Causes and solutions for youth unemployment rates in Kampala in light of the Quran and Sunnah: (a descriptive analytical study)

Abstract

Unemployment is one of the most serious social and economic problems facing contemporary societies, especially the youth. This study aims to identify the causes of youth unemployment rates in Kampala and to explain their treatment in light of the Quran and Sunnah, using the descriptive analytical method. Research Problem: The problem is the increasing rates of unemployment among youth in Kampala despite the availability of human resources and various resources, which has led to the emergence of many social and economic problems such as poverty, crime, and drug abuse. Research Methodology: The research relied on the descriptive method, historical method, analytical method, and deductive method. Key Findings: The study found that the youth unemployment rate in Uganda reached ١٧.٩٪, and in Kampala ١٨.٦٪, with a large gender gap (٢١.٠٪ for females versus ١٥.٢٪ for males). It also revealed that more than ٨٠٪ of the labor force works in the informal sector, and that the gap between labor supply and demand reaches about ٦٢٠,٠٠٠ youth annually. The causes of unemployment varied between economic causes (population growth, limited opportunities, weak investments), educational causes (weak skills, lack of experience), social and cultural causes (society's perception, weak culture of self-employment), and institutional causes (weak planning, corruption, bureaucracy). The study also found that Islam gives work a great status, considers it worship and a means of succession on earth, and provides comprehensive solutions to address unemployment, including: directing youth towards productive work, developing professional skills, encouraging small projects, reviving social solidarity, improving education, combating corruption, and investing in agriculture and production. Recommendations: The study concluded that all parties (youth, educational institutions, government, Islamic institutions) must join efforts to address this problem, and provided a set of practical recommendations for each party, with applied models from reality that can be benefited from.