Every year on August 12, Nepal also celebrates International Youth Day with various programs. The world has been celebrating this day since 2000 at the call of the United Nations. However, Nepal has had a history of celebrating this International Youth Day since 2004.
Of course, celebrating Youth Day is a good thing in itself. But the question of how appropriate it is to cover up the main problem of the youth and focus only on some of its sensitive aspects arises everywhere and has to be raised in our country as well. Because today, globally and especially in our country, a large youth force is very much plagued by unemployment, deprivation, illiteracy, superstition, culture, and insecurity. On top of that, due to the distortions and inconsistencies added by globalization, our youth community is falling prey to consumerism in a very bad way.
In such a situation, thousands of youths are fleeing abroad every day and there is no accounting of how many youths go abroad illegally. This is actually a sign of a very miserable situation.
However, the government proudly states that the remittances sent by this youth force are contributing about 29 percent to our national income. Finance ministers and economists alike are proud of the fact that it is helping Nepal to sustain its foreign exchange reserves and budget and to support the economy.
After all, remittances seem to be the major contributor to national income after agriculture. But there is a very painful situation where energetic youths who go abroad have to be robbed, beaten, killed, raped, and embarrassed and sometimes have to return as corpses.
Neither the youth are safe in the right to employment, education, health in their own country nor are they safe abroad. The bitter reality that they have to go through a very difficult situation is right in front of our nation. But our state and government are sitting idly by.
No concrete, clear and practical national policy of scientific land reform, national industrialization, and general electrification has been adopted to create massive employment in the country. As a result, our national market is growing, a national industrial environment is being created and youth migration is not being stopped.
Even in that, the remittances sent by our young women to the country are not able to make their blood and sweat earnings go to any productive sector. The country does not have any plan, policy, and program in that regard. Therefore, most of the youth's earnings have been spent on importing various goods from India and consuming them domestically.
Experts say that if only 10 percent of the income earned by Nepali youth was spent on the electrification of Nepal, Nepal would not only be prosperous within five years, but it would also help Nepal in industrialization, job creation, irrigation facilities, productivity growth, forest, and environmental protection. But the development of such a positive alternative is due to the begging tendency of those who lead the state power to make the nation stronger and stronger from within and to make the youth community proud of the country by doing all these creative works. It is not possible. This is the reason why the country has become one of the 10 poorest nations in the world even though it is about to cross the 15-year plan.
According to the latest census of the country, 40.34 percent of Nepal's population is under 16 years of age and under 40 years of age. Economists of any country consider the presence of such a large part of the population as a very large and positive economic power and place a country with such a youth power as a country with the potential to accelerate development. The reality of the developed, middle developed countries of today's world is well confirming this and has already done so. But in our country, neither the country's economy has got the right direction and momentum nor has it been able to provide any direction to involve the youth of the country in the all-around development process. In such a situation, one can easily guess the mental state of our youth.
Experts who look at the situation of the country's youth in recent times have pointed out that the mental and physical health problems of Nepali youth are increasing due to social discrimination, inequality, unemployment, and addiction. In such a situation, on the one hand, the government has not been able to provide an adequate budget for mental health care and on the other hand, no concrete and effective national policy has been formulated regarding the mental health treatment of energetic Nepali youth. And the weak policy that has been made in this regard is not being implemented effectively. In such a situation, it is very clear what should be done to prevent any distortion and inconsistency in the mental health of the youth community.
The answer to the question of why their mental health has deteriorated is that they have been discriminated against, unemployed, and forced into abuse. The fact that we are taking steps to solve these serious problems today and from now on is really worth celebrating International Youth Day. Otherwise, these days will be limited to mere formalities. As a result, the youth cannot communicate any hope and belief of a secure and beautiful future in society. They cannot create an environment in which the enthusiasm and vigor of the youth can be properly used for nation-building. This is a very irrefutable and real thing. This is something that policymakers, planners, the state, and society all need to pay attention to.
Even today, the Covid-19 epidemic that has spread worldwide has led to a much higher youth unemployment rate worldwide than ever before. Life is becoming more insecure and frightening. In such a situation, every nation needs to think seriously about how to use its life, potential, and power for the benefit of society and take effective immediate and long-term steps.
