6 > Next Generation Myanmar INTRODUCTION Youth are a catalyst in Myanmar, as in any other country. From the independence movement to the student demonstrations of 1988, the aspirations of young people have shaped the country’s history. Today’s events are no different: the outcome of Myanmar’s transition will largely depend on the views of its youth, a demographic that now accounts for a third of the country’s population. Youth in Myanmar have inherited a rapidly changing country. They work in an economy emerging from decades of isolation, using modern technologies wholly unavailable to their parents. They vote in competitive elections3 and organise themselves in advocacy groups as they observe the government’s partial transfer of power to civilian authorities. Myanmar’s political opening may allow the influence of today’s youth to surpass that of generations before them. Despite this potential, youth opinion has seldom been examined as an object of study. Next Generation Myanmar aims to address this research gap. In partnership with VSO, and working with Conflict Management Consulting (CMC) and the Center for Diversity and National Harmony (CDNH), the British Council polled 2,473 youth throughout Myanmar. Youth were asked for their thoughts on politics, identity, economics and 3 development. Focus-group discussions and key informant interviews then complemented the survey’s findings with rich qualitative information. The study’s mixed-method approach allowed a rigorous analysis of youth opinion on an unprecedented scale. The Next Generation Myanmar study illustrates the worldview of Myanmar’s youth. Its findings can support policymakers as they design programming for youth or policies affecting youth interests. Future research into youth issues in Myanmar can adopt the study’s methodology and build upon its results. Most importantly, the survey’s findings can amplify the voice of Myanmar youth, bringing them from the margins of the country’s democratic transition to the fore. Next Generation Myanmar is the latest study in a global body of research. The British Council’s Next Generation research series illuminates the attitudes and aspirations of young people, as well as the policies and conditions that support their becoming fulfilled and active citizens. Congruent studies have been conducted in the UK, South Africa, Colombia and other countries undergoing dramatic changes in their society and politics. Myanmar joins them with the publication of this study. > For an account of Myanmar’s most recent elections, see PACE (2015; 2018).