18 > Next Generation Myanmar Parental oversight ‘I think the youths who are graduated from the university are able to decide by themselves these days. Parents used to intervene in career choosing for their children. But now, the youths are allowed to work in the fields which related to their hobbies. But parents still are intervening in the decisions before the youths get the jobs.’ Teacher, Shan State, age 26 Most youth surveyed felt they had agency over their own future. Of those surveyed, 86.9 per cent said they were able to decide their futures, with 46.8 per cent saying they were ‘very much’ able to decide. Interviews and discussions with youth, however, revealed that this agency was rarely individual, but rather shared with parents, family and community elders. Some youth interviewed in this study felt empowered to make all their own decisions (‘Personally, I am allowed to make my own decisions’), while others deferred all decision-making to their parents or elders (‘I personally accept and follow the decisions of my parents’). Most youth, however, felt they stood in a middle ground of parental influence: decision-making was negotiated between these youth and their parents. A few youth shared that they were able to discuss decisions with their parents, but they were ultimately responsible for the choice they made, especially as they aged. Many, however, felt parents exercised too much control over their decisions, and their preferences were often ignored. While most of the time, parents’ interference and ‘overprotection’ was viewed as coming from love and concern, in many cases, this meant youth were discouraged from pursuing their interests. 17 ‘I accept the decisions of my parents even when I don’t like it. I am interested in politics and economics. My parents want me to become a teacher and think politics is not good for a girl. So, I am training to become a teacher. But on the other hand, I still keep my interest in politics and economics.’ CSO member, female, Kayin State, age 20 ‘Mostly our parents decide for us. For one instance, as my brothers are in Thailand, I want to go there to work. But my parents do not agree to go there but instead they would like me to go to Singapore. Thus I prepare to go to Singapore.’ Male, Bago Region, age 20 In interviews, some youth complained that this parenting arrangement, sometimes maintained well into a child’s young adulthood, deters youth from politics or civil society work. These youth felt this parenting style was all too common and a detriment to Myanmar’s emerging democracy. ‘Community leaders such as the elders are limiting the youth. Most of the important position are occupied by the elders and the adults. They do not leave space for the youth because they think they are unexperienced [sic]. It is because of the system. The community is structured in a way such as youth cannot be involved in decision-making power. We can only participate but we do not really have a word to say.’ NLD activist, male, Bago Region, age 24 ‘I believe I have the capacity to decide for my own future. I do not want to take decisions with my parents. Only then is it no more like the 18th century. We should not rely on our elders any more like in the past. Youth must take the challenge to take decisions related to today’s world. I believe the elders should step down from politics. But I do not think it would be feasible.’ Lawyer, female, Shan State, age 25 Despite particular family arrangements, many youth still expressed a cautious optimism about their personal agency, especially those with university educations. Over nine-tenths (92.7 per cent) of youth with higher education felt they had the ability to decide their own future, compared to 84.4 per cent of youth with little or no education. Reflecting on Myanmar’s recent changes, some youth interviewed in this study concluded that even if parents still exercise outsize influence, youth decision-making is stronger today than at any time in recent memory. The optimism expressed by Myanmar youth is not unique. Next Generation baseline studies conducted in Bangladesh, Pakistan and elsewhere have similarly demonstrated that youth look positively towards their futures.17 Other studies, such as a recent Ipsos poll supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, have found congruent results in India, China, Mexico and Nigeria (Ratcliffe and Aguilar, 2018). As with these studies, the optimism found in this study may be coloured by a ‘social desirability bias’, or a social pressure to present oneself as satisfied or happy (one informant explained ‘it is something we have here – a happy personality’). Nonetheless, Myanmar appears to leave its youth comparably optimistic to their peers in other countries, despite the country’s challenges. > S ee https://www.britishcouncil.org.bd/sites/default/files/next_generation_bangladesh_2015_-_brief_report_0.pdf and www.britishcouncil.pk/sites/default/ files/next_generation_goes_to_the_ballot_box.pdf