Kathmandu, Aug. 12
President Ramchandra Paudel has said that the youth of Nepal
should be supported with opportunities in livelihood and entrepreneurship so
that they could contribute to the development of the country.
"A policy is necessary to provide suitable
opportunities for the special contribution of the youth in the overall
development of the state," he said while addressing the Nepal Youth Summit
2024 organised by the United Nations in Nepal in collaboration with the
Ministry of Youth and Sports and National Youth Council in the Capital on
Monday.
The summit was organised on the occasion of the
International Youth Day.
According to President Paudel, there is a need for a new
policy to address the needs and feelings of the youth, which have changed
according to federalism, development of information technology and the changing
social environment.
"To increase youth participation in national
development, and create an environment for the full use of political, economic,
social and cultural rights, it is necessary to provide special opportunities in
the fields of education, health, employment, representation, sports and
entertainment for the empowerment and development of the youth," said
President Paudel.
He stated that to check the ever-growing migration of the
youth out of the country in search of jobs, it is necessary to build skills and
perseverance according to available resources and potential.
Development of positive thinking and patriotic self-respect
and self-reliance towards the nation's prospects are the essential needs of
today, he added.
Likewise, President Paudel stated that the youth are the
vanguards of political, economic, social and cultural transformation, the
conductors of change and the nation's priceless asset.
He said, "Due to courage, creativity, eagerness and
high self-confidence, this group is considered the main source of nation
building. Therefore, youth plays an important role in the overall development
and change of the nation," he said.
President Paudel recalled that in order to formally address
the concerns of the youth, the government has started institutional efforts
since 2052 by establishing the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.
He also recalled that for the first time since the ninth
five-year plan, there was an attempt to include youth-related issues in the
planned development effort. The Government of Nepal has defined people from 16
to 40 years of age as the youth.
President Paudel said that it is necessary to address
youth-related problems and challenges in the context of the changing world
environment, the latest developments in science and technology. "
To address these challenges, the youth should be dedicated
to the nation and nationality, personal freedom, principles of universal human
rights, recognition of democratic values, world peace, building a sense of
co-existence, protection and enrichment of environmental heritage and
maintaining tolerance between different races, languages, religions and
cultures, he maintained.
According to the 2021 census, the youth population in the
age group of 16 to 40 years in Nepal is 42.56 per cent of the total population.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Youth and Sports,
Teju Lal Choudhary, said that the government has realised that the youth should
be involved in the nation building.
"There is a need to connect youth to the technology and
innovation," he said.
He expressed his commitment that the National Youth Policy
2081 would be completed and adopted within a couple of months.
Likewise, Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, UN Resident Coordinator in
Nepal, urged the youth to seize the opportunity in technology and business.
"Youth have the power to build the opportunities in Nepal," she said
while stressing on the favourable policies and programmes on youth development
by the government.
Sunita Dongol, Deputy Mayor of the Kathmandu Metropolitan
City, said that the metropolis has been implementing numerous programmes on
youth employment, livelihood and entrepreneurship. "We are connecting
indigenous skills to the livelihoods programmes," she said.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 13 August 2024.
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