Coronavirus, war, uncertain future. youth is a vulnerable group

According to the decision of the UN General Assembly, since 2000, August 12 is celebrated as International Youth Day. It aims to highlight the role and importance of youth in the development and progress of the country, as well as to increase public awareness of issues related to youth. This year, the day is “Solidarity of generations. world for people of all ages’.

Youth and modern challenges

The modern world threw and continues to throw serious challenges at the youth. Especially the last years were a real test for young people, because it all left a deep and irreversible mark on their future and future activities. In 2020, the world faced the most serious test of this century – the coronavirus pandemic, which turned all of our lives upside down and brought significant changes to our daily lives and planning for the future. Perhaps the biggest “message” of the coronavirus was that you are not the creator of your future and your plans can fail in a minute.

All age groups are certainly vulnerable to this scourge, but perhaps the most vulnerable group was the youth, as, above all, their right to education was fundamentally undermined. Yes, the states tried to respond to the changes very quickly, education became remote, preschools, schools and universities quickly developed a new methodology for online teaching, but of course, and experts also document this, it negatively affected the quality of education.

Young women are worse off than young men when it comes to finding work

The number of young people unable to find a job in the world will reach 73 million this year, which is six million more than before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the “Global Trends in Youth Employment in 2022” recently published by the International Labor Organization (ILO).

According to the data of the research carried out by the United Nations Population Fund in Armenia in 2020-2021 regarding the impact of the epidemic on youth, 47% of the young people interviewed mentioned the transition to distance education as the biggest impact, 37% – the limitation of social contacts, and 35% – restrictions on free movement.

According to the authors of the study, as a result of the co-epidemic, behavioral and emotional deviations have appeared among young people, which are also noticeable in social relations. young people are generally unable to create minimal social ties, are more aggressive and irritable. In other words, as a result of working and studying remotely, the development of communication skills and the creation of emotional connection were affected, which is explained by the fact that young people started working and studying in isolated conditions from their everyday environment.

Research data prove that both the coronavirus pandemic and the military operations in Artsakh in the fall of 2020 had a double impact on the mental health of young people. The problems that arose during the coronavirus pandemic have deepened as a result of military operations in Artsakh. In the context of crises, the feeling of anxiety, fear, despair has increased.

The majority of respondents (93%) stated that they personally or someone from their circle was involved in 2020 in military operations in Artsakh, friends (70%), relatives/friends (63%).

In addition to the mentioned deviations, feelings of fear, anxiety, distrust, insecurity and guilt can cause more serious psychosomatic problems among young people, in particular, headaches, anxiety, uncertainty, which cause the need for psychological and psychiatric intervention.

Summarizing the results of the research, it is documented once again that the coronavirus and the war in Artsakh have had a significant impact on the vitality and mental health of young people. Recent events have also changed the normal life and activities of young people, causing various concerns. And in such conditions, there is even more need to implement complex measures aimed at the mental health of young people. Implementation of preventive measures and improvement of public policy on mental health are needed.

Today, more than ever, the state should pay attention to the problems of young people, try to guide them and at least somehow support them, show that they are not alone in their emotions, problems and uncertainty about the future.

Full text in Armenian