proportion that governments in the Horn of Africa cling to colonial and neocolonial constructs of development completely ignoring the economic and development potential of pastoralism. What is crucial in amplifying economic participation of people belonging to minority groups and emphasizing equal opportunities in both society, employment, and entrepreneurship is adopting a minority-friendly policy that begins with recognition of minority and indigenous livelihood systems as viable as any other traditional social system and adopting supporting policies that correspond with UN conventions and declarations on minority and indigenous communities. Like all communities in the world, minority communities also need development. As stipulated in a number of UN conventions, education is the key link to social development in minority and indigenous communities. Be it in advancing the process of social and economic development in their own communities as well as in participating in the drive towards national development, empowering minorities in the education arena is the key. Empowerment within the context of minority communities should not be restricted to the hindrances that emanate from relations with external factors. Conceptualizing empowerment within the context of minorities requires an inward and looking forward. A crucial component of the construct of empowerment in minority communities is working towards bringing equality between women and men. Empowerment without attaining gender equality is only an empowerment only to men. Empowerment should also be forward looking. In this sense, children and youth should be seen as the generational domains of empowerment in minority communities. As the future belongs to children and the youth, it is crucial to empower them with education and democratic culture. One crucial factor for empowerment in the context of minorities is selfdetermination particularly in using and preserving one’s language, culture, traditions and knowledge system in general. Minorities are made to be sensitive about asserting their identities. Therefore preserving one’s language, culture, tradition and knowledge system as a whole is essential for their identity. Asserting identity and preserving it crucial to minority communities.