Kathmandu, General Federation of Nepalese Trade Union (GEFONT) has organized a youth gathering regarding the agenda of youth membership growth in the union and workplace. About 50 youths from the various associated unions of GEFONT have participated in the gathering.

Speaking at the gathering, Binod Shrestha, President of GEFONT said that the youth belonging to affiliated unions should be able to reap the benefit from the new technologies. He opined that age is not only characteristic of youth, it also possesses the character of enthusiasm and eagerness to learn.

He further stated that youth themselves should move forward to take the lead and has informed about the GEFONT’s intent to enroll as many youths in the union. He added: “Even now in Nepali society, there is a tendency to underestimate the potential of the youth–only given the place in implementation level whereas refraining them from the decision making, such tendency has to be ceased.”

He even said that there is a misconception in some youth to think politics is a bad game and opt to stay out of it. According to him, in order to improve anything, one has to be involved in it and even mentioned the issue rasing by GEFONT for class representation in politics.

While referring to the current year as the year of the General Convention for GEFONT, he said various issues should be discussed as a matter of policy and further mentioned to be policy-oriented rather than a leader in GEFONT, thus, such gathering would play a crucial role.

The gathering was organized as a workshop in which participants discussed the changes in the labor sector, its impact, the problems faced by the youth in the workplace, and the work to be done by GEFONT and its affiliate union for the growth of youth membership and leadership development.