Presentation by Hon. S. B. Dissanaike,
Minister of Youth Affairs, Sports and Samurdhi,
from Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

09/08/1998

Let me first thank the Government of Portugal, United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Economic and Social Council, for extending me an invitation to attend the World Conference of Ministers responsible for the Youth. As the Minister of Youth Affairs of my country, I am extremely happy to be among the Youth Ministers of other countries where we could discuss our views and plans for the youth. I am sure we all have similar problem.

I am happy to be among the Portuguese people. Sri Lankans remember them as they ruled some parts of the coastal belt of my country from 1505 to 1658. Any child reading history books in my country will always remember the Portuguese people, when they left my country, they left a popular musical tradition and added new words to the Sinhala Language.

We all agree that youth are a dynamic force, and an important segment of any society. They are in constant search of an unchallenged identity and a dignified place in today's society. As such, there is a compelling need for promoting human development amongst them. Thus, empowerment of the youth is vital to undertake the challenging tasks in economic: and social development.

Mr Chairman, In Sri Lanka, the government of HE the President, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has clearly set out a policy, to achieve peace and harmony, amongst the various ethnic groups, democratize the administration and making it more accountable and transparent in its actions, set-up mechanisms to promote rectitude in public life. Though our government implements an economic policy based on liberalization and the play of market forces, the safeguards are in place to protect the poor, the youth and vulnerable groups, who could be marginalised in the operation of free market economic system. The policies of HE the President, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Mr Chairman, has always reflected a high degree of concern for the well being of the population and all efforts are being made to assist the poor, the under-privileged and the youth.

The youth are our main concern. Sri Lanka is a country perhaps the only country in Asia that has experienced two youth uprisings within two decades. Therefore, we have understood their problems and aspirations.

Before 1971, the youth in my country were largely ignored, but they remained dormant. However, the youth uprising in 1971 made the government to realize the problems and aspirations of the youth and take corrective measures. The post-1977 period saw the emergence of an armed youth struggle. They emerged from the Tamil areas in the North and the Sinhalese areas in the South. But, let me make it clear that there was a difference in the Northern and Southern uprisings. The aspirations of the youth involved were different, the Tamil youth were political. But there was only one leader in Sri Lanka who openly spoke against pseudo nationalism and that leader is our President today. She is against pseudo nationalism, she always believes and has always maintained that a political solution, is the only answer to the Northern Tamil problems and reiterates that the rights, of Tamil people have to be duly recognized. Her message and policy was clear, and in 1994 for the first time in my country the minorities joined hands with the majority and swept Mrs Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga to power.

Our government, Mr Chairman firmly believes that it is the duty of the State to create an environment conducive to the youth in preparing them for the task of shouldering future responsibilities. In Sri Lanka as you may be aware, both education and health at all levels, are provided free of charge.

My Ministry of Samurdhi, Youth Affairs and Sports; is responsible for youth activities in Sri Lanka. Out of the total population of 18.5 million 72.2 percent still live in traditional rural areas and are engaged in agriculture and allied activities.

Mr Chairman, majority of people living rural areas are trapped in poverty and we make every attempt to move them out of poverty. Our government initiated the Samurdhi Programme, which means prosperity and is the lead national programme for poverty alleviation. This programme seeks to alleviate poverty on a sustainable basis, supplementing and complementing the national efforts towards this end. These efforts are specifically directed to generation of employment opportunities and to enhancing human development amongst the poor through increased investment in health, nutrition, education, technical and vocational training.

This programme mobilizes its beneficiaries for active involvement in all stages of development process from planning to implementation, monitoring and evaluation. As this is a formidable task, the beneficiaries need guidance. Therefore, the programme provided for the recruitment of social mobilizers chosen among the educated youth who are called Samurdhi Niyamakas or Samuxdhi Animators, comprising males and females. Thirty six thousand youth age between 18-35 were recruited as Samurdhi Animators who provide leadership to about 2 million Samurdhi beneficiary households. These households with the assistance of Samurdhi Animators undertake family based and community level economic development activities leading to enhanced income and to achieve greater self-reliance. The Animator is a youth from the village, his roots are in the village and today he is taking the leadership of his own people.

A unique feature in this programme, Mr Chairman, is that it's prospective beneficiaries are essentially the poor youth, who are intelligent, educated, aged between 18-35. This programme envisages improvement of the living conditions and quality of life of the target population.

In Sri Lanka, youth between the age group of 15-29 constitutes nearly twenty seven percent of the total population. If the present trend of the population growth continues, youth will constitute 30 percent of the total population at the tum of the century. While qualitatively, the youth have extremely higher literacy rate, they are quantitatively potential labour force. Hence, ensuring their full development and participation is of vital importance.

Mr Chairman, To help and guide the youth, the National Youth Services Council under my Ministry is the singular organization in my country. The National. Youth Services Council is responsible for planning and coordinating youth activities at the national level to promote the interest of the youth, ensure their full development and participation.

Today, the youth have opportunities through the National Youth Services Council to receive vocational training and to involve in activities of culture, arts, sports and recreation. While fostering goodwill and mutual understanding between the youth in. Sri Lanka and other countries, the National Youth Services Council also provides social education for the youth to deepen their knowledge on the development of the society and nation building.

The National Youth Services Council has a very special strength, as it has 24 Technical. and Vocational. Training Centres. The guidance for self-employment is provided to the youth through these Training Centres; they tum out 3,000 trained youth annually. There are specialized Training Centres for Dancing and Music. There is also a Training Centre for Sports. The vocational training centres which are established all over the country provide training in modern fields, like computer and electronic technology. Many youths who have been trained, have found jobs in the public and private sectors, while others have got into self-employment. Most of the programmes are in the rural areas.

Mr Chairman, The drug abuse amongst the youth is a massive problem; valuable lives are being destroyed daily not only in Sri Lanka but all over the world. The National Youth Services Council has its own counselling programmes. These educational programmes on harmful drugs are conducted at district levels with the objective of guiding the youth to abstain from the use of harmful drugs and lead a perfectly healthy life.

My top priority has been given to obtain active participation of youth in all projects and programmes implemented by my Ministry. I firmly believe that we should be able to empower the youth to take decisions related to their future and their participation in policy formulation, project planning and implementation is becoming an urgent need. My President is fully aware of the youth problems and therefore, she encourages and guides us to provide the necessary facilities to them.

Mr Chairman, Sports activity in Sri Lanka has taken large strides. We are today the World Cricket Champions. Our Netballers are Asian Champions, athletes are doing well, all other sports activities are being helped and encouraged. We have a Sports Development Section to help the rural youth. Participation. in sports, membership in recreational club, specializing in indoor games and outdoor games, taking part in cultural pursuits are matters that interest the youth. If these are not available at the periphery, the migration to the city centres will continue. Besides, this causes social unrest among the youth as they are deprived of opportunities for sports and recreation. Further, it creates a painful social rift leading to other manifestations. This social disparity could be overcome by the adaptation of a prudent policy of an equitable distribution of sports and recreational facilities.

Many countries have neglected sports activity specially in the rural areas. The only occasion men and women ever take part in sports is during their schooldays, and that too limited to one or two areas. There is very little opportunities for school leavers to take part in sports. This has even led to health problems such as cardio vascular diseases which are on the increase. I always believe that national campaigns for physical fitness among all, specially the youth should be realized through a network jointly by all countries specially in Asia, together it

could develop into exchange of programmes. All Countries should join ranks in the development of sports and recreational facilities. Let us all exchange our views and plans.

Mr Chairman, In various cultures, sports assumes different functions, confronts different situations and has a different development background. Sports should not be seen as an activity unrelated to the process of development; rather, it should be considered as contributing towards the promotion of development.

Many people ask the question "why invest in sports in developing countries where water supply, health services and agricultural projects are urgent needs. The reply to this question is "For many of the people of developing countries, sports is the only leisure time activity and it represents a moment of joy amidst hard work.

You are all aware, that for a sportsman, sports is a philosophy of life, providing a healthy body, strong determination, sharp mental and physical reactions.

Mr Chairman, the number of schools in my country has increased together with school children. There are 12 Universities. The number of graduates looking for employment is increasing. It is imperative to provide job oriented training facilities for the youth who leave schools and the universities to cater to the needs of, especially the private sector. The problem encountered today is in identifying youth with entrepreneurship and directing them towards self-employment. To achieve this goal, the assistance of financial institutions both in. the private and public sectors is necessary. Several surveys done by different organizations had shown that credit facilities available toward these projects have been rather scant. But today due to our efforts, things have changed. More and more financial institutions are directing their projects towards rural areas to help the youth.

The future of a country lies with the youth and they form special component. Today in. my country, the leadership has been given to the youth at the village and divisional levels in the implementation of the National Development Programmes.

The main focus in my country's National Youth Policy is to promote the interests of youth of Sri Lanka and ensure their empowerment. Another salient feature of our policy is to foster amongst the youth a great national consciousness, a sense of discipline, an awareness of social and economic problems, and a sense of dignity of labour.

Our government is committed to the task of national development by implementing extensive schemes which are directed towards employment generation for our youth.

Mr Chairman, Hon Ministers, Ladies & Gentlemen,

Let us get together and find solutions to problems facing the youth. This is an urgent need and hence any delay could prove to be disastrous. 1 fervently hope that our deliberations will bear fruits and am confident that solutions are found sooner than later.

Thank you.