Baaruveri: Youth Engagement and Development

Young people in the Maldives can play a critical role in transforming the country – in shaping the future of the country’s climate and environment, in preserving and promoting its unique cultural heritage, in securing economic stability and equity throughout all of the island communities.

But young people also face challenges. They face insecurities about high living costs, housing shortages and access to decent economic and employment opportunities. For some, these challenges are cause of frustration, apathy and impatience.

For other, these challenges are a reason to work for change.

Engaged, empowered and in action

Translated loosely from Dhivehi, Baaruveri means ‘empowered’. This flagship works with young people as they engage in the issues that matter the most to them including mental health, education and the climate and environmental crisis, so they can create the lives and futures they envision for themselves and their communities.

The purpose is to build young people’s critical skills so they can engage, act and lend their voices in their communities and on national and international platforms. The flagship achieves this goal by creating safe and inclusive spaces for young people to test out ideas and providing platforms for them to have their ideas heard.

Critical to the initiative is reaching remote islands to engage young people in their communities.

The flagship activities include:

• Creation of the Youth Reference Group, a cadre of young people aged 15 – 24 who come together to share their ideas to make UNICEF’s programmes more child- and youth- friendly.
• Creation of youth cohorts that are empowered and supported to learn leadership, communication and advocacy skills.
• Hold workshops that encourage young people to think creatively about solutions to the problems that affect them and their communities.
• Provide platforms for young people to contribute to national and international policy debates.

Ultimately, the goal of these efforts is to create a Maldives ready for a future led by young people, and young people with the skills to build that future – for themselves, for Maldives and for the world.