“Youth participation is not just about bringing young people to meetings,” said the president of the Annalena Baerbock General Assembly on Thursday.
“It is really about integrating your experience lived and your experience to shape the results of policies.. “
Prioritize rights and aspirations
Mrs. Baerbock was talking at an event to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the World Action for Youth Program.
The framework covers 15 priority areas, which include education, employment, hunger and poverty; health and environment; Globalization, Information and Communication Technologies; armed conflict and intergenerational problems.
It shows that the action for young people is going through each issue and that they are promoters of change.
Members of the sustainable ocean alliance, a non -profit organization led by youth in Tanzania.
Leading the way
With approximately 1.2 billion, today’s youth generation, people aged 15 to 24, is possibly the largest in history.
Young people are at the forefront of climate action, digital innovation, the construction of local solutions and defending human rights, said Guyer, UN undecretary of the UN for politics, who spoke on behalf of the Secretary General.
“Still Too often, they are out of decisions, decisions that shape their lives and face barriers to education, decent work, health services and political participation.“, Said.
“At the same time, violence, instability and reduction of civic space silence youth voices and place obstacles in the path of their significant contributions.”
Paying the price
The commemoration was carried out to mark progress from the historical framework, but also to address pending issues.
As stated by the head of the UN Youth Office, the international community “must face the sobering reality that Millions of young people continue to be left behind. “
Felipe Paullier said they are the ones who “pay the highest price” when it comes to the climatic crisis, digital interruptions and growing threats to peace.
“The reality is that conflict -related deaths have shot themselves at the highest level since the adoption of the World Action for Youth program,” he said.
“This means millions of lost young lives, displaced or affected forever. From Gaza to Ukraine, from Haiti to the RDC (Democratic Republic of the Congo), to Sudan and many other places in the crisis, Young people are being stolen from their education, their security and their future. “
Voices of a generation
Before the event, more than 75,000 young people in 182 countries shared their challenges and hopes through a “forecast activity” coordinated by their office.
Ideas will help guide action, but the impact of this generation is already felt throughout the world.
“Young people are not waiting for tomorrow to become leaders; They are today’s leaders“Mrs. Baerback said, who recalled that the recent historical decision of the International Court of Justice (ICI) on the obligations of the States to address climate change was caused by a group of students in the Pacific.
‘Party with us’
For Amini Alidi, a defender of young people with the UN in Malawi, the event was “more than a commemoration” but “a call to action.”
“Young people remain firm in our optimism and determination to build a better future,” he said.
“What we ask the United Nations and its member states is simple but urgent: listen to us. Invest in us, and most importantly, associate with us. “
James Casserly from Ireland, a defender of young people with disabilities, advised global leaders about what youth participation really means.
“Is where people who have power listen to us and take action Because actions speak more than words, ”he said.
“It is more than a stuttering exercise. It is when we can make our own decisions, and not only have other people making decisions in our name. As we always say, nothing about us without us.”