63% interviewed defend the prioritization of Education. If they were governors, 30% would invest in fighting hunger and 27% in actions to strengthen the Unified Health System.
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This is what the research raised 'Youth and the Coronavirus Pandemic', made by Atlas das Juventudes in partnership with the National Youth Council. (UN)
Expectations of young voters
Of the 50 million citizens between 15 and 29 years old who live in Brazil today – around a quarter of the general population – 38 million or 76% are eligible to vote in these elections, according to data from the TSE.
And according to the Youth Atlas, 82% of those interviewed confirmed that they will vote this year, mobilized around the election. 9 out of 10 defend democracy. 7 in 10, however, are pessimistic about politicians' commitment.
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To convince as many young people as possible to vote for the first time, even without it being mandatory, organizations focused on youth and several Brazilian influencers joined together in campaigns on social media. O We’re: Engajamundo and the artist MC Sofia are some of the examples.
"The largest generation of young people in the history of Brazil demands concrete proposals and a real commitment from government officials and candidates in 2022".
Marcus Barão, General Coordinator of Atlas das Juventudes and President of the National Youth Council.
According to the young people interviewed, candidates should prioritize education (63%), health (56%) and the economy, work and income (49%) and reducing inequalities (25%).
Mental Health
The pandemic is not over yet for 82% of young people. According to 75% of them, the main lesson left by the Covid-19 crisis period was the importance of mental health. The majority indicated that they had suffered impacts as a result of the pandemic:
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- 60% suffered from anxiety in the last 6 months
- 50% feel frequent tiredness and exhaustion
- 44% feel unmotivated in everyday activities
- 18% report depression
- 9% report self-harm or suicidal thoughts
Food Safety and Psychotherapy
When questioned on priority actions for public and private institutions to help young people deal with the effects of the pandemic:
- 47% require specialized psychological support for young people in public health
- 39% cite psychological support in schools
- 25% actions to ensure safe food for the most vulnerable
Education and Learning
- In the last 6 months, 34% have already thought about stopping studying and 11% still think about it; 55% of these young people feel that they have fallen behind, in terms of learning, as a result of the pandemic;
- 52% feel that they have developed or intensified the difficulty of maintaining focus, 43% of organizing themselves for studies and 32% of speaking in public, due to the remote period;
Amazon
The preservation of the Amazon is one of the priority criteria for 90% of young voters aged 16 to 24, reveals a survey by the Power Date carried out at the request of the Climate and Society Institute (iCS). According to researcher Fábio Santos, the percentage is higher than the general average of those interviewed (83%) and is linked to the degree of politicization among young people on the topic and based on the understanding that environmental protection is a government responsibility.
