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News release

Listen more to the wisdom of elders than to the fresh ideas of the youth, Ghanaians say

12 Aug 2020 Ghana
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A majority of Ghanaians – and even of youth – think it is more important to listen to the wisdom of the elders than to the fresh ideas of the young, the most recent Afrobarometer study shows.

Only about one-third of Ghanaians agree with the idea that “in order for our country to do well, we should listen more to fresh ideas from young people.” The need to pay more attention to the youth is a minority view across key socio-demographic groups – even among youth themselves.

The survey also shows that although the youth are no less interested in politics than their elders and are about equally likely to have participated in 2016 electoral activities, they are less likely than older citizens to contact their leaders, attend community meetings, and get together to raise issues.

On International Youth Day, these findings point to the need to intensify advocacy for youth inclusion in policy making.