The youth constitute more than 40 percent of the total population in Malaysia and they are the most vital part of our nation.
Youths serve as the building blocks that link the past with the present.
The youths represent the future and the hope of every society.
Large numbers of young people are an opportunity; an investment.
They have the potential to become a dynamic and positive force in shaping the future of a nation.
The youths are a most strong, self-confident, creative and productive guiding force of any nation. They are often the ones who renew the conscience of a nation.
Given an enabling environment, young women and men are both willing and able to take responsibility for their lives and contribute positively to society in which they live. So, youth empowerment is vital for national development.
The concept of youth empowerment pounces from the need to enable young people to have a say in decisions which affect them.
“Young people are empowered when they acknowledge that they have or can create choices in life, are aware of the implications of those choices, make an informed decision freely, take actions based on that decision and accept responsibility for the consequences of that action. Empowering young people means creating and supporting the enabling conditions under which young people can act on their own behalf, and on their own terms, rather than at the direction of others.” (Commonwealth Plan of Action for Youth Empowerement: 2007 – 2015, Commonwealth Secretariat, London)
