Meri Awaz Suno: Negative self-perceptions, lack of self-confidence plague youth
The largest fraction of callers called up the Youth Helpline, between January 2010 to December 2011, wanted help with psychosocial issues, says a report released by the NGO running the helpline.
As many as 35 per cent (1,691) of the callers sought guidance about lack of self-confidence and negative self-perception. Other major concerns were conflict with the family and relationship issues with the opposite sex.
About half the callers (49%) were below the age of 22 while 26 per cent of the calls were made by children between 10 and 19 years of age.
The report, Meri Awaz Suno, was released on Saturday in Lahore by the Islamabad-based NGO, Rozan and Plan Pakistan. The NGO set up the free counseling service (0800-22444) in 2001, supported by Plan Pakistan, in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University, Centre for Communications Programme. Since 2001, the helpline has received around 49,000 calls.
According to the report, males – who made up 69 per cent of the callers – were upset with their parents for “placing restrictions” on them and “interfering” in their affairs. The biggest issue among female callers, as identified by the study, was the pressure to conform to societal expectations about gender norms. Girls tended to be upset with their mothers and the “constant reminder… that they are responsible for the family’s reputation”.
The second biggest reason (14 per cent) for seeking help was to understand the changes that take place in the body after puberty. Of the 667 callers, more than 90 per cent were males.
The third largest fraction (11 per cent, 539) was people seeking help for psychological disorders. About three per cent of these callers (16) had suicidal tendencies, 11 of whom were females.
The welcome note was delivered by Dr Irfan Ahmad, Plan International’s senior health adviser, who emphasised the need for providing counseling to the youth. Iram Ata, the programme coordinator presented the data analysis, saying that the youth received little or no guidance from the people around them.
There was also a panel discussion in which Nabila Malick, the Family Planning Association of Pakistan’s advocacy director.
Speakers stressed the need for providing help to the adolescents and youth who, they said, should be able to cope with changes that take place with age in their lives and bodies. They agreed on the need for providing accurate, relevant and youth-friendly information to adolescents and youth.
Malick talked about the consequences of lack of proper counselling. She stressed the need for inclusion of helpful information in curriculums at school.
Maleeha Latif, a clinical psychologist, discussed the psychological issues, such as anxiety and depression, among young people.
Abdur Rauf, a journalist, said that the media needed to help the youth by discussing such issues.
Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, the provincial assembly deputy speaker, was the chief guest.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 1st, 2012.
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