International Youth Day: AGAHI Awards 2014 to have special categories on “Youth and Mental Health”.

International Youth Day: AGAHI Awards 2014 to have special categories on “Youth and Mental Health”.

With a median age of 22, 63% of youth is under the age of 29 years, making Pakistan as one of the youngest nations in the world – Puruesh Chaudhary, President Agahi

Youth is the most valuable asset for a country’s sustainable socio-economic, cultural and political development, AGAHI will create special categories in Youth Reporting at the upcoming AGAHI Awards 2014, this was announced on 12 August, 2014 on the International Youth Day 2014.

The theme of International Youth Day 2014 is “Youth and Mental Health” under the slogan ‘Mental Health Matters’. 

“Youth had played an acknowledged role in the creation of Pakistan. The founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah had always reposed great trust in the young people as the agents of future prosperity of Pakistan. The youth continued to be vibrant and active and eager to play significant role in the progress and prosperity of the nation. With a median age of 22, 63% of youth in Pakistan is under the age of 29 years, making Pakistan as one of the youngest nations in the world. Youth in the country are brimming with ambition, enthusiasms, dynamism and commitment to rise, said Puruesh Chaudhary, President Agahi.

She further said “given the importance of Youth to Pakistan's future development, it is necessary to provide means and environments in which this invaluable human resource attains the optimal growth potential, equipped with the requisite character strength and motivation to participate in the main stream of the practical life”. To highlight the importance of mental health for youth, the AGAHI Awards 2014 will have special categories on “Youth and Mental Health”, The Agahi Awards will be held in November 2014, with a call for submission to journalists in September this year, she further added.

Youth with mental health conditions can often experience stigma and discrimination, which in turn can lead to exclusion and/or discourage people from seeking help for fear of being negatively ‘labeled’. Efforts are needed to overcome this stigma to ensure that young people with mental health conditions can lead full and healthy lives free of isolation and unnecessary shame, and that they openly seek the services and support they need.

International Youth Day is observed all over the globe on August 12 every year. Young people face pressing global challenges, including high level of unemployment, vulnerable working conditions and marginalization from decision-making process. International Youth Day promotes national action and international support to improve the situation of young people. Every year, the UN works with governments, the private sector, civil society, academia and philanthropists to help increase opportunities for young people. The UN General Assembly proclaimed this day in its 1999 resolution A/RES/54/120.

The Agahi Awards are an annual series of journalism awards in Pakistan, developed under the umbrella of the Credibility Lab in collaboration with AGAHI Foundation and Mishal Pakistan, to encourage ethical and quality content. The evaluation methodology and criteria of the awards has been designed on the pillars of Media Development Indicators of UNESCO, with support from the Center for International Media Ethics (CIME) and UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Agahi Awards were inaugurated in March 2012 and have become the most prestigious annual awards for the journalism industry in Pakistan.