View article

The idea that large numbers of young people in sub-Saharan Africa are stuck in waithood - trapped between childhood and adulthood - dominates international development policy discourse. The belief is that because there are no jobs, young people cannot attain social markers of adulthood. Waithood has proved itself to be a very attractive way to frame debates and promote youth employment interventions. But research challenges two aspects of the waithood story: that young people are inactive; and that work is the only route into adulthood. Caution and nuance are required to prevent waithood becoming another catchy term that does little to improve policy.