Managing Election- Relation Violence for Democratic Stability in Ghana Sports, 2010:1) identifies a number of challenges that face the youth. These include: access to quality education; unemployment and underemployment as a result of inadequate and inappropriate training for the job market; a'get-rich-quick' attitude; high vulnerability to hunger, high incidence of drug and substance abuse; and erosion of traditional support systems for young persons, combined with the weakened role of the family, leading to deviance(Ibid: 9). In addition, the Policy document identifies the growing incidence of youth involvement in violent conflicts – be they political, social or ethnic – as one of the major challenges facing Ghanaian youth. In light of this, it is important to note that a considerable number of the incidents of political and election-related violence that are reported in the media, particularly in the post-2000 period, make some reference to the involvement of youth or youth groups as the perpetrators(and sometimes victims) of political and election­related violence. Violent political engagements by the youth take place at various stages of the political and electoral cycle, and range from intimidation and harassment of perceived opponents, to violent disruption of political rallies, bloody clashes between youth groups from opposing political groups, to stealing and destruction of state and public property such as ballot boxes, biometric voter registration kits and office equipment. This is a disturbing phenomenon given that the country's democratic consolidation implicates the youth and depends on what they make of it. It is important that the youth assimilate democratic culture and norms, including using non-violent means to resolve political disputes or other incompatibilities. It is, however, also 309