The Role of Youth in Development and Youth Policies

By: Sadam Al-Adwar 

There are underlying dynamics that are affecting young people everywhere – changes in demographics and technology, economics and politics that are bringing together this unique moment in history.

Young people are at the heart of today’s great strategic opportunities and challenges, from rebuilding the global economy to combating violent extremism to building sustainable democracies.

Young people must be given the skills, resources and opportunities to succeed through quality education, access to health care, adequate nutrition, supportive families and social networks, and the promise of good jobs.

If so, they can be proponents of stable democracies, strong societies and prosperous economies.
If not, there is another, less hopeful vision: where a large part of the population in developing countries is unemployed, frustrated, volatile, and subject to the siren songs of warlords, crime kingpins and traffickers in persons alike.

As young people, they experience physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes that influence their needs, identities, and behavior as well as their opportunities.

Throughout history, young people have actively sought to bring social, political and economic change to their countries. In so doing they are sometimes credited with changing business as usual.
Often they are portrayed as rebellious, destructive, reckless or violent.
However, young people are today’s and tomorrow’s wage earners and entrepreneurs, educators and innovators, health professionals, political and civic leaders, vital to economic growth and wellbeing.

The role of young people in the development is important because by Improving the capacities and enable the aspirations of youth so that they can contribute to and benefit from more stable, democratic, and prosperous communities and nations.

Therefore the government and all decision makers must invest in programs and policies by, with, and for youth that raise opportunities and lead to sustainable growth and human development.

 

The role of youth in development of the nation and building the community will lead us to these expected outcomes in the coming years :

 

§  Youth are better able to access economic and social opportunities, share in economic growth, live healthy lives, and contribute to household, community, and national wellbeing.

§  Youth fully participate in democratic and development processes, play active roles in peace building and civil society, and are less involved in youth gangs, criminal networks, and insurgent organizations.

§  Youth have a stronger voice in, and are better served by local and national institutions, with more robust and youth friendly policies.

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Not only what I mention above but many more, and if we talk about youth policies, I will start with The most pressing issue for youth policy to resolve right now is : Reducing and Prevention of Conflict , because from my point of view As a young from Yemen . A country that is facing conflict and full of violent and extremist groups, we can't implement youth policies while there is conflict .

And from my perspective, Today youth policies missing something that is : There is no National Program or National Council that is should be an Independent sector for youth policies to monitor , address and develop the youth policies in the country , where by this program or council the youth themselves should be a central element of a youth policy.

Finally if we involve youth in decision making process and establish or reform youth policies in our countries, then I am sure 20 year from now Youth Policies will be
a road map for decision makers that helped them to enable young people to access economic and social opportunities and empowers them to participate in building a peaceful , democratic and sustainable societies , where they are living with equal rights and healthy lives .