A meeting with Mon State youth affairs committee members and youth members of political parties was held at Department of Social Welfare Center for Vocational Training, Mawlamyine on Saturday. The meeting was attended by Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr. Win Myat Aye, Deputy Minister U Soe Aung, Mon State minister for social affairs Dr. Htein Lin.

At the event the Union Minister said social protection works were conducted for the existence of every individual person and for their development. Policies and laws for early childhood to elderlies were being implemented by the government. Myanmar was among over 30 countries of the world that didn’t have youth policy. Now, youth representatives elected by youths listened to the youths’ voices, innovative thoughts and ideas and lessons learnt from mistakes made by elders in Nay Pyi Taw Council as well as states and regions and drawn up a youth policy by including the youths’ feelings and requirements. It contains 16 sectors and this youth policy must be made known to youths in Union territory Nay Pyi Taw Council as well as states and regions through youth affairs committees. Relevant government departments and civil society organizations need to cooperate and participate in this. However, as situations in states and regions were not the same, there’ll be difficulties and obstacles to overcome and priority sectors will also be not the same. Strategic plan for each sectors were already drawn up. Budget allocations were to be acquired in order to implement the projects of the strategic plan. The work projects will be implemented not only by our ministry alone. Participation and cooperation of other relevant ministries as well as non-government organizations, foundations and civil society organizations were required. Implementation of the 16 sectors of the youth policy can be said as giving youths their rightful rights. Youths will be taking over the responsibility of the country in the future. We’ll be facing difficulties as we start to go down the democracy path. We must be patient, have resolve and unity to produce the best results said the Union Minister.

Next, Mon State youth committee members discussed the works of the committees and meeting attendees discussed and raised questions on acquiring land for Youth Center; people, rural youths and youths from parties and organizations to know the youth policy, cooperation required between Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement and related ministries; youth and handicaps; youth and drug; youth and job opportunity and ethnic national affairs. The Union Minister, Deputy Minister U Soe Aung, state minister for social affairs, Department of Social AffairsDirector General and officials responded to the discussions and questions raised.

Afterwards the Union Minister presented K 5,333,000 support to Mon State Youth Affairs Committee and took commemorative group photo with youth representatives in attendance.— MNA (Translated by Zaw Min)