Vietnamese youth take action together, securing their "passport to the future".

The number of Vietnamese people migrating internationally accounts for nearly 9% of the population, and internal migration is over 7% of the population, mainly consisting of young people.

Ngày Quốc tế người Di cư: Giới trẻ Việt Nam cùng hành động, cầm chắc 'hộ chiếu tới tương lai'

Vietnamese and international delegates attend the seminar "Passports to the Future: Creating Positive Change and Fostering Opportunities for Youth". (Photo: BT)

The inevitable result of globalization.

Finding solutions to address the challenges of labor migration for Vietnamese youth was one of the key objectives of the seminar "Passport to the Future: Creating Positive Change and Fostering Opportunities for Youth," jointly organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Delegation, the United Nations Migration Agency, and the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union on December 18th in Hanoi. The event brought together representatives from government agencies, diplomatic missions, international organizations, and over 200 young people from across Hanoi to discuss the impact of globalization and migration on youth.

It can be seen that economic restructuring, changes in labor structure across industries, job scarcity, labor migration, and international education are inevitable consequences of globalization. Workers tend to migrate from provinces and countries with surplus labor and low incomes to provinces and countries with labor shortages and high incomes.

According to the General Statistics Office, the number of Vietnamese people migrating internationally accounts for nearly 9% of the population, and internal migration accounts for more than 7%, primarily consisting of young people. Migrant youth often face difficulties such as a lack of soft skills, job application skills, online job search skills, working in hazardous or dangerous environments, inadequate pay, and discrimination in wages compared to local workers. Furthermore, language barriers and cultural differences also put migrant workers at a disadvantage.

Many proposals were put forward within the framework of the Seminar to address these challenges. Accordingly, delegates emphasized the need to increase investment in skills and knowledge transfer, which is a key factor in creating jobs for young people, equipping them with the necessary tools to contribute to Vietnam's development, and confidently determining a safe and legitimate path in today's globalized world .

The topics discussed also contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Youth and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Vietnam Youth Development Strategy for the period 2021-2023.

Seminar "Passport to the Future: Creating Positive Change and Fostering Opportunities for Young People". (Photo: BT)

"Act today and together"

Mr. Nguyen Tuong Lam, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and Standing Vice Chairman of the National Committee on Vietnamese Youth, believes that raising awareness among young people and promoting their strong participation in safe migration is a practical and meaningful activity, consistent with the functions and tasks of the Youth Union organization.

He expressed his hope that ministries, departments, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations would support young people in starting and developing businesses; and help create an environment and opportunities for young people to train and improve their skills in accessing safe migration services and information when participating in the labor and education markets both domestically and abroad.

Ms. Park Mihyung, Head of the IOM Mission in Vietnam, emphasized the potential of youth to represent society and how migration can be a crucial driver for the holistic development of young people.

"In the future, even more people will migrate to find better life opportunities and more diverse experiences for themselves. Globalization and the development of the Internet will create a different world for young people. Therefore, it is even more important that the younger generation is equipped with new knowledge and skills to navigate themselves in today's digital and globalized era," emphasized Ms. Park Mihyung.

According to Ms. Park Mihyung, IOM Vietnam has actively collaborated with various government agencies and relevant partners to equip young people with new and practical skills, share knowledge about the changing employment landscape, and support the government in adjusting the education and vocational training system to meet market demands.

"Young people are the embodiment of our hope and can be agents of change for an inclusive and sustainable future. Let's act today, and together, we can create a favorable environment for the younger generation to participate in decision-making and reach their full potential," said Park Mihyung.

Furthermore, within the framework of the seminar, delegates had the opportunity to experience the journey of migrants through highly interactive information booths that disseminated essential knowledge about safe migration, several skills training courses for young people, support services for migrants going abroad and upon their return, as well as job and education opportunities overseas.

On International Migrants Day, Vietnamese youth are calling on everyone to “Act Today: You Can Be Part of the Solution.” Several proposals from young people have been submitted to representatives of government agencies, embassies, and international organizations in Vietnam.

Source