Human Rights Monitor
Giving Youth a Voice
National youth policy in South Asian countries
Kazi Nurmohammad Hossainul Haque
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Photo: youthpolicy |
India so far has had three National Youth Policies undertaken respectively in 1988, 2003 and 2010. The latest NYP 2010 is claimed to be step forward from earlier NYPs. It defines youth as all people within13-30 age brackets. It aims at empowering young people for affirmative and positive action and transforming their life. It is guided by such principles as consistency with overall national goals, full mainstreaming of youth development programs, and, all-encompassing youth development policies and programs. The main target groups of youth of the Indian NYP 2010 are: students, slum dwellers, migrants, rural youth, tribal youth, youth at risk, youth in violent conflicts, out-of-school or drop-outs, groups that suffer from social or moral stigma, and, youth in observation homes, orphanages and prisons. In addition, young women, youth of socially and economically disadvantaged communities and groups, and, differently able youth are the three priority groups. Some of the most important policy interventions planned are in the areas of promotion of national values, social harmony and national unity; empowerment through employment and entrepreneurship opportunities; formal, non-formal and continuing education; health and healthy lifestyle; sports and recreation facilities; and, promotion of gender justice and equality. The Indian NYP stipulates National Coordination Committee chaired by the Prime Minister and State Coordination Committees chaired by the respective Chief Ministers. The above coordination committees may form specialized task forces. The policy outcomes will be evaluated by a 'Youth Development Index'.
The National Youth Policy 2008 of Pakistan defines youth as age group of 15-29 years in line with Commonwealth's definition of youth. Its main goal is to mainstream the youth, harness their talent and energies, and, address the challenges being confronted by them. It lays out plans of action with respect to the following aspects: sense of pride, awareness and motivation, national integration, enabling employment including skill development, vocational training, entrepreneurship and micro-finance, marginalized and vulnerable youth, character building, sports and recreation, academic and intellectual development, health, volunteerism, and, marriage, family and life skills. Some of the youth groups given priority are: young persons with disability, young women and youth in prison. To implement the NYP Pakitan, a National Youth Council chaired by the PM of Pakistan is formed to head implementation of this policy. The Ministry of Youth Affairs is designated to coordinate the policy's implementation.
The National Youth Policy 2010 of Nepal defines youth as people of 16-40 years age groups. Its long term vision is to prepare capable, entrepreneur, creative and competent youths so that they can make meaningful contribution to the economic, social, political and cultural spheres of the Nepalese nation. The working policies that constitute NYP are the following areas of Basic rights of livelihood, education, health and family welfare, social security, employment, Youth empowerment and leadership development, participation and mobilization, arts, culture, sports and entertainment, control of narcotics addiction, control of human trafficking, environmental protection and sustainable development, access to science and IT, sustainable peace building and conflict resolution, equitable development, special group priorities, and, partnership. An autonomous and executive National Youth Council is formed by a separate act for the implementation of Nepalese NYP. The Ministry of Youth and Sports is responsible for monitoring and evaluation of the NYP implementation.
It is therefore seen that most of South Asian countries have their own National Youth Policy by now. But the NYPs are not often results of dedicated political will and leadership vision. For example in India who has produced three NYPs so far, it was a nationally owned process that started in the 1980s as a self-driven policy approach.
But in case of many other South Asian countries, multilateral donors specially UNDP and UNICEF were main sources of inspiration.
They were rather instrumented mostly by donor persuasion. According to experts, the NYP has to be both a tool and an exercise of youth empowerment. So, youth has to be part of NYP formulation. That didn't happen with most NYPs discussed above. In most cases, the NYP was formulated by government officials of concerned ministries and departments that were later authorized by the political leadership.
Sometimes, there was civil society participation through consultation with NGOs who work on youth and youth organizations. But large scale youth participation was not incorporated in many cases. There is also lack of necessary budget commitments to materialize the policies and programmes stipulated in NYPs.
The writer is Senior Research Associate, IGS, BRAC University.
