USAID YouthPower Action South Africa Health Workforce Assessment Brief
Authors: Obed Diener, Abigail Ornellas, Karen Katz, Roy Natherson, and FHI 360.
The youth bulge in sub-Saharan Africa offers promise for a long-term ‘demographic dividend.’ Yet in the near term, the youth bulge is a major driver of several complex, interrelated development challenges. The first is the massive and growing employment crisis, as a steadily increasing population of youth entering the labor force each year far exceeds the number of jobs created, especially in the formal economy. The effects are disproportionately severe for economically marginalized adolescent girls and young women, who are at higher risk for HIV than males of the same age. However, education and economic empowerment have shown promise in mitigating that risk. The second key challenge is the threat of a rollback in controlling the HIV epidemic, driven by the swelling population of adolescents and young adults who have a disproportionately higher risk of HIV acquisition.
The YP Action South Africa Health Workforce Assessment explored the opportunities and challenges for youth employment in health and social services. South Africa is a prime example of these trends, with broader relevance in Africa and other low and middle-income countries. The assessment included a review of youth workforce programs that provide vocational training, career guidance, job placement, and related services. Drawing from key informant interviews, a literature review, and labor market data, the analysis then maps potential opportunities for expanding youth employment in health and social services. Fieldwork included in-depth interviews with over 25 diverse stakeholders and six focus groups with youth, led by a four person, mixed international/local team, which visited Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Cape Town and surrounding townships and rural areas.