Fostering Nepali Youth to Become Champions of Reform: Designing a Better Future for the Country
“FOSTERING NEPALI YOUTH TO BECOME CHAMPIONS OF REFORM: DESIGNING A BETTER FUTURE FOR THE COUNTRY”
Youth are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also the partners of today.
Today, 1.7 billion people i.e. more than one fourth of the world’s six billion people are between the ages of 10-24, making this group of young people the largest ever to be entering adulthood. In Nepal, 60 percent of country’s population is assumed to be below 25 years of age. The populace of youths (16-40 years; as defined by National Youth Policy of Nepal, 2010) accounts for 38.8 percent of the total population and these cohorts represent a critical constituency for shaping of nation’s future. These youths are the pioneers of socio-cultural, political and economic reform. They are the crucial segments of nation’s development.
It is an undeniable fact that the current situation of Nepali youths is miserable, characterized by extreme discrepancies in terms of political, economic, educational, technological, social and cultural resources, which vary extremely across regions, localities and population groups. Current opportunities of Nepali youths for political participation are unsatisfactory, coupled with limited chances of involvement in developmental actions, entrepreneurships and limited space available for social participation. Moreover, the government’s readiness to materialize the potentiality of youth leadership in the reform of the country and ensure the active participation of the youths in each and every process of state functionality is at question.
Despite the contribution of youths to this country is not adequately recognized, they have continuously been struggling to make a difference as activists, as leaders in community transformation, as entrepreneurs in economic growth and by indefatigable degree of volunteerism. Youths are the backbone of Nepalese political system. The Nepali youths have rendered an outstanding contribution to every political change,
Youth are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also the partners of today.
Today, 1.7 billion people i.e. more than one fourth of the world’s six billion people are between the ages of 10-24, making this group of young people the largest ever to be entering adulthood. In Nepal, 60 percent of country’s population is assumed to be below 25 years of age. The populace of youths (16-40 years; as defined by National Youth Policy of Nepal, 2010) accounts for 38.8 percent of the total population and these cohorts represent a critical constituency for shaping of nation’s future. These youths are the pioneers of socio-cultural, political and economic reform. They are the crucial segments of nation’s development.
It is an undeniable fact that the current situation of Nepali youths is miserable, characterized by extreme discrepancies in terms of political, economic, educational, technological, social and cultural resources, which vary extremely across regions, localities and population groups. Current opportunities of Nepali youths for political participation are unsatisfactory, coupled with limited chances of involvement in developmental actions, entrepreneurships and limited space available for social participation. Moreover, the government’s readiness to materialize the potentiality of youth leadership in the reform of the country and ensure the active participation of the youths in each and every process of state functionality is at question.
Despite the contribution of youths to this country is not adequately recognized, they have continuously been struggling to make a difference as activists, as leaders in community transformation, as entrepreneurs in economic growth and by indefatigable degree of volunteerism. Youths are the backbone of Nepalese political system. The Nepali youths have rendered an outstanding contribution to every political change,