From climate change to conflict to persistent poverty, young people “disproportionately impacted by interconnected global crises”“, his Youth Envoy, Jayathma Wickramanayake, told a celebratory event in New York, on behalf of the head of the United Nations.
“Today, we emphasize the importance of transforming young people’s skills for the future of work,” she said, delivering his message from above.
Youth at risk
The COVID-19 The pandemic has exacerbated the predicament, putting 24 million young people today at risk of not returning to school and accelerating the transformation of the labor market, “adding uncertainty and widening the gap.” digital”.
“We must ensure the right of young people to an effective and inclusive education, training and lifelong learning…[by] strengthen youth skills development, while investing in technical vocational education and training (TVET), broadband connectivity and digital skills,” the message continued.
Prevent learning interruption
To this end, leading politicians and leaders from NGOs for youth and education, will meet in September in a Education Transformation Summit at UN Headquarters in New York.
Guided by UN Youth Strategy 2030The head of the United Nations urges people to “Prioritize action for youth skills developmentat the Summit and beyond”.
“Together, let’s build a more equitable and thriving workforce, rescue Sustainable development goals (SDG) and leaves no one behind,” his message concluded.
Build skills
Currently, millions of young people, especially the vulnerable and marginalized – such as women and girls – continue to bear the brunt of social and political upheaval. , economy and culture, General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid said in her video address.
These challenges “remove jobs and opportunities, reduce access to education and hinder the retraining and upskilling of young women and men,” he said. More needs to be done.”
As a “proud champion of youth”, he argues that young people must be empowered to build skills through policy making, education, technical and vocational training.
“Join us to discover how to increase employment opportunities for young people while sustainably reducing the number of uneducated and untrained youths…[and] joint action to ensure a brighter and inclusive future led by skillful, educated and well-trained young people, while leaving no one behind,” he said.
‘Be a changer’
Speaking via videoconference from Geneva, Martha Newton, International Labor Organization Deputy Director General for Policy (ILO) emphasizes the importance of fostering digital transformation skills to reach the scale of today’s unmet labor market needs.
To help young people “quickly adapt” to “these rapidly changing needs”, she campaigned for quality vocational courses and internships that would equip them with “life skills”.
Investing in a world where decent work is a reality for every young person requires expanding action for youth employment while protecting youth rights. In turn, this will foster a healthy and equal life for all.
“Be the change you want, relentlessly, boldly… We couldn’t change our efforts without you,” she encouraged young people around the world.
© UNESCO-UNEVOC / Teresa de Jesus Caballero Melchor
Young girls join a welding workshop in Mexico.
Empowering youth
Speaking on behalf of Audrey Azoulay, Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Maki Katsuno-Hayashikawa, Director of Education 2030 Coordination and Support, emphasized that the skills for the future of work must be identified to empower today’s youth.
She cites innovation in startups; promote flexible pathways to promote lifelong learning; narrowing the digital technology gap; and promote open educational resources.
“Encourage young people to think of themselves as agents for change and understand the complexities of sustainable development,” said the head of UNESCO’s message.
During the Education Summit, “we must use all our abilities” to provide opportunities for youth to develop skills for the future and give them “a central place” in the table. decision.
Youth: The greatest treasure
Co-President Peter Mohan Maithri Pieris, United Nations Permanent Representative to Sri Lanka, described youth as “the greatest treasure we have on this planet”, adding that if the right decisions are made in At the right time, young people can have a “meaningful” impact globally.
In his video message, co-president João Gomes Cravinho, Portugal’s Foreign Minister, stressed that young people must have a say in their own future and share their country’s “guiding principles”. “Youth without youth”.
