South Korean researchers to study Kenyan youth challenges amid protests
The findings are expected to guide both the Kenyan and South Korean governments in developing targeted policies and interventions.
Kenya is set to host a team of researchers from South Korea’s Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) as part of a new initiative aimed at understanding and addressing the challenges facing the country’s youth.
According to a statement released on Monday, July 14, by the State Department for Youth Affairs and the Creative Economy, the researchers will carry out a comprehensive survey focusing on social, psychological, economic, and political issues affecting young people in Kenya.
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The findings are expected to guide both the Kenyan and South Korean governments in developing targeted policies and interventions.
The research team will be led by Prof Jeon Only, Director of the Africa Human Resource Development Centre at the Institute of African Studies, and Prof Bae Yuh Jin, Director of the Centre for African Culture and History at the same institute.
“The Professors noted that the youth demographic is a challenge not only in Kenya but across the world, and the need to understand them is critical to inform appropriate policy interventions for their needs,” the statement noted.
The department further revealed that Hankuk University is one of four Korean institutions that have applied for research funding from the South Korean government to explore youth development issues across Africa.
This development comes at a time when Kenyan youth, especially Gen Z, have taken a prominent role in civic action, staging protests to demand accountability and improved governance from President William Ruto’s administration.
On July 7, during Saba Saba Day, thousands of young people took to the streets in cities and towns across the country in mass demonstrations. The protests were driven by rising frustrations over economic challenges and the cost of living.
Speaking on Wednesday, July 9, during a public function, President Ruto pointed fingers at unnamed individuals who he claimed were behind efforts to destabilise the country through the protests. He warned that the government would no longer tolerate such actions.
“I have been quiet, and I have tolerated these people who want to change the government using unconstitutional means, but enough is enough,” Ruto said.
“Anyone attacking our police officers, police stations, or installations is effectively declaring war. We will not tolerate it. We cannot run a country ruled by terror or chaos,” he added.
The survey by the Korean researchers is expected to provide a clearer picture of the underlying issues affecting Kenyan youth and help shape more responsive strategies for youth empowerment.
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