Opinion | Hong Kong authorities can’t flip the tide on youth disenchantment by itself – Cyber Tech

Youth psychological wellness has emerged as an necessary public well being concern, notably given the worrying rise in Hong Kong’s youth suicide fee between 2019 and 2022. A slight rise within the fee 12 months on 12 months was recorded in 2023. Over half of suicides amongst Hongkongers beneath 15 years had been linked to damaged households, underscoring the affect of an unstable surroundings on youngsters’s well-being.

In Hong Kong, youth suicide notes have revealed a troubling sense of hopelessness, reflecting the disenchantment of town’s younger individuals. The youthful era faces challenges in adapting to the fast social and financial adjustments lately, which have diminished their prospects for upward mobility and residence possession, and added to a sense of aimlessness.
The alarming rise in youth disenchantment necessitates an pressing intervention. In response, the federal government has enacted coverage measures to deal with these interconnected points.

In his newest coverage deal with, Chief Government John Lee Ka-chiu outlined a variety of initiatives to satisfy the varied wants of younger Hongkongers, together with expertise cultivation, provision of extra dwelling house, digital engagement, inventive expertise growth, life planning and employment help.

Whereas commendable, these insurance policies depend upon public funding and this imposes a major monetary burden, notably as Hong Kong’s post-pandemic financial challenges have left fiscal reserves at their lowest in a decade. Public expenditure within the final monetary 12 months, at HK$760 billion (US$97.76 billion), has grown almost thrice sooner than authorities income, and price controls have grow to be essential.
The federal government has already restructured its commissions and bureaus to raised deal with youth wants. Importantly, the Dwelling Affairs Bureau was transformed into the Dwelling and Youth Affairs Bureau in 2022 to offer a one-stop platform for youth coverage initiatives. The coordination perform of the Youth Improvement Fee has additionally been improved to stress cross-bureau, cross-departmental and cross-sectoral cooperation.

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