14 > Next Generation Myanmar CHAPTER 3: A N A LY S I S A N D F I N D I N G S Opportunities and expectations towards life Youth in Myanmar are optimistic. Of those surveyed, 67.9 per cent felt that the quality of life in Myanmar will improve over the next five years, while only seven per cent predicted it will become worse. When asked about their own quality of life, 75.9 per cent felt it would improve, with only 2.7 per cent expecting worse. The proportion was even higher among educated youth: 85.8 per cent of respondents with university educations felt their future would be brighter than their present. Much of this positive outlook was shaped by new opportunities for skill building and political involvement. Youth optimism, however, is not blind. Youth consulted in this study expressed concern with a range of problems that they felt prevented young people from achieving their goals. Unemployment, crime, drug use, social media obsession, and restrictive parenting were each concerns widely held among youth, and precisely the problems they hope to overcome. If most youth feel their circumstances will improve in the future, what do they hope to achieve? When surveyed, youth prioritised three simple hopes: earning a lot of money, living in peace, and getting a good job (see Figure 1). women were also more likely to say marriage was unimportant (30.6 per cent). Men were likewise more likely to say having children was important: more than half (53.9 per cent) of men felt having children in the future was important to them, compared to 45.8 per cent of women. As much of the responsibility of childrearing falls on women, female respondents may feel to a greater extent that marriage and motherhood compete with other priorities, and therefore may value marriage and family less for their futures than their male peers. Notably, having children or getting married were ranked the least important among youth surveyed. Men and women expressed different views of both. Male respondents were more likely than women (48.4 per cent versus 39.3 per cent) to say marriage was important; In interviews and group discussions, many youth explained that while achieving these goals is difficult, it is more possible than ever before. Youth felt that new training opportunities and greater political involvement may help them overcome the obstacles they face. Goals for the future Figure 1: Importance of different hopes and goals for the future Earning a lot of money Living in peace Getting a good job Getting a good education To contribute to my society/community Personal development Having children Getting married 0 20 40 60 Neither important nor unimportant Do not know Important Very unimportant Very important Unimportant 80 100 Prefer not to say