Breathe
By Mafer Olvera
Young people in Mexico seem to be falling into oblivion. While efforts have been made in the past, today Mexico faces a worrisome reality: the lack of a clear, cross-cutting and effective youth policy.
A little bit of History
In 1976, the National Council of Resources for the Care of Youth (CREA) was created, an initiative that emerged with the best of intentions: to support young people in a comprehensive manner. From Plan Joven to Sports and Cultural Promotion, the programs seemed promising. However, as it usually happens in our country, things changed.
In 1988, CREA disappeared and its functions were transferred to the Dirección General de Atención a la Juventud within the Comisión Nacional del Deporte (CONADE). In 1996, Causa Joven attempted to modernize the legal framework for youth support. And in 1999, the Mexican Youth Institute (IMJUVE) was created, with the mission of coordinating, evaluating, promoting and encouraging youth programs throughout the country. Throughout 25 years, IMJUVE has had its achievements: the National Youth Survey, the National Youth Award, and international agreements with organizations such as the OIJ, ILO, WHO and UNFPA.
The current reality
However, the current situation is alarming. Today, Mexico does not have a federal and cross-cutting youth agenda. The impact and presence of IMJUVE has diminished significantly, and its ability to influence the public life of young people has faded. During the last six years, its presence has been practically nil, which has had a negative impact on the full development of young people and has exacerbated problems such as violence, social exclusion, risky behavior and marginalization.
It is true that there are youth programs within the federal administration, such as the Jóvenes Escribiendo el Futuro and Jóvenes Construyendo el Futuro scholarships, as well as national strategies to prevent addictions and teenagers pregnancies. However, these efforts are disjointed and lack a unified vision.
The opportunity for change
Mexico has a unique opportunity to recover and transform its youth policy. The proposal is clear: turn IMJUVE into the Secretariat of Youth. Why? Because we need a public policy that is:
- Close and Adapted: To meet the current needs of young people in every corner of the country.
- Inclusive: That considers all forms, characteristics and needs of being young in today's Mexico.
- Binding: Connecting all government agencies, civil organizations, collectives, the business sector and international organizations.
- Specialized and Articulating: Able to generate data and design effective programs, guaranteeing transversality in the execution of a youth agenda.
- Promoter and Communicator: To disseminate youth actions in an assertive manner and with a youth perspective.
The first steps
To achieve this, it is essential to relaunch the National Youth Survey. This will be the key piece to obtain a real and updated context on the characteristics, needs and trends of young people. With this data in hand, the much-needed General Youth Law could be elaborated through a participatory and inclusive process, a task that has been pending for more than twenty years.
Another crucial objective would be the design, implementation and dissemination of the National Youth Agenda 2024-2030, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable young people. This agenda should include clear, robust and cross-cutting policies, with a long-term vision that transcends government administrations, public officials and, above all, occurrences.
The creation of the Youth Secretariat is not only a necessity, but an urgent priority. This secretariat should be an articulator, guaranteeing transversality in the execution of a youth agenda and promoting actions with assertive communication and a youth perspective. It is not the same to announce as to communicate assertively.
The challenges facing young people in Mexico and the world today are complex. In health and mental health, it is essential to reduce the main causes of death among young people: homicides, suicides and traffic accidents, as I mentioned in my previous column.
There should be a National Program of Emotion Clinics, which already has a successful and internationally recognized precedent such as the Hospital de las Emociones de la CDMX. This program could promote the mental health and emotional well-being of young people, duplicating suicide prevention efforts and strengthening national strategies for the prevention of addictions, violence and/or teenagers pregnancies.
In terms of security and justice, it is necessary to combat the inequalities, criminalization, discrimination and violence that affect young people. Youth violence prevention programs and strategies to deter recruitment by organized crime must be implemented with all the seriousness they deserve. Many schools today have become places of risk and this should not happen; therefore, strengthening school safety and ensuring safe living and mobility conditions are also priorities.
Education and employment are fundamental pillars of youth development. Improving access to quality education and creating employment opportunities are imperative. Technical and vocational education must be strengthened to improve the job skills and employability of young people.
Inclusion and civic participation are essential. Encouraging the participation of young people in community and social development projects, and promoting gender equality, cultural diversity and the inclusion of young people with disabilities are indispensable actions to build a fairer and more equitable Mexico.
The needs are gigantic. For this reason, the creation of a Secretariat for Youth implies changing history, this time to guarantee fundamental rights that only with a clear, transversal and inclusive public policy could materialize.
It seems to me that it is time to act seriously and to address the youth issue with a vision of the future and prosperity in order to truly transform this country.
Mafer Olvera is a specialist in youth public policy. She was director of the Youth Institute of the CDMX, 2012-2018. Creator of the Hospital de las Emociones Model. UN Awards, 2017 and CHIUKU MTV Latin America, 2016. Speaker at the UN High Level Forum, NY, 2016 and 2017. Advocate for the right to wellness and mental health.
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of the company. Opinion 51.
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