Investing in young people important

 By Dellyanne Ilai

Investing in young people today by promoting healthy habits, ensuring better education and employment opportunities, health services and social services security will help future generations, the United Nations Fund Population says.

“Population is significant because it is the fundamental core according to the number of children to ensure sustainable development,” Minister for National Planning Charles Abel said during World Population Day in Port Moresby last Friday.

“The sensible government looks at the job, education, violence issues, health and struggles to care take of the number of people with the limited resource, but investment must focus at the micro-level issue,” he said.

 “With the theme “Investing in young people”, the responsible development strategy is the heart of population and not about the growth,” he said.

He urged families to build and maintain a moral foundation for young people to avoid destruction.

MarieStopes director Tom Allen said: “The government support through the National Planning is vital for the young population to move forward.

“It must be the responsibility of the parents to provide value and friendly assistance.

“Young people must be heard not judged because they do play a responsible role.” 

National statistics figures show that 57% of the population is below 25 years old.