Youth: We need employment, shelter and the abolition of the national service

Youth representing 75% of the Algerian population have put all their hopes in the person of the President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, elected for a third term as head of the country. The youth, mostly hope to get stable jobs and decent housing to lead a decent life.

• After two decades dedicated to the pacification of Algeria and the return of peace and stability, also the return of Algeria on the international scene and the realization of major projects, the Algerian youth are turning to the new-old president so that he deigns to listen to his concerns.
  
  At one of his speeches, the President said that the choice was that of the youth. So these young people had chosen him to take the reins of the country for a third term. Today, the youth expects that he looks at their problems and hopes. They expect that he addresses their problems of unemployment, which reached over 11%. They hope a regularization of the situation vis-à-vis the national service.
  
  The last increase in the student grant announced by the President and the advancement of educational centres, better education and conditions of education at all levels are among his priorities.
  
  The demands of young people are numerous, but simple, as simple as their dreams. Young people aspire to a decent and respectable life. The president's response was the promise to eliminate all standing crises such as the housing crisis, unemployment and poverty by creating three million jobs, creating a million homes between 2010 and 2014, in addition to the creation of 20,000 SMEs. The minimum salary (Smig) will be reviewed on the rise (to 15000 dinars). 1000 billion dinars will be earmarked for food security. The students’ grant will be raised to DA 4000 (to 2 million students).
  
  
  Algerian youth has long been marginalized, which made her ‘Harraga’ who risk their lives to go find elsewhere a space for breathing.
  
  Youth has only the mosque to pray or isolated places to indulge in drugs and alcohol.
  
  One suicide every three days.
  
  According to a study, 388 suicides between 2006 and 2008 were committed by young people between 18 to 40, mostly illiterate.
  
  
  More than 4000 Harraga in 12 years.
  
  There were over 4000 Harraga in Algeria since 1997, arrested by the national police (gendarmerie). According to these services, not less than 2055 Harraga were arrested between 1996 and 97. In 2007, 1071 Harraga tried to move to the other side.
  
  
  26,000 young drugs addicted in Algeria
  
  According to statistics conducted by the National Office for the fight against drugs, 85% of those involved in drug cases are aged less than 35. Health services have supported over the past 10 years more than 26,000 addicts nationally.
  
  Meanwhile, the national police have seized over the past two years more than 57 tons of drugs from Morocco.
  
  
  Ennahar / Dalila Belkheir