Chapter: 24

Youth
Background Youths are the load bearers of the future and the partners of the present. They are the drivers of development and change. It is the duty of the State to create opportunities for the youths to be developed as creative, skillful, industrious and responsible citizens. In the past the policy, law and programs have failed to address with priority the youth and issues of their concern. Evidence from history shows how the failure of State in mainstreaming youth, the drivers of change, in running of states and development programs can deprive the nation from taking advantage of their talents and energy simultaneously solving problems of violence, instability and abusive behavior. Considering these facts, it is necessary to invest the energy and capacity embodied in them in a constructive way for the development of the country by making the youth competent and responsible and by making them partners in policy formulation, program implementation and evaluation activities of the state. Review of the Current Situation The population of youth between the age of 15 and 29 is 6.131 millions in Nepal. This accounts for 26.5 percent of the total population. In this, the proportion of male is 48.2 and women 51.8 percent. Of the total youth population, 0.4 percent has physical or mental disability, 83 percent of the youth live in rural areas and 17 percent in urban areas. Forty percent of the total urban population of Nepal are the youth. The attraction of the youth to the cities is increasing. According to the census of 2001, the literacy rate among the youth is 70.1 percent, the percentage of unemployed youth among the age group 15 to 29 is 11.4 percent. It is estimated that more than 29 percent of the population in 2011 AD will be youth. In the Tenth Plan, the education and sports sector emphasizes mobilization of school level youth and on intellectual, social and emotional development, and civic education. Accordingly, youth mobilization program had 2,800 youths participating. Of the 25,068 who have received skill training under Ministry of Labor and Transport Management, the majority were youth. A total of 3,007 volunteers were mobilized in different districts through national development volunteers service managed by NPC. For the first time women were given entry to Nepal Army. Various programs are being implemented by the NGO sector focusing on youth such as awareness enhancement, empowerment, control of drug abuse, rehabilitation, life and vocational/skill development. Youth organizations, youth clubs and radio programs listeners clubs have been formed. Through this medium, development works are being launched in local communities. 3. Problems, Challenges and Opportunities The major problems of the youth have been employment and underemployment. Foreign employment where the youth heavily participate is 2. 1.

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not properly managed and made safe. Likewise, proper management of remittance has not been done. The country has made investment in developing the youth specialists and experts in different fields. However, it is being deprived of their services due to their escape to foreign countries. Due to the mismatch between the market demand for competent human resources and the education provided to the youth, maximum number of the youth has become unemployed. It has become critical and challenging to address the diversity among the youth in terms of age-group, region, caste, and gender. Due to the lack a responsible agency for the youth and also for lack of coordination policies programs and structures which make youths optimistic, could not be formulated. Making adjustment of former combatants living in cantonments in different areas according to their needs as well as the rehabilitation, reconciliation, education and livelihood support for the conflict affected youth and children also remain as challenges. Coordination between different government agencies, political parties, donor agencies, NGOs and other agencies which implement programs targeted to youth has also been a challenge. Interim Constitution of Nepal, 2007 has also made the provision of the adoption of special policy by the State in order to mobilize the youth in the development of the nation. Enthusiasm, ambition, zeal and dynamism found in the youth after the people's movement are opportunities for the nation. There is also opportunity of developing entrepreneurship among large number of youth and thereby make them contribute to national economy. 4. Long Term Vision The vision is to make youth major partners in the nation building by emphasizing their role in the social, cultural and economic development of the nation and establishment of sustainable peace. 5. Objective To make the youth actively participate in the reconstruction and social and economic transformation of the nation by providing opportunities to all Nepali youths to develop their potentials and talents. 6. Quantitative Targets Increase in youth employment by 3.5 percent. Improved youth HDI. Increased involvement of the youth in the formation of all policies of the State. Reduction in drug abuse among the youth by one third. Strategies To formulate necessary policy, program and mechanism for clarifying the role of the youth in the society and the nation. To mobilize the youth in productive sector. To ensure the access and involvement of the youth in policy making process of the State

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To mobilize the youth for sustainable peace and development by instilling in them the spirit of voluntarism.

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Policy and Working Policies The participation of the youth will be increased in development and construction works. Necessary mechanism, like youth consulting service, resource centre, etc., will be developed. National action plan for youth employment will be prepared and implemented. Participation of the youth in the policy and programs of the State having direct concern to the youth will be ensured. Opportunities will be provided to the youths for employment, selfemployment and social works by developing their social and economic entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship and self-employment will be encouraged, by giving stress on practical, technical and labor market relevant education and training based on the competence and educational level of the youth. Agro-based industries, traditional occupation, local resources and means as well as innovation and new information technology will be encouraged. Emphasis will be given to social and personality development of youth by providing education useful for life and civic education. Preventive and curative programs will be run in order to reduce drug abuse and HIV/AIDS infection among the youth by giving emphasis to youth friendly health services. For the overall personality development of the youth, they will be motivated to participate in different personality development works including sports. Rural, deprived, at risk, disabled and conflict affected youths of all geographical regions will be given special priority in education, health, training and employment opportunities. Participation of youths will be ensured in central and local level youth agencies, and in formulation, implementation and evaluation of policies and programs. The policy of affirmative action will be adopted for balanced development of Dalits, women, Adibasi Janajati and Madhesi youth. Youth organizations will be given priority for the implementation of youth programs. Youth participation will be increased in state restructuring, reconstruction, sustainable peace building and development.

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Programs To formulate and implement National Youth Policy. "Youth Partnership in Development Grant Program" will be implemented to support youths with new and innovative ideas and programs. To develop national mechanism for involvement of youth in policy making. To formulate and implement national action plan for the employment of the youth. To involve the youth as volunteers in development works of different districts. To encourage the formation and operation of forums like National Youth Conference and Youth Parliament. To run youth entrepreneurship and skill development programs. To run leadership development program. The establishment of National Youth Fund and launching of programs related with youth. To run business incubation and youth credit and seed capital program. Formation and operation of youth information and resource centre. To run capacity enhancement program of the organizations of the youth. To run livelihood support program for the youth affected by the conflict. To undertake national youth study and prepare youth report. To conduct youth audit program. To enact and implement National Youth Council Act. To carry out vocational and self-employment program for those failing S.L.C examination and school drop outs. To run programs to control drug abuse, prevent HIV/AIDS, and establishment and expansion of rehabilitation centres as well as drug program for infected people. Programs like participation in International Youth Day and International Youth Forums and exchange programs for youth for sharing experience. To run youth empowerment program for those marginalized and deprived along with social good-will promotion programs. Expected Outcomes Economic status of the youth enhanced with the development of employability and entrepreneurship. Improvements in the educational and health level and personal and institutional capacity of the youth. Notable contribution of the youth in state restructuring, reconstruction, sustainable peace and development

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Reduction in the gender, caste, regional, lingual, cultural and class based inequities among the youth. Interest and involvement of the youth in policy formation of the state enhanced.

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Assumptions and Risks Linkage and coordination will be maintained between programs related with the youth conducted by different agencies. Timely preparation of legal and institutional provision for the youth representation. Notable participation from the youth in reconstruction, sustainable peace and development. Investment from the government, non government and private sector in youth activities increased. Estimated Budget*
At FY 2006/07 prices
S.No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 (Rs. in million) Program Amount National youth study and youth report program 1.6 National youth policy formation 1.0 Youth partnership in development grant program 9.8 National youth service program 1.6 National Youth Conference and Youth Parliament 2.0 Youth information and resource centre establishment program 3.3 Capacity enhancement program for organizations led by youth 9.8 Political empowerment of the youth program 3.3 Youth entrepreneurship and skill development programs 4.9 International Youth Day Program. 1.6 Program to get youth to participate in International Youth Forums 3.3 Youth experience exchange program 1.6 Youth audit program 1.1 National Youth Fund establishment 8.9 National Youth Council Act formulation and implementation 2.7 Vocational and self-employment programs for S.L.C and school dropouts 33.5 Business incubation and credit and seed money program 33.5 Foreign employment capacity enhancement and remittance management 33.5 program 19 Study and research on youth employment 3.3 20 Extra curricular activities in schools and social service extension program 8.1 21 Drug addiction and HIV/AIDS control programs and rehabilitation centers 16.5 and medicine program for the affected 22 Special reconciliation and livelihood program for the conflict affected 16.5 youth 23 Peace building program by giving training to the youth as peace builders 13.4 at the village level 24 Deprived youth empowerment program 4.9 25 Special preparatory program for increasing entry to civil service for 6.7 marginalized and deprived youth. 26 Inter-caste marriage promotion programs. 3.3 Total 229.9 As youth programs are related to various sector programs, the programs listed above will be implemented though various sectors.

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Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Independent, autonomous and competent National Youth Council will be formed according to the law as umbrella agency related with the youth affairs at the central level. This council will mainly formulate national youth policy in consultation with the stakeholders, implement the same, and regulate works related to youth as well as evaluate and coordinate the agencies working in the youth sector. Monitoring and Evaluation System For the evaluation at the central level, an independent evaluation task force will be formed. The task force will include specialist and representative from political youth students organizations, youth institutes, and civil societies. Youth audit will be adopted for the monitoring and evaluation of youth programs to be executed by the ministry at the district and community level. In the monitoring and evaluation process, attention will be given to the access of the youth to resources and services, policies, rules, organization and capacity development aspects addressing their issues. Youths will be involved in the evaluation of all youth related planning and development programs.

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