Young Lives Ethiopia Presents Qual-6 Findings at the 22nd International Conference on Ethiopian Studies in Hawassa

Hawassa, Ethiopia - The Young Lives Ethiopia team took part in the 22nd International Conference on Ethiopian Studies (ICES22) held from September 29 to October 3, 2025, at Hawassa University. The team made a strong contribution to the conference with a series of insightful presentations under the theme, “Youth Transitions to Adulthood Through a Period of Multiple Crises.”

Over the five-day event, the Young Lives Ethiopia team delivered nine presentations across two days, sharing evidence and emerging findings from their ongoing Qualitative Longitudinal Research (Qual-6). The presentations explored how young people in Ethiopia are navigating education, employment, and wellbeing amid intersecting social, economic, and environmental challenges.

Dr. Alula Pankhurst, Young Lives Ethiopia Country Director, led the team’s sessions and presented new findings under the sub-theme, “Resilience in the Face of Adversity? Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Transitioning to Adulthood Through Multiple Crises.” His presentation highlighted how Ethiopian youth demonstrate resilience while facing persistent uncertainties shaped by global and local crises.

The conference also featured a presentation by Tanima Tanima from Young Lives, University of Oxford, who joined the Young Lives team to share research on “Gender Differences in Preferences for Job Characteristics: Evidence from Young Lives.” Her work provided comparative insights into how young men and women express preferences for job characteristics in Ethiopia.

Throughout the conference, the Young Lives Ethiopia team actively engaged with participants’ questions and contributed to thought-provoking discussions. Their sessions provided valuable evidence on how young people adapt and make life decisions in challenging times, especially in the context of conflict, enriching broader debates on youth development and policy in Ethiopia.

The team’s participation at ICES22 offered an important platform to exchange ideas with scholars, policymakers, and practitioners and to strengthen collaborations focused on youth transitions, education, and wellbeing.