Chin Youths to Raise Voices on Current Challenges

13 November 2012: The Chin Youth Forum (CYF) has stepped up its efforts in organizing youth meetings to discuss about their challenges and getting their voices heard.

A two-day meeting was held in Kalaymyo of Sagaing region with about 40 Chin youths attending from different parts of the area from 8-9 November 2012.

The group discussed about current issues and problems facing the Chin youths in the wake of positive changes taking place in a country, isolated from the rest of the world for decades.

“It is a great opportunity to get to know and encourage each other. Gradually, the youths started to speak out although they didn’t have much confidence yet,” said one of the Chin youths from Kalaymyo.

Among many issues presented at the workshop as challenges facing the Chin youths include lack of higher education, employment and communication infrastructure especially in Chin State.

Understanding of human rights and democracy as well as means in which traditional and cultural values can be better maintained among youths are also areas of the discussions, according to the participants.

“It was not just a discussion but also a workshop where problems were collectively identified with possible solutions. And we also talked about how to prepare in order to overcome such obstacles,” added the Chin participant.

The Kalaymyo gathering was the first public meeting of CYP’s planned events that are yet to take place in Pyay of Pegu region and Paletwa of Paletwa Township in southern parts of Chin State.

Leaders of the Chin Youth Forum are later to put forward a set of common issues highlighted during the meetings to the Myanmar Youth Forum and even to the government.

Reporting by Thawng Zel Thang
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