South Asia, perhaps, is the region in the world that has the poorest network among youth. Asia and the Pacific is the world’s youngest region with 45 per cent of the global youth, about 700 million, living here. More than 20 per cent of population is youth in South Asia which makes 26 per cent of the world population.
But, the youth in Asia and the Pacific are struggling with multiple problems like unemployment, poor quality of education and health hazards. A United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) study had found that only 13 per cent South Asian youth were completing their higher education. High rate of poverty in the region has created barriers for the youth, especially female in pursuing higher education.
Youth in the region are being pulled down by religious and superstitious norms, poor access to communication and modern technology, and strong networking mechanism. But, the biggest challenge for them is their negligible presence in decision-making. Any nation can feel young with the inclusion of youth in the development and policy-making process. It will help in developing youth-targeted development programmes and achieve inclusive economic and social prosperity.
Currently, Nepal is in a position to reap demographic dividends. If the country failed to capitalise on the dynamic young population within the next three decades, the potential energy will be lost and the country will never get the same opportunity. Nepal’s neighbouring countries also have the same situation.
Therefore, the government should create enough opportunities in the country to engage youth in development, economic and social activities. The government is going to announce Prime Minister’s Employment Programme from the next year with an aim of employing more than 100,000 youth in a year. However, the past experiments with employment generation through government instruments such as Youth and Small Entrepreneur Self-Employment Fund have come a cropper.
About 500,000 youth enter the labour market in the country every year. The government and the private sector as well as the academia should collaborate to create skilled human resource, increase productivity of the labourers and absorb the youth in the domestic market. Society and the market can get benefits from the skilled foreign-returnee workers.
To boost the morale of youth, strong youth network and exchange programmes should be implemented at national, regional and international level. Regional associations like the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) and SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry can play crucial role in materialising this concept. Establishing regional youth mechanism can be a long-term initiative in inspiring youth to learn about diverse cultures, languages, lifestyles and social ecosystem in their neighbouring countries.
Separate forums for students, young politicians, entrepreneurs and women can be established. Governments in the region should work together in facilitating hassle-free movement and cooperation of youth.
The fourth summit of BIMSTEC in August this year has agreed to establish regional forums for universities and academia, research and cultural organisations and parliamentarians. Member countries should exhibit their readiness to materialise it at the earliest. But, the South Asian trend show that there is no political will power to empower the youth, and the governments and political parties are more in exploiting their power to fulfil their vested political interest and push forward their agenda. Political parties mobilise youth during political campaigns and elections but completely forget their presence or importance afterwards.
Likewise, no effective collaboration among the government, private sector, civil society and academia has been seen yet. As people in a developing society look towards the government to fulfil their individual or social interest, government has an important role to play in empowering the youth and enhancing their capacity with more inclusion in the decision-making process. Similarly, the government should forge collaborations with the governments in the region and beyond.
Published in The Rising Nepal on 22 November 2018.
But, the youth in Asia and the Pacific are struggling with multiple problems like unemployment, poor quality of education and health hazards. A United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) study had found that only 13 per cent South Asian youth were completing their higher education. High rate of poverty in the region has created barriers for the youth, especially female in pursuing higher education.
Youth in the region are being pulled down by religious and superstitious norms, poor access to communication and modern technology, and strong networking mechanism. But, the biggest challenge for them is their negligible presence in decision-making. Any nation can feel young with the inclusion of youth in the development and policy-making process. It will help in developing youth-targeted development programmes and achieve inclusive economic and social prosperity.
Currently, Nepal is in a position to reap demographic dividends. If the country failed to capitalise on the dynamic young population within the next three decades, the potential energy will be lost and the country will never get the same opportunity. Nepal’s neighbouring countries also have the same situation.
Therefore, the government should create enough opportunities in the country to engage youth in development, economic and social activities. The government is going to announce Prime Minister’s Employment Programme from the next year with an aim of employing more than 100,000 youth in a year. However, the past experiments with employment generation through government instruments such as Youth and Small Entrepreneur Self-Employment Fund have come a cropper.
About 500,000 youth enter the labour market in the country every year. The government and the private sector as well as the academia should collaborate to create skilled human resource, increase productivity of the labourers and absorb the youth in the domestic market. Society and the market can get benefits from the skilled foreign-returnee workers.
To boost the morale of youth, strong youth network and exchange programmes should be implemented at national, regional and international level. Regional associations like the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) and SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry can play crucial role in materialising this concept. Establishing regional youth mechanism can be a long-term initiative in inspiring youth to learn about diverse cultures, languages, lifestyles and social ecosystem in their neighbouring countries.
Separate forums for students, young politicians, entrepreneurs and women can be established. Governments in the region should work together in facilitating hassle-free movement and cooperation of youth.
The fourth summit of BIMSTEC in August this year has agreed to establish regional forums for universities and academia, research and cultural organisations and parliamentarians. Member countries should exhibit their readiness to materialise it at the earliest. But, the South Asian trend show that there is no political will power to empower the youth, and the governments and political parties are more in exploiting their power to fulfil their vested political interest and push forward their agenda. Political parties mobilise youth during political campaigns and elections but completely forget their presence or importance afterwards.
Likewise, no effective collaboration among the government, private sector, civil society and academia has been seen yet. As people in a developing society look towards the government to fulfil their individual or social interest, government has an important role to play in empowering the youth and enhancing their capacity with more inclusion in the decision-making process. Similarly, the government should forge collaborations with the governments in the region and beyond.
Published in The Rising Nepal on 22 November 2018.
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