In Somalia, schools are a bulwark against recruitment by violent groups
For Somalia, a country engaged in a civil war for almost 30 years and with over 70% of its population under the age of 30, youth education appears to be a key to a peaceful future. And, GPE has witnessed first-hand what education can do to diminish armed groups.
A new study by Mercy Corps revealed that young people in conflict-affected areas of Somalia who have access to secondary education are almost half as likely to support violent groups than those not in school. Though experts warn that education itself is not enough to reduce conflict, and that youth could become disenchanted if education increases hopes only to be met with a lack of employment opportunities.