During the pandemic, the young people of the Republic of Moldova became less involved in the decision-making and community-influencing processes, says the second analysis “COVID-19 and Young People: Effects of the pandemic on youth participation” that was presented by the Partnership for Development Center and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), IPN reports.
According to a poll carried out within the research, less than 20% of the young people in Moldova took part in activities that influenced decision-making during the past year. The young people mostly become involved in activities where they need direct involvement, in the educational process, such as meetings, assemblies (24.4%). To the same extent, the young people become involved at operational level, which is in activities of organizations and youth centers where they are members (19.2%). At the same time, 11.7% of the young people exercise their civic right through the agency of street demonstrations, petition signing.
Only the tenth part of the questioned young people consider they have a high level of participation in the decision-making process and the social life of the community, while the pandemic crisis determined a considerable withdrawal of the young people with high participation in civic activities. On the one hand, the pandemic determined the withdrawal of the young people aged between 15 and 17 from civic activities. On the other hand, it favored the assertion of those aged between 21 and 24.
“The young people are an authentic power of Moldova, who can help to consolidate the resistance to the current demographic and social challenges, becoming involved in programs of intergenerational solidary with elderly people, taking part in the activities of youth centers and supporting the community to develop. It is our common responsibility to offer the young people real participation and development opportunities both during the COVID-19 pandemic and after it,” said UNFPA Resident Representative in Moldova Nigina Abaszada.
A form of participation shown during the pandemic was the use of online communication and socialization platforms to raise the awareness of and inform about the methods of protection against COVID-19.
“It is important to realize the mechanism that affected and reduced the participation of the young people. Only realizing the effects or impact of the pandemic, we can come up with a set of measures, including public policies, to remedy, encourage and promote the young people’s participation,” said the executive director of the Partnership for Development Center Alexei Buzu.
The data used to carry out the analysis were collected through an opinion poll conducted by the Center of Sociological Investigations and Marketing “CBS-AXA” during July 6-24, 2020 on a sample of 1,010 persons aged between 15 and 24.