Young people in ACP countries face a common dilemma when it comes to the use and application of new technologies. They are often regarded as pioneers, with the necessary curiosity to try things out. They are not easily intimidated by complicated-looking applications and thick manuals, they tend to learn international languages easily, and they are usually the ones to explain new gadgets to their parents – if they can lay their hands on them. This, sadly, is the other side of the coin – young people, especially in the rural areas, lack the means to buy or rent and use new technologies. With youth unemployment 2 to 2 1/2 times greater than the national average in many ACP countries, and rural jobs even harder to find, many young people simply don’t have the money to surf the Internet, send e-mails and SMSs or watch a video¹.

ICTs are usually associated with city life. They are one of the many reasons why young people leave the villages and migrate to the cities, in search of jobs and of a better life. However, r ecent years have seen an increase in the use of ICTs in the rural areas of ACP countries, despite persisting problems of access, connectivity, literacy, content, and costs. This development of communications infrastructure, especially in the area of telecommunications, is one of the great opportunities in an attempt to make village life more attractive for young people – ICTs can bring the city to the village. News, music, films, games, educational and job opportunities, contacts with family and friends, political and health information, all become more accessible with the help of ICTs.

ICTs provide many income-generating opportunities. They can help to improve crop-production methods and the marketing of agricultural products, but they can also be a source of income in themselves, by making ICT-related services available for a fee (such as, operating a public phone booth, a telecentre, providing maintenance services, or providing training in ICT use). ICT-related jobs require a certain set of skills, and providing these skills to young people is an important step towards youth employment and income generation.

And ICTs provide ‘voice’- the opportunity to participate in public debates, where normally age and lack of experience provide formidable barriers to entry for young people. A lack of voice often goes hand in hand with a lack of information. ICTs act as neutral information sources, where taboos don’t play a role and any question, however sensitive, can be asked. This is particularly important in the context of HIV/AIDS, where young people often find it difficult to openly discuss matters related to sex and to obtain reliable information on the disease.

Providing young people with access to ICTs and the necessary skills to use them, and possibly to make a living with their help, is a big challenge in the quest for rural youth livelihoods. Many initiatives are currently starting up aimed at providing better connectivity to rural areas. Will they meet the needs of their young clientele? CTA’s ICT Observatory 2004 on “Giving Youth a Voice” aims to do just that – give youth a voice in the discussion on whether, why and how ICTs can help in shaping rural livelihoods.

¹Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can be interpreted broadly as technologies that facilitate communication and the processing and transmission of information by electronic means. This definition encompasses the full range of ICTs, from radio and television to telephones (fixed and mobile), computers and the Internet. In development contexts, the interface with traditional communications systems and tools is also important, as are applications in areas like agriculture, business, governance, health, and education.