Growing up without a map

Growing up today doesn’t feel simple. We’re navigating expectations, uncertainties, and systems that weren’t designed with us in mind.

Young people in Maldives are ready to shape the future; what we need leaders and systems that listen. As we mark this year’s Human Rights Day, I want to share what it truly feels like to be a young person in Maldives. 

Challenges Faced by Young People

While Maldives has made significant progress in child rights, especially in access to basic services, today, adolescents are navigating second-generation challenges – problems that no longer arise from a lack of access, but from issues of quality, inclusion, and transition into adulthood.

One of the clearest examples is the low transition rate into higher secondary education, with only 34% of young people moving forward. This statistic doesn’t reflect a lack of capability but a lack of proper guidance. The path into upper secondary feels like a labyrinth; full of doors, but with no one to show us which ones lead where. Most young people move through it blindly, without anyone explaining what to do after O-Level, how A-Levels or pre-foundation modules shape our future careers, how university requirements work, how to apply to universities, or how to make informed academic decisions. So, when two-thirds of youth fall into NEET status, it is not because they are “lazy” – it is because they were never given a map.

Limited career options in Maldives deepens this problem. The same narrow set of professions – doctor, engineer, lawyer, pilot, accountant – continue to dominate public expectations. We don’t see encouragement for careers that are urgently needed in this country such as: social workers, counsellors, trauma specialists, marine biologists, climate scientists, special education teachers, early childhood educators, researchers, mental health practitioners, historians, linguists, policy analysts, disability specialists, youth workers, and digital safety educators. But many of these pathways are undervalued or even dismissed due to stereotypes, pay stigma, and outdated beliefs about what “counts” as a respectable job, preventing young people from pursuing them.

At the same time, societal pressure (especially from older generations) reinforces the idea that young people (especially girls), should finish O’ Levels, immediately find a job, get married, and have children. This pressure fuels early marriages, contributes to rising divorce rates, and places young people into adulthood long before they are emotionally or financially prepared. It also creates a negative feedback loop: jobs today require degrees, but young people are not given proper guidance to pursue higher education, alternative pathways or skill development opportunities, resulting in more NEET (not in education, employment or training) youth and an even weaker culture of valuing education.

Changing family structures, economic strain, and parents juggling multiple responsibilities add further complexity, leaving many adolescents without the care and support they need at home. These shifts strongly influence mental health, academic motivation, long-term decision-making and feelings of safety and security. When guidance at home and school are both weak, young people are left to navigate life on their own.

Even when education is encouraged by parents, it feels limited. Most of our parents themselves never had access to guidance or exposure, so they can’t guide us through choices they never had the chance to make. In many cases, even when young people complete degrees, they end up remaining unemployed because the job market is too small to absorb them. And when opportunities do exist, they often go to those with the right connections rather than those with the right qualifications. This kind of systemic favouritism makes it incredibly difficult for ordinary young people to secure jobs, no matter how hard they work or how well prepared they are.

All of this takes a significant toll on young people’s mental wellbeing. Unrealistic expectations, lack of support, academic pressure, and financial uncertainty create overwhelming internal stress. Yet stigma around mental health remains pervasive. Many young people avoid seeking help because going to therapy is treated as gossip material, a scandal, or something that reflects negatively on a family’s upbringing.

Digital stress adds another layer: the pressure of constant comparison, online visibility, cyberbullying, harassment, body image pressure, academic competition, grooming risks, exploitation into gangs, and the need to present a curated version of oneself. Thus, while the digital world opens up many opportunities, it can add to the anxiety young people are facing today.

Furthermore, the climate crisis weighs heavily on young people growing up in countries such as Maldives. Due to constant storm surges, flooding, unpredictable strong winds, children grow up watching the weather damage their homes, schools and play areas. Many young people carry the silent fear that one day, their island may simply disappear, which has created a generation of children who worry that their country might not exist by the time they reach adulthood. This fear shapes mental health, future planning, and the belief that stability might never be guaranteed.

A major issue is that young people often feel excluded from decisions that shape their lives. Policies are drafted and systems are reformed without consulting the people they affect, and when youth are included, it is often symbolic.

But meaningful participation has the potential to change everything.

UNICEF has demonstrated this by providing its Youth Cohorts, Youth Reference Groups, and Climate Guardians with the space and platforms to participate in policy discussions, proving that when young people are genuinely listened to, they can bring solutions. Youth ideas carry new energy, new perspectives, creativity, honesty – because we speak from lived realities, and an instinctive sense of fairness because we know what it feels like to be excluded. Adults sometimes interpret this as being idealistic, but our perspectives often fill gaps that traditional systems may miss. 

My Experience and Learnings

My own journey began with UNICEF in December 2023 and expanded when I joined the Youth Reference Group in early 2024. Since then, I have participated in national processes and initiatives such as the State of the Maldivian Child review, the National Juvenile Justice Conference, , drafting workshop for the Maldives’ Nationally Determined Contributions 3.0, inclusive storytelling processes, and child protection initiatives, including as the youth representative in the Steering Committee of the National Action Plan on Violence Against Children.

One moment that stands out was after the workshop for the formulation of the NDC 3.0, where the final document references youth, education and psychosocial resilience, reflecting the contributions of myself and the young people who joined with me. Watching our concerns become part of the final draft made it clear that the youth voice is powerful when it is genuine.

These experiences taught me about child protection frameworks, climate governance, justice reform, and policy development: areas I never imagined being involved in. They also taught me critical thinking, leadership, public speaking, teamwork, and the confidence to speak in rooms where I am often the youngest participant. Beyond personal development, volunteering has strengthened my understanding of community, responsibility, and impact. Universities today also look for more holistic students, so volunteering can be an excellent way to improve our extra-curriculars and consequently improve our applications. However, it is not just about improving university applications; it is about building purpose, empathy, and perspective. Volunteering builds character, perspective, and purpose. It strengthens our communities and widens our understanding of the world. Opportunities don’t just appear – we create them through effort, initiative, and showing up when it matters.

Moving forward, I believe the one of the most urgent needs is a strong, structured national career guidance system. This should include consistent support on subject selection, university pathways, scholarship guidance, and emerging careers. Alongside this, guidance and support for skill development, vocational training and alternative routes should be provided. Furthermore, Maldives needs accessible psychosocial support in and out of schools, affordable counselling, trained school counsellors, youth-friendly mental health services, and open conversations that break stigma. Policies across sectors must become more inclusive of youth perspectives, and youth participation must be treated as a necessity rather than a symbolic gesture. Youth-led innovation, youth-driven conversation, and involvement in monitoring and evaluation should be embedded in national frameworks.

A Message for Leaders, Policymakers and Other Young People

Young people see the gaps in the system: the gap between legislation and implementation, the lack of coordination between health, education and protection systems, and the absence of accountability. When systems fail to respond quickly, gangs, exploiters, and unsafe environments step in, offering the “support” that vulnerable children never receive. We do not want performative change; we want change that is felt, not just beautifully written on paper. We want youth engagement to be respected and integrated, not showcased for publicity. We are not here to decorate panels or fill quotas; we are here because we understand the realities these reports attempt to describe. We want leaders who listen, not leaders who assume. This is why youth coalitions matter. When young people, NGOs, CSOs, and community groups present a unified front, our advocacy becomes more powerful than any individual effort.

For young people, investing in policy literacy is essential. Understanding how policies are created and learning the technical language used in decision-making spaces strengthens our ability to contribute meaningfully. Documenting and publishing our experiences help other young people to build on our work and reinforce the impact of youth advocacy. And most importantly, every young person should know that their voice matters. Real change begins when we believe we deserve to be heard, when we speak up, participate, and refuse to be left out and accept decisions made without us.