The young leaders play an essential role in modeling the future generations. For the policies to be efficient, the young people must be involved in the process of drafting them. Such opinions were stated in the international conference “Young Leaders for Population and Development: reduction of inequality, development of human capital” that took place in Chisinau on May 11-12. The event was staged by the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), IPN reports.
Regional Director of the UNFPA Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia Heimo Laakkonen said the conference, which involved over 70 young people from 27 countries, was the first event of the kind and the ideas formulated in are to be implemented in the countries of origin. The topics for discussion included the health of women, sexual education of children and the rise in the number of people infected with HIV.
EFP Secretary Neil Datta said that if the young people are not involved in the decision-making process, the authorities can work out weak policies and can omit the spheres of interest of the youth. The young people of each generation are different. They should help find solutions to the faced problems and challenges.
Boris Gilca, the Prime Minister’s adviser on health and social development, said that Moldova made progress as regards the youth policies and the promotion of greater opportunities for the youth is envisioned in the government program. Moldova is among the few countries that opened and maintains youth-friendly clinics in all the country’s districts with public money. However, there are concerns, especially about the increase in the number of HIV-infected people. A positive aspect is that the Moldovan political class grows younger every year and a higher number of young people become ministers, deputy ministers and MPs.
Alexandru Lebedev, participant in the conference on behalf of Moldova, said the young people must take part in decision making so as to ensure continuity. If the young people are not involved, the senior state officials from different generations deal with the same problems every time.
