How can the economic agency of young men and women in fragile settings be strengthened? What are the needs, ambitions and experiences of young men and women in fragile settings? And how do NGO interventions tie in with these?

This event will present the outcomes of a joint research project undertaken by Wageningen University and five Dutch NGOs: CARE, Save the Children, ZOA, Oxfam Novib, and SPARK. The project aimed to move beyond the idea of “opportunity costs of violence” and take a broader approach to young people’s needs and motivations, acknowledging their potential to be change agents.

The programme includes:

• Presentation of findings of fieldwork in South-Sudan and Burundi

• Presentation of an online tool to think through and improve economic opportunity interventions

• Discussion with two researchers from the region

• Panel discussion featuring discussants from academia, policy and NGO practice.

The event is open to all interested in discussing the research findings and the launch of the new tool.

For more information on the event and free registration: [email protected]. After registration you will receive a more detailed program for the day.

This event is part of the applied research project, Youth economic exclusion and violence in Burundi and South Sudan: Improving economic opportunity interventions for young people in fragile settings, funded through the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) Applied Research Fund.

Public Phd defence of Rens Twijnstra on  "the State of Business: Trade, Entrepreneurship and Real Economic Governance in South Sudan"

Rens Twijnstra is a 4th year PhD candidate with a background in Anthropology, Conflict Studies and Criminology. His research is on the relationship between entrepreneurship, cross-border trade networks and the emergence of state institutions in South Sudan where he conducted his PhD fieldwork between 2010 and 2013.

Promoter professor.dr.ir. D.J.M. (Thea) Hilhorst Co-promoter dr. K (Kristof) Titeca (University of Antwerp) Organisation Special Chair Humanitarian Aid and Reconstruction