- Home
- Miscellaneous
- At Youth Forum, UN chief calls for 'tangible improvements' in the face of injustice, poor governance ..
At Youth Forum, UN Chief Calls For 'tangible Improvements' In The Face Of Injustice, Poor Governance
Sumaira FH Published April 08, 2021 | 12:10 AM
NEW YORK, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Apr, 2021 ) :UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Wednesday urged world leaders to "move beyond platitudes" about young people, and deliver a better future for them.
In a remarks at the 10th Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum, he described the online gathering as "the UN's foremost platform" for tackling the many pressing challenges facing young people today, including the impacts of coronavirus, which, among other things, have rendered one-in-eight young people � the majority girls - without access to education. One-in-six are without jobs and mental health problems are rising fast, he said.
"In this context, we should not be surprised that both online and in the streets, young people have been expressing their impatience with the pace of change�and their frustration with injustice and poor governance", Guterres said, stressing the need to listen to youth to rebuild trust.
The UN chief underscored that "tangible improvements" are required in education, employment, environmental protection and digital connectivity � "through a just, inclusive, green and sustainable recovery".
"The UN's first-ever system-wide Youth Strategy, Youth2030, is our commitment to strengthen our work with and for young people", he said, referring to the UN monitoring platform on how it is responding to the needs of youth in the COVID crisis and its work in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
"Yet more must be done [and] we need you to continue showing the way on critical issues, such as racial justice and gender equality. And we need you help us make peace with nature and forge a transition that takes us beyond fossil fuels into a world of renewable energy and net zero emissions", he told the participants.
Author of the latest Youth2030 Progress Report, found here ,UN Youth Envoy Jayathma Wickramanayake, enthusiastically revealed that more than 11,000 young people from all over the world had converged virtually for the Forum, making it the largest gathering of youth at the UN in the Organization's history.
She underscored it as an opportunity to celebrate their "resilience, drive, creativity, and leadership in building a more sustainable, just, and inclusive world for all, as envisioned in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development." It also shines a light on where young people are most often left behind, excluded and marginalized.
"We need to show the generations before us that those of us who are Millennials and Generation Z are walking the talk when it comes to inclusivity and equality", said Ms.
Wickramanayake, urging everyone to "hold decision-makers accountable for their actions" and to advocate for more youth representation where decisions are being made.
The Youth Envoy pointed out that over 1.8 billion youth face issues "that no other generation has encountered", including the climate crisis, conflicts and systems of inequality that "pose a threat to young people's lives and futures".
"We are at an intersection. Despite the hardships of the past year, we have an unprecedented opportunity to recover better together, reimagine the status quo and build a new normal based on values of justice, equality, intersectionality, and sustainability � with young people front and centre", Ms. Wickramanayake said.
ECOSOC President Munir Akram., who is Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN, saw the forum as a time to reflect on a decade filled with crises, as well as achievements.
To address the challenges, he outlined the need to defeat the Covid-19 virus by equitably vaccinating "everyone, everywhere", and maintained that efforts must be made to recover from the pandemic-induced recession and "revive the prospects" of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
He said "economic, social, racial [and] gender inequalities", were now endemic, saying "we must defeat the rising forces of racism, extremism and fascism".
"The future belongs to you, the youth", he added. "We need your energy, your ideals, your boldness, your imagination, your innovation, to build the structure of a peaceful, prosperous and equal world order".
Volkan Bozkir, President of the General Assembly said young people had been hit hard: "Youth is not a homogenous group", he said, imploring each young person to speak up, share their experiences and amplify the voices of "peers who have been silenced".
"We are passing the mic to you", said Bozkir. "But it is your responsibility to pass it along, to the most vulnerable voices" that have not yet reached the UN, to promote the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development during recovery.
"Never doubt your power", he said, calling young people the "problem-solvers who will find the solutions to the existential challenges humanity will face in the future".
"You are the defenders of the equal, inalienable and fundamental human rights for all. You are the keepers of peace, the guardians of the [UN] Charter", he said.
At 1.8 billion strong, the Assembly president upheld that youth would forge a "pathway to 2030 and beyond", asserting that "we are with you every step of the way".
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Tennis: ATP Barcelona Open results - 1st update
Swiatek's perfect 10 in Stuttgart as Vondrousova stuns Sabalenka
Arandu's roads closed due to flooding
Oil tanker catches fire in Islamabad’s Blue Area
Pakistan committed to ensure safety of foreign nationals: FO
Tennis: WTA Stuttgart results - 1st update
Four passengers injured as train hit an empty vehicle
Over- speeding bus crushed to death two bike riders
Turkey's Freedom Flotilla ready to set sail for Gaza
French teen dies from heart failure after knife attack near school
Iranians appear unfazed by Isfahan blasts
UAF celebrates Int'l Chinese Language Day
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
Transforming education sector: from job hunters to job creators
17 hours ago -
Amjad Bobby remembered on 19th death anniversary for timeless contributions to music
5 days ago -
Legendary actor Nadeem’s 26 films released on Eid-ul-Fitr days in 50 years
5 days ago -
Besant Hall Cultural Centre to celebrate evening with Sanam Marvi on 26 April
6 days ago -
Radio Bahawalpur presents program “Eidi Shidi”
9 days ago -
Radio Bahawalpur to broadcast Eid programs
11 days ago
-
DC, DPO Haripur inspect bus terminals to review fares compliance
12 days ago -
Second phase of refugees’ repatriation to start after Eidul Fitr vacations
13 days ago -
Reaping bounties as Ramazan culminates
13 days ago -
Digital transformation – a boon or bane
13 days ago -
Plants’ business: Another casualty of climate change
15 days ago -
Eid shoppers prioritize children’s joy over personal comforts
15 days ago