discuss political matters frequently, occasionally, or

never? (% “occasionally” or “frequently”)

81%

67%62% 60% 58%

60%

70% 71% 70% 69%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2002/2003 2005/2006 2008/2009 2011/2013 2014/2015

Very/Somewhat interested in public affairs Discuss politics occasionally/frequently


Electoral participation


Key results

■ Two-thirds (65%) of 18- to 35–year-old respondents who

were old enough to vote in the last national election say

they did so, compared to 79% of citizens above age 35.

■ Attendance at campaign rallies is the most popular form of

pre-electoral engagement among Africans of all ages. Youth

are slightly less likely to participate than older citizens (33%

vs. 37%).

■ Young women’s attendance at rallies lagged behind that of

men (by 9 percentage points), while there was no significant

difference in voting rates (2 points).

Voting in elections | by region | 18- to 35-year-olds | 35

countries | 2014/2015

Respondents were asked: Understanding that some people were unable to vote in the most recent

national election in [20XX], which of the following statements is true for you? (Notes: This question

was not asked in Senegal. Results exclude respondents who say they were not old enough to vote.)

65%

46%

55%

68%

70%

73%

10%

19%

15%

10%

7%

9%

10%

18%

15%

9%

7%

5%

14%

17%

14%

13%

15%

13%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Average

North Africa

Central Africa

Southern Africa

West Africa

East Africa

Voted in the elections Not registered to vote Decided not to vote Did not vote for other reason

Voted in last election | by employment status, lived poverty,

education, age, gender, and urban-rural residence |

18- to 35-year-olds | 35 countries | 2014/2015

Respondents were asked: Understanding that some people were unable to vote in the most recent

national election in [20XX], which of the following statements is true for you? (% “voted in the last

election”)

(Notes: This question was not asked in Senegal. Results exclude respondents who say they were

not old enough to vote.)

65%

61%68%

64%66%

56%70%

71%67%

64%60%

63%65%66%66%

64%62%

64%70%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Average

UrbanRural

FemaleMale








Pre-election engagement | by region | 18- to 35-year-olds | 36


Respondents were asked: Thinking about the last national election in [20XX], did you: Attend a

campaign rally? Attend a meeting with a candidate or campaign staff? Try to persuade others to vote

for a certain legislative candidate or political party? Work for a candidate or party? (% “yes”)

42%45%

34%

30%

22%

33%

39%

27%30%

17% 16%

25%

30%

22%25%

16% 17%

21%

17%

12%

17%

8%10%

13%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Central Africa East Africa West Africa Southern Africa North Africa 36-countryaverage

Attended campaign rally Attended campaign meeting

Persuaded others to vote for candidate/party Worked for candidate or party

Attendance at a campaign rally | by employment status, lived

poverty, education, age, gender, and urban-rural residence | 18- to

35-year-olds | 36 countries | 2014/2015

Respondents were asked: Thinking about the last national election in [20XX], did you attend a

campaign rally? (% “yes”)

33%

31%35%

29%38%

30%36%

29%35%35%

32%

36%36%

33%29%

29%34%

37%37%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Average

UrbanRural

FemaleMale









Civic engagement


Key results

■ African youth are less likely than their elders to participate in civic

activities.

■ Less than half (47%) say they attended community meetings at

least once during the previous year, vs. 57% of older citizens.

■ 40% joined others to raise an issue, vs. 47% of older citizens.

■ Not quite half (48%) of youth say they contacted political or community

leaders during the previous year to discuss an important issue,

compared to 56% of older citizens.

■ Young women are significantly less engaged than young men on the

two measures of civic activism (49% vs. 58%) and contacting leaders

(43% vs. 53%).

Active membership and civic activism | by region | 18-

to 35-year-olds | 36 countries | 2014/2015


1. Now I am going to read out a list of groups that people join or attend. For each one, could you tell me whether

you are an official leader, an active member, an inactive member, or not a member: A religious group that meets

outside of regular worship services? Some other voluntary association or community group? (% “active member”

or “official leader”)

2. Here is a list of actions that people sometimes take as citizens. For each of these, please tell me whether you,

personally, have done any of these things during the past year: Attended a community meeting? Got together

with others to raise an issue? (% “yes”)

31%25% 24%

34%

8%

26%25% 23%20%

14% 14%19%

56%

49%

42%

50%

30%

47%42% 43%

49%

37%31%

40%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

East Africa West Africa Central Africa Southern Africa North Africa 36-countryaverage

Official leader/Active member of religious group

Official leader/Active member of voluntary association or community group

Attended a community meeting

Joined others to raise an issue

Civic activism | by employment status, lived poverty, education, age,

gender and urban/rural location | 18- to 35-year-olds | 36


Respondents were asked: Here is a list of actions that people sometimes take as citizens. For each

of these, please tell me whether you, personally, have done any of these things during the past year:

Attended a community meeting? Got together with others to raise an issue?

(% who attended a community meeting and/or joined others to raise an issue)

54%

46%60%

49%58%

48%58%

53%57%

52%53%

62%60%

52%39%

51%56%

58%52%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Average

UrbanRural

FemaleMale








Declining youth civic engagement | 18- to 35-year-olds |

16 countries |2002/2015


1. Now I am going to read out a list of groups that people join or attend. For each one, could you tell me whether

you are an official leader, an active member, an inactive member, or not a member?

2. Here is a list of actions that people sometimes take as citizens. For each of these, please tell me whether you,

personally, have done any of these things during the past year. (% “yes”)

50% 49%

45%

34% 34%

21% 20% 19%

63%60%

57% 56%

51%

49%47%

49%

51%

38%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

2002/2003 2005/2006 2008/2009 2011/2013 2014/2015

Official leader/Active member of religious group

Official leader/Active member of voluntary association

Attended a community meeting

Joined others to raise an issue

Contact with political and community leaders | by region |


Respondents were asked: During the past year, how often have you contacted any of the following persons about

some important problem or to give them your views? 1) A local government councillor (not asked in Malawi); 2) A

member of Parliament (not asked in Egypt); 3) An official of a government agency; 4) A political party official (not

asked in Swaziland); 5) Traditional leaders (not asked in Cape Verde, Mauritius, and São Tomé and Príncipe); 6)

Religious leaders

(% “yes”)

East Africa

Central Africa

Southern Africa

West Africa

North Africa

Average

Contacted at least one leader

56% 50% 50% 46% 40% 48%

Religious leader 43% 38% 34% 34% 24% 34%

Political party official 28% 23% 29% 25% 22% 26%

Traditional leader 28% 23% 29% 25% 22% 26%

Local govt councillor 19% 17% 19% 18% 20% 19%

Official of govt agency 16% 10% 10% 10% 23% 12%

Member of Parliament 9% 11% 9% 10% 8% 10%

Contact with political and community leaders | by employment status,

lived poverty, education, age, gender, and urban-rural residence | 18- to

35-year-olds | 36 countries | 2014/2015

(Figure shows % of respondents who had contact with at least one political or community leader in

the previous year)

48%

43%51%

43%53%

43%52%

42%49%

47%51%

52%52%

49%37%

42%50%

53%50%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Average

UrbanRural

FemaleMale









Protest activity


Key results

■ African youth report relatively low levels of engagement in these activities compared to measures of electoral and civic engagement.

■ On average, the highest protest participation levels are for joining others in their communities to request government action (21% say they did so in the previous year), while the lowest are for refusing to pay a tax or fee (5%).

■ Youth are more likely to participate in demonstrations or protest marches than their elders (11% vs. 8%). Furthermore, young men report higher participation levels than their female peers (13% vs. 8%).

■ Participation in demonstrations was highest in Central Africa (16%), followed by North Africa (15%), West Africa (12%), Southern Africa (7%), and East Africa (6%).

Protest activity | 18- to 35-year-olds | 36 countries

| 2014/2015

Respondents were asked: Here is a list of actions that people sometimes take as citizens when they are dissatisfied

with government performance. For each of these, please tell me whether you, personally, have done any of these

things during the past year. If not, would you do this if you had the chance?

Yes

No, but would if had the chance

No, would never do

this

Don't know

Joined others in your community to request action from government

21% 59% 19% 1%

Contacted a government official to ask for help or make a complaint

13% 62% 24% 1%

Contacted the media, like calling a radio program or writing a letter to a newspaper

12% 61% 25% 1%

Participated in a demonstration or protest march

11% 38% 49% 2%

Refused to pay a tax or fee to government 5% 23% 68% 3%

Protest activity | by region | 18- to 35-year-olds | 36




things during the past year. If not, would you do this if you had the chance?

(% “yes”)

22%

27%

21%

17%

20%

15%18%

12%13% 12%

14%12%

14%

12%

9%

16%

6%

12%

15%

7%6%

4%6% 7%

4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Central Africa East Africa West Africa North Africa Southern Africa

Joined others to request government action Contacted official

Contacted media Participated in demonstration or protest march

Refused to pay tax or fee

Participation in a demonstration or protest march | by employment

status, lived poverty, education, age, gender, and urban-rural residence |




things during the past year: Participated in a demonstration or protest march? (% “yes”)

11%

13%9%

8%13%

11%10%

7%7%

11%17%

11%11%

10%10%

10%11%

12%11%

0% 10% 20% 30%

Average

UrbanRural

FemaleMale









Gender gaps in youth political

engagement

Gender gaps in youth political engagement | 36 countries |

2014/2015

* Rounded numbers may result in an apparent 1-percentage-point discrepancy.

Young African women are less likely to… Male Female% point

difference

Discuss politics “frequently” or “occasionally” 74% 61% 13

Be “very” or “somewhat” interested in politics

60% 48% 12

Contact at least one political or community leader

53% 43% 10

Join others to raise an issue 45% 35% 10

Attend campaign rallies 38% 29% 10*

Attend community meetings 51% 43% 8

Attend demonstrations or protest marches 13% 8% 5

Vote in national elections 66% 64% 2

Gender gap in

contact with leaders

| 18- to 35-year-olds

| 36 countries

| 2014/2015

(Figure shows percentage-

point difference between

male and female

respondents who had

contact with at least one of

the six types of leaders

during the previous year)

6

7

10

12

16

-20

0

1

1

2

3

3

6

7

7

7

8

8

9

9

9

9

10

10

12

12

13

14

14

14

14

14

16

17

19

19

21

21

21

24

33

-5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Southern Africa

Central Africa

East Africa

North Africa

West Africa

Mozambique


Madagascar

Botswana

Zimbabwe

South Africa

Cape Verde

Liberia

Namibia

Tanzania

Swaziland

Uganda

Egypt

Zambia

Tunisia

Gabon

Côte d'Ivoire

Kenya

Lesotho

Average

Malawi

Cameroon

Sierra Leone

Ghana

Morocco

Sudan

Algeria

Nigeria

Burundi

Senegal

Benin

Mauritius

Niger

Togo

Mali

Burkina Faso

Guinea

Gender gap in

attendance at a

campaign rally |

18- to 35-year-olds

| 36 countries

| 2014/2015



male and female

respondents who attended

a campaign rally during the

previous year)

77

1013

14

-3-2

12

33

45

777

888

101010

1111111111

12121212

1313

1414

1516

1718

1923

24

-5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Central AfricaSouthern Africa

North AfricaWest AfricaEast Africa

São Tomé and PríncipeMadagascarSierra Leone

LesothoMozambique

GuineaSouth Africa

SwazilandAlgeria

NamibiaCape Verde

SudanBurkina Faso

UgandaAverage

BotswanaCameroon

SenegalZambiaBurundi

EgyptZimbabwe

Côte d'IvoireGabonMalawiGhanaLiberia

MoroccoTanzania

TogoNigeria

NigerTunisia

BeninMali

KenyaMauritius

Gender gap in civic

activism


36 countries |

2014/2015

(Figure shows average

percentage-point difference

between male and female

respondents who attended

a community meeting

and/or joined others to raise

an issue)

2

6

9

14

14

-70

2

2

2

2

3

5

5

7

7

7

8

9

9

10

11

11

11

11

11

12

12

12

13

14

16

16

16

17

17

17

17

17

18

18

18

-10 -5 0 5 10 15 20

Central Africa

Southern Africa

East Africa

North Africa

West Africa


Madagascar

Namibia

Botswana

Cameroon

Malawi

Mozambique

Uganda

Zimbabwe

South Africa

Liberia

Zambia

Tunisia

Average

Tanzania

Lesotho

Burundi

Niger

Mauritius

Algeria

Cote d'Ivoire

Kenya

Gabon

Ghana

Senegal

Cape Verde

Swaziland

Morocco

Sudan

Mali

Egypt

Guinea

Nigeria

Sierra Leone

Togo

Burkina Faso

Benin

Gender gap in

participation in a

demonstration or

protest march


36 countries

| 2014/2015



male and female

respondents who

participated in a

demonstration or protest

march during the previous

year)

2

2

6

7

7

-3

0

0

0

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

2

3

3

4

4

5

5

5

5

6

6

6

6

6

7

7

8

8

9

9

10

13

17

21

-5 0 5 10 15 20 25

Southern Africa

East Africa

Central Africa

North Africa

West Africa

Botswana

Lesotho

Uganda

Mauritius

Zimbabwe

Madagascar

Tanzania

Morocco

Swaziland

Cape Verde


Zambia

Burundi

Sierra Leone

Mozambique

Namibia

Niger

Côte d'Ivoire

Malawi

Ghana

Average

Sudan

Nigeria

South Africa

Benin

Kenya

Liberia

Cameroon

Egypt

Senegal

Togo

Guinea

Algeria

Gabon

Mali

Tunisia

Burkina Faso


Conclusions


■ Engagement in the political process is an important avenue for citizen empowerment. However, African youth are less likely than their older peers to engage in political and civic activism. These findings are consistent with worldwide trends.

■ Participation appears to be declining, suggesting that African youth are increasingly disempowered.

■ Young women are even less likely than young men to be interested or engaged in political activism. ■ Gender differences are smallest for voting.

■ More work is required to build interest and participation in political and civic affairs to move toward African Union goals of youth empowerment.


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