The Case for Youth Mental Health Support in Rwanda- Part 1
Unemployment, mental health struggles, and resilience. Rwanda’s youth are facing it all - Can they rise above?
Rwanda is a small and landlocked country in East Africa with a population of over 13 million people. The country can be characterized by a mix of developmental strides and ongoing challenges. Since the 1994 genocide, Rwanda has strived for political stability. By 2035, Rwanda hopes to reach middle-income status, and by 2050, it wants to achieve high-income status. It intends to do this by implementing a series of National Strategies for Transformation (NST) that span seven years supported by sector-specific plans to achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The nation has experienced economic difficulties, one of which is a significant current account deficit in 2021. Though fertile and hilly, it has the same financial problems faced by other small, landlocked countries. Despite the difficult circumstances, Rwanda's economy has remained robust and adaptive, growing significantly in 2023—by 8.2%—beating analysts' prior estimates of 6.2%. The industrial sector's recovery and the services sector's ability to maintain domestic demand were key factors in the economy's strong growth and upward trajectory. However, GDP growth is projected to slow in 2024–2025, averaging 6.6% growth, due to climate shocks to agriculture. Essentially, according to a thematic report by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda, only structural change will allow Rwanda to accomplish its lofty economic goals.
More regional and international integration, job growth in manufacturing and services, and leveraging of the demographic dividend in the medium term will give Rwanda more power with which to pursue its goals. Another key point for consideration is the youthful population and their status quo. Rwanda's youth are a valuable resource and an important force behind sustainable development if given the right opportunities and motivation. In Rwanda, about 78 percent of Rwandans are below 35 years of age and youth aged between 16 and 30 represent 27% of the total resident population. More youth live in urban areas than rural areas and make up 35% of the population resident in Kigali City.
An obvious threat to the country’s ability to leverage the country’s youthful population is their current disenfranchisement, with mental health issues and unemployment being the most significant impediments. Rwanda's youth unemployment rate was 22.50% on average between 2019 and 2024; it peaked at 29.80% in the fourth quarter of 2021 and fell to a record low of 16.60% in the first quarter of 2024. Rwanda has recently seen an increase in youth unemployment, rising from 16.60% in the first quarter of 2024 to 20.50% in the second quarter of 2024, and youth unemployment stands higher than the adult unemployment at 14.10% in the second quarter of 2024. Rwanda is making overall progress in job creation and economic participation for young people, but the issue of out of school children and mental health will continue to slow growth if not addressed.
