Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi has stated that youth of the nation are enticed by extremism, radicalisation and other undesirable behavior due to being sidelined and disregarded by the society.
Speaking at a ceremony held to launch the report on the findings of 'Youth Vulnerability Assessment' survey conducted by National Counter Terrorism Center, Minister Mariya said youth who do not receive familial love and care face several challenges, which leads them to having minimal connection to the rest of the community, posing further challenges to building a bright future for themselves.
The minister emphasized the importance of making use of surveys such as the 'Youth Vulnerability Assessment' in making policies to address serious issues faced by the youth such as gang violence, unemployment and drugs.
The minister further said the country's youth are capable of reaching great heights in fields of their choice. She stated that the survey results reflect that the youth are hopeful of a finding a solution to social problems.
The survey book released on Thursday listed information on probable causes that leads to youth being pressured into following extremist philosophies. The survey, in which 117 people from 28 islands participated, identified corruption, drugs and gangs as the main tool used to propagate extremist philosophies among youth.
Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi at Thursday's book release ceremony - Photo: Ahmed Ayad / AVAS
