Minister of Higher Education Dr. Ibrahim Hassan has stated democracy empowers the youth to get their voices heard. He made the statement at the Youth as Researchers in Sri Lanka and the Maldives policy dialogue meeting held by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and Society for Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA).
Speaking at the online meeting, Minister Hassan said 45% of the Maldives population consists of young people and that he wishes to increase the role of the youth in economic and social matters. He said research is a great way for the youth to be more involved.
Furthermore, Minister Hassan said democracy gives the youth the right to be heard and to influence and be involved in decision-making. He noted the 2020 International Labour Organisation (ILO) report called Youth and COVID-19: Impacts of Jobs, Education, Rights and Mental Well-being had revealed the results of the research showing the impact of isolation and other challenges faced by young people during the pandemic and advocated for solutions.
Additionally, Minister Hassan said the youth are capable and able to take on challenges and show resilience in unexpected situations. As such, he said they should have the right to have their voices heard in the making and implementation of policies that impacts them. He also said both the country and citizens will benefit from young people being involved in conducting research and discussing policies on social issues. He further said young researchers who focus on social issues will bring positive benefits to society and thanked UNESCO and PRIA for their contributions to these efforts.
During the policy dialogue, young researchers presented their recommendations on areas like employment, political participation, gender-based violence, and education. The policy dialogue included Minister Hassan and State Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs of Sri Lanka Rohana Dissanayake who shared their knowledge and expertise around youth, peace, and security in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.