‘Youth migration: Moving development forward.’

Students from various schools gathered to celebrate the International Youth Day on August 12 at the Youth Development Fund (YDF) hall, Thimphu.

Education minister, Lyonpo Mingbo Dukpa in his opening address said, “Youth issues are one of the major problems faced by any country in the world.”

He said for the next five years the education ministry (MoE) will initiate subsidized loan scheme to students who wish to continue education, enroll in art and music schools, computer labs and internet connections, entrepreneurship models, internships in private and government institutions, sports and recreational facilities among others.

Lyonpo added that the day provides an opportunity for the government and relevant agencies to draw attention to youth issues locally and on a global level as well.

Every year, a theme is decided by United Nations considering the issues that concern the youth at all levels.

Thimphu thromde’s Thrompon Kinley Dorjee shared his concerns and the steps taken by the thromde in taking out an explicit master plan to make more recreational facilities for the youth. He added that about 6 acres of area in Samtenling has been kept aside, especially for recreational activities and sports.

He also said rural to urban migration cannot be stopped and have requested the MoE for additional budget to build more schools.

The Thrompon said bars, drayangs and discotheques are kept in the core areas, to make it convenient to manage and for easy implementation of rules and regulations. “In order to reduce youth related issues, the government is now not issuing bar licenses,” he added.

This year’s theme for the youth day is ‘Youth migration: Moving development forward.’

In the global context, young people make up a significant share of the global number of international migrants. In 2010, there were an estimated 27 million international young migrants. While migration can often offer valuable opportunities and contribute to the development of the communities and society at large, it can also pose risks and lead to unacceptable situations, including discrimination and exploitation.

In a panel discussion held to highlight the theme, the participants stressed on the roles of youth-related agencies in addressing migration issues, risk associated to migration, policies and measures that help them to reap the benefits and contribute to development.

In Bhutan, youth are seen as one of the most mobile social groups in the context of migration. Rural to urban migration is relatively high owing to education, employment and health reasons.

In Bhutan, the International Youth Day has always been an important annual event celebrated by the Youth Center Division, Department of Youth and Sports, MoE.

The first international youth day was celebrated in 2000 to raise awareness on issues affecting young people around the world.