Nepal jumps to 77th position in Youth Development Index from 145th in the span of just two years!
Kathmandu, August 12, 2017: With the growing recognition of youths as the agents of economic, social and political change, President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has stressed on the necessity to increase investment for the youth empowerment.
Addressing a special function organized in the capital today to mark International Youth Day, Bhandari asked both the government and private sector to increase investment in youths.
“Investments in youths will bring economic prosperity in the nation, and sustainable development and peace is possible,” she said addressing the ceremony. She also asked the government to make its rules and programs youth-friendly.
“In Nepal, youth constitute a major chunk of population, as much as 40%,” she shared stressing the participation of youths in decision-making as well as their access to quality education, health care, employment and other opportunities.
At a time when almost half of the youth population is outside of country in search of job and other opportunities, and development work going very slow, Bhandari shared youths not being able to play a significant role.
She also pointed out necessity of bringing youths for economic and social development. “We need to making youths skilled and ensuring employment so that they don’t resort to going abroad,” she said on the occasion.
“Trade imbalance and import driven economy is causing negative impacts in national economy. Time has come to be focused on national prosperity through youth mobilization. We can do this by bringing more foreign investment, and properly mobilizing the resources already available to us,” she said.
The President was of the view that the youths should be provided with skills, technology and capital as per their abilities to make them self-employed and entrepreneurs inside the country.
Exemplary youths honored
Bhandari also felicitated ten youth/entrepreneurs on the occasion. Top 10 contestants of ‘Youth Talent Hunt’, organized by National Youth Council, were also awarded amidst the ceremony.
Similarly, Minister for Youth and Sports, Rajendra Kumar KC, shared on the occasion that the government is committed to creating environment to make youth entrepreneurs in the country itself.
Elaborating the role of youths in economic development and nation building, he pointed out the necessity of developing youths as productive human resources. He also shared the 10-year-long strategy of the ministry for youth empowerment, mobilization and upliftment.
Meanwhile, Madhav Dhungel, Vice-President of National Youth Council (NYC) shared the works and progress of NYC in the last fiscal, and its various youth-focused programs. He also shared the provision of 5-lakhs of interest-free loan for youth self-employment.
“Nepal has jumped to 77th position in Youth Development Index from the 145th position two years ago. Nepal is doing significantly better in Youth Development,” Dhungel shared with pride, making the auditorium cheer and applaud.
Today also marks the second establishment anniversary of National Youth Council in Nepal.
As many as 50 youth-led organizations and organizations working for youths had collaborated the special event jointly organized by Ministry of Youth and Sports, and National Youth Council.
International Youth Day 2017 is dedicated to celebrating young people’s contributions to conflict prevention and transformation as well as inclusion, social justice, and sustainable peace.
The day is celebrated to recognize that young people, as agents of change, are critical actors in conflict prevention, sustaining peace and development of societies. International Youth Day is an opportunity for people around the world to review the contributions by youth – both past and present – to making the world a better place.
“The theme of this year’s International Youth Day is “Youth Building Peace”. Today is dedicated to celebrating young people’s contributions to conflict prevention and transformation as well as inclusion, social justice, and sustainable peace.
Photos Courtesy: RSS
By Basanta Kumar Dhakal
