EFFECTS OF ARMED CONFLICT, YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MEDIA INFLUENCE DISCUSSED AT LISBON CONFERENCE
Press Release
SOC/4468
EFFECTS OF ARMED CONFLICT, YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MEDIA INFLUENCE DISCUSSED AT LISBON CONFERENCE
19980810 (Received from a United Nations Information Officer.)LISBON, 10 August -- The war in Croatia had deprived innocent young people of their youth and many had lost families, homes, friends and loves, Bozidar Pugelnik, Minister for Education and Sports of Croatia told the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth this morning.
As the Conference continued its general exchange of views on youth matters, including the effects of armed conflict, he said his Government had devoted particular attention to young people and placed priority on such areas as the needs of those with development disorders and mine-awareness education. Despite great efforts by Croatia, the stress and economic consequences of war remained.
The development and promotion of the rights of youth subjected to wars, armed conflict and foreign occupation was of particular importance, said the Secretary for Youth and Sports, head of delegation, Palestine, Ahmed T.H. Alyazji. Generations of Palestinian young people had known nothing other than Israeli occupation and Palestinian diaspora. They had suffered from many injustices and paid a very high price. The international community must continue to promote and protect the rights of Palestinian young people to association and freedom.
The Minister for Youth and Sports of Angola, Jose da Rocha S. de Castro, said the devastating impact of war had made it difficult for Angola to satisfy the fair aspirations of its young people. Today, there were more than 80,000 orphan children in Angola and more than 100,000 handicapped people, many of them young. Nonetheless, some government policies had been established focusing on the use of free time, the promotion and support of youth associations, and the study of youth problems.
On the issue of youth participation in economic development, the Minister for Youth and Sports of Ghana, E.T. Mensah, said the capacity of young women and men to effectively participate in development efforts must be increased. The international community must take steps to improve their
access to education and capital, and enable them to embark on productive ventures. It must invest in science and technology and provide young people the skills to use them.
Addressing a downside of rapid technological change, Reinhard Wabnitz, Director General for Youth Questions of the Federal Ministry for Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth of Germany, said a special problem in many countries was the flood of new information from the media which targeted young people. Particularly questionable was the increased transmission of pornographic materials and images which glorified violence, racial hatred and the like on the Internet. National instruments to protect young people from the media could neither control nor stop those trends. It was up to the community of States to develop instruments to combat such excesses.
Ministers from Andorra, Myanmar, Indonesia, Mongolia, Oman, Seychelles, Benin, Botswana, Tunisia, Solomon Islands, Luxembourg, United Republic of Tanzania, Poland and Mali also spoke, as did the representative of Malta. In addition, the Conference was addressed by representatives of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY), and the World Young Women's Christian Association (WYWCA).
Conference Work Programme
The first World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth this morning continued its general exchange of views on implementing the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1995 on the tenth anniversary of the International Youth Year.
The Conference, which is being held from 8 to 12 August in Lisbon, brings together representatives of some 160 nations -- more than 100 at the ministerial level -- to find ways of responding more effectively to the needs of young people. Participants will review efforts to fulfil the World Programme of Action and consider what additional actions are required on the national level. They will also appraise progress since the 1985 International Youth Year, as well as the relevance of its themes -- participation, development and peace. Also, in discussion on social development, certain priority issues will be highlighted, including education, health, employment and drug abuse.
The Conference is expected to adopt a declaration by which governments will commit to strengthening national policies to benefit youth.
- 3 - Press Release SOC/4468 10 August 1998
Statements
CARME SALA SANSA, Minister for Education, Youth and Sports, Andorra, said her country's Ambassador to the United Nations -- the youngest person currently holding such a post -- had long been at the forefront of the youth issue at the Organization. For several years, Andorra had been one of the largest contributors to the Organization's Youth Fund. All nations, small and large, could help youth acquire the tools to build a better future.
While efforts to date to bring the issue of youth to international attention were commendable, more needed to be done, she said. Governments must fund United Nations programmes directly related to youth. Also, a place must be found for young people in the United Nations Secretariat, in the same way women had been incorporated into United Nations staff. Less than 5 per cent of those working for the Secretariat were younger than 35. Without endangering experienced staff, young talent should be welcomed, to bring the Organization into the next century and implement the Organization's reform.
In Andorra, local authorities were instrumental in formulating youth policies, while the central Government provided funding and practical assistance, she said. Since actions affecting youth stemmed from a number of government departments, her Ministry was working to increase awareness of the challenges of youth. In other efforts, Andorra was promoting exchanges between its young people and those of other countries. The governments of the world must empower youth -- or, perhaps, it was youth that should empower governments. Young voices that spoke of peace and goodwill should be heard.
JOSE DA ROCHA S. DE CASTRO, Minister for Youth and Sports, Angola, said growth and economic development were only valid when they provided sustainable possibilities for human development. However, the world was characterized by deep differences between countries and within nations. Such divisions often led to social problems and conflict. To establish a fairer and more civilized society, all people must be able to profit from globalization. International cooperation must be fair to produce mutually advantageous experiences for all players.
In Lisbon, the international community must discuss youth policies which worked to solve the terrible problems the new generation would face as they became leaders, he said. Young people must be given the best opportunities for participation, and their voices must be heard. Concrete solutions to the problems faced by young people had been put down in the World Programme of Action for Youth. The international community must muster the political will to pay attention to youth employment, education, training, poverty, health matters and other concerns.
- 4 - Press Release SOC/4468 10 August 1998
It had been difficult for Angola to satisfy the fair aspirations of its young people, he said. The situation had been made even worse by the devastation of war. Today, there were more than 80,000 orphan children in his country, and more than 100,000 handicapped people, many of them young. About 60 per cent of the infrastructure had been destroyed, including schools and hospitals. Nearly 80 per cent of the population had been dislocated and thousands of anti-personnel mines remained scattered throughout the country. Within that context, Angola had not yet defined a national youth policy. However, sectoral policies had been established focusing on the use of free time; the promotion and support of youth associations; and the study of youth problems. Therefore, some action had been taken to address youth needs.
E.T. MENSAH, Minister for Youth and Sports, Ghana, said the value that young people had to offer necessitated concerted effort by governments to ensure that matters affecting them were placed very high on national development agendas. The capacity must be increased for young women and men to effectively participate in development efforts. The international community must take steps to improve their access to education and capital, and enable them to embark on productive ventures. The international community must invest in science and technology and provide young people the skills to use them.
The draft Lisbon declaration addressed many matters vital to youth, he continued. The draft text was in line with the recommendation made by the Commonwealth Heads of Government who had met in Edinburgh last year: youth empowerment should be promoted through the creation of a plan of action for youth empowerment to the year 2005. At the meeting of Commonwealth Youth Ministers in May in Kuala Lumpur, participants had recognized the urgent need for member countries to create the enabling conditions for the empowerment of young people. Empowerment was more than providing the youth with choices; it required that young people be assisted in developing their potential to the fullest.
Brigadier-General PYI SONE, Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, Myanmar, said his Government was striving to become a modern developed nation. National youth polices were guided by certain objectives, including enhancing national security, patriotism, health and education. Myanmar was developing its human resources, emphasizing youth.
However, drug addiction, juvenile delinquency and HIV/AIDS hampered the momentum of youth programmes; they were, therefore, being addressed through prevention and eradication programmes, he said. Myanmar was cooperating in all United Nations activities to serve youth and humankind's common interest. It had ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1991 and had since commenced implementing its provisions and programmes. Also, it was currently implementing recommendations of the Fourth World Conference on Women
- 5 - Press Release SOC/4468 10 August 1998
(1995). Activities related to women's development were being carried out under the umbrella of a national women's committee.
The menace posed by narcotic and psychotropic substances had reached catastrophic proportions, and posed an alarming threat to youth worldwide, he said. Myanmar had been fighting the war against illicit drugs, using its own resources and by collaborating with neighboring countries and the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP). Since 1989, seized narcotic drugs had been destroyed 11 times in the capital. These efforts would have a positive impact on the youth of the world.
AGUNG LAKSONO, Minister for Youth and Sport Affairs, Indonesia, said that while the prospects of empowering youth were promising, there were also causes for concern. The financial crisis which had hit some countries in East and South-East Asia created economic stagnation and contraction, and caused massive youth unemployment. Those countries, including Indonesia, were struggling for economic survival, and the fabric of their societies were being threatened. Millions of young people were losing their identity and their opportunity for self-actualization.
In today's interdependent world, no one country could solve these problems alone, he said. There was need for international cooperation to strengthen economic sectors, such as agriculture, industry and services, and thus create greater employment possibilities for young people. In many countries, only those close to the source of information could get jobs, resulting in nepotism and corruption. Extension services, linking schools to jobs, were needed.
The staggering and increasing numbers of youth was a major problem that created others, such as juvenile delinquency and child prostitution, he said. Those negative phenomena resulted from -- and did not cause -- youth unemployment. Young people were entitled to education that prepared them for the future. While remaining centres for knowledge, schools should also focus on training, sports, culture and religious inculcation to help shape the character of young people. Secular education should be complemented with one that developed spiritual strength. He asked that Indonesia -- either Jakarta or Bali -- be considered for the next World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth.
SH. BATBAYAR, Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Mongolia, said his Government and United Nations agencies had endorsed a memorandum of cooperation in the field of youth. The memorandum was the first of its kind and represented a new kind of cooperation. It aimed at increasing involvement of youth in international youth programmes and assisting young people through education, employment, health services and other areas.
- 6 - Press Release SOC/4468 10 August 1998
Mongolia fully supported the proposals contained in the draft Lisbon declaration on youth, he said. He called on those at the Conference to establish a youth development centre at the United Nations to coordinate implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth. He urged all governments to establish national youth development centres and to proclaim the period from 2000 to 2010 the world youth decade.
Sheikh MOHAMMED MARHOON S. AL MA'AMARI, Minister and President of the General Organization for Youth, Sports and Cultural Activities, Oman, said he hoped the Conference would produce valuable recommendations. All governments and international organizations must cooperate and actively participate in international activities. Youth programmes were given high priority in his country.
BOZIDAR PUGELNIK, Minister for Education and Sports, Croatia, said that in recent years his country had experienced economic transition, as well as armed attack. Those difficult times had affected young people greatly. War deprived innocent young people of their youth, and took from them the most fundamental human right -- the right to life. Many had lost families, homes, friends and loves. The standards of education and health had been below what the State would have been able to provide had it not been attacked.
Despite great efforts, the stress and economic consequences of war remained, he said. For those reasons, the State devoted particular attention to young people. It had established the Government Institute for the Welfare of Families, Mothers and Young People, which worked in cooperation with competent ministries and advisory bodies. Particular attention was being paid to certain priority issues, such as children with development disorders and mine-awareness education.
All young people required assistance, particularly those in the poorest countries and youth facing difficult circumstances, he said. The active participation of young people was needed in developing youth policies. Such policies should be based on strengthening democracy, multi-culturalism, environmental protection and facilitating access to education, health care and employment. Young people had always believed that it was easy to change the world. They should not be disappointed.
PATRICK PILLAY, Minister for Youth and Culture, Seychelles, said that 50 per cent of his country's population were under 30. Unlike youth in many developing countries, these young people were well provided for in terms of education, health, social services, employment opportunities, sports and cultural activities. Their concerns were not related primarily to resource allocation, infrastructure or legal or administrative frameworks. Rather, their challenges related more to participation in decision-making, juvenile
- 7 - Press Release SOC/4468 10 August 1998
delinquency, substance abuse and the erosion of family structure and community consciousness.
A recent survey indicated that the youth of Seychelles identified more with young people worldwide than with the country's older generations, he said. Youth culture was becoming increasingly globalized, with both positive and negative aspects. His Ministry, as a national coordinating agency, had launched a five-year action plan based on the slogan "hear youths", based on promoting values, youth empowerment, accountability to and for youths, and young people's responsibilities.
The Seychelles strategy for youth was constantly invigorated by "Creolite", the special blend of European, African and Asian influences that were central to its identity. Creolite was a unified social and cultural consciousness that embraced the country's diversities and established a common set of human, social and cultural values. The development of youth in today's world was increasingly a cultural issue, and thus the values enshrined in cultural heritage should be used to implement youth programmes. The power of youth should rise above the power of wealth and politics.
CHRISTIAN ENOCK LAGNIDE, Minister for Youth, Sports and Cultural Activities, Benin, said the social exclusion of many young people was of concern. Youth in Benin made up more than 50 per cent of the population. They must be involved in defining a national policy for a better future. The Benin Government had devised an action plan outlining ways to reach such a goal. Benin wanted to mobilize national and international actors' involvement in preventing and solving the problems facing young people.
The Benin youth were the driving force of the country's economic development, he continued. A fund for young people had led to the creation of micro initiatives, generating jobs for young people. Since 1992, the Government had launched infrastructure renovation programmes to provide each neighbourhood and village a "youth pavilion". Young people were convinced that they could no longer be passive and wait for salvation by the welfare State. Credit lines must be available to young people to allow them to participate in the economic field. A bank for the promotion of youth companies and businesses had been established in Benin.
REINHARD WABNITZ, Director General for Youth Questions, Federal Ministry for Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Germany, said that youth unemployment was a number one problem in his country. All of the responsible German agencies, together with partner countries in the European Union, were focusing on changing the economic and social structural conditions so as to beat unemployment and youth unemployment into retreat.
- 8 - Press Release SOC/4468 10 August 1998
Noting that traditional forms of obtaining young people's involvement no longer worked, he said, more modern ways were needed. He welcomed the focus on youth participation at the Lisbon Conference. Young people wanted to see concrete results after a reasonable period of time. They were not always willing to commit themselves to participating for very long periods.
A special problem in Germany and in many other countries was the flood of new information from the media which targeted young people, he said. Particularly questionable was the increased transmission of pornographic materials and images which glorified violence, racial hatred and the like on the Internet. National instruments to protect young people from the media could neither control nor stop those trends. It was up to the community of States to develop instruments to combat such excesses.
B.K. TEMANE, Minister for Labour and Home Affairs, Botswana, said he was encouraged that the resolutions and agreements reached at previous international conferences had been dovetailed into the draft declaration currently being considered; that would facilitate consensus. Youth must be empowered and integrated into society to eradicate poverty and reduce unemployment. Often, due to lack of skills, youth were among the world's poorest persons, becoming vulnerable to substance abuse and related health risks. Several innovative suggestions had been proposed, such as micro-credit schemes, to fund skills acquisition. Multi-sectoral strategies could transform youth from beneficiaries to contributors in socio-economic development. Those strategies should also be supported by increased resources.
Youth should become ambassadors of peace and democracy; it was sad that the young were often enlisted as agents of war, he said. The violent and criminal messages flooding the minds of young people through television, Internet and computer games should be addressed. Such images were the negative effects of globalization and technological advancement. They presented negative role models and negated efforts to create a peaceful world. Alternative activities were needed, such as sports, arts and recreation, by which young people could express themselves.
Tool kits and models of good practice for the implementation of the World Programme of Action should be developed, he said. In 1996, Botswana had adopted a national youth policy, the second stage of which was already being implemented. The national action plan for youth (1998-2003) had taken into account the proposals of the World Programme of Action and the Commonwealth Plan for Youth Empowerment, and contained tested strategies for addressing the needs of youth and ensuring their empowerment and participation.
RAOUF NAJAR, Minister for Youth and Culture, Tunisia, said his country's limited natural resources had led to emphasis on human resources. Tunisia had
- 9 - Press Release SOC/4468 10 August 1998
sought to ensure that human resources were at the centre of its development plans. Policies were centred on promoting dialogue with young people and incorporating them into public life. Free and compulsory schooling had been established in 1991 to ensure that children were inculcated with a sense of citizenship, as well as openness.
Employment was a right, and thus the Government was working to consolidate the economy and create jobs, he said. Despite efforts, however, youth unemployment remained a national concern. Particular attention was being devoted to the protection of young people. A wide array of programmes were aimed at preventing drug abuse and smoking. Apart from these efforts, the participation of young people in public life was being encouraged. Dialogue with youth had been initiated by the President. Recently, national consultations had included 100,000 young people. Other political measures had also been taken; for example, a network of some 6,000 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) had been established.
In the effort for development, there was need to redress imbalances in international relations, particularly those between nations of unequal wealth, he said. The United Nations should use all its clout to put an end to the conflicts affecting various regions, which all too often victimized young people. There was need for solidarity at the international level to construct a better future for the world's young people.
REUBEN FENECH, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sports, Culture and the Arts, Malta, said his Government worked to promote a youth spirit of enterprise and academic attainment. Malta continued to work to ensure a high level of education, based on the development of information technology. In addition, the Government offered opportunities for education in all technical areas and specialized training, while assisting youth who aspired to further their studies abroad.
Malta's youth policy was integrated into the mainstream political, social and economic life of the country, he said. It worked to develop in young people a sense of intergenerational solidarity and cooperation, as well as a commitment to those with special needs. It also hoped to support a spirit of self-confidence and a belief in their ability to realize their potential in society.
Addressing regional cooperation, he said that Malta had always been very involved in promoting stability and cooperation in its region. It was ready to assume all its future responsibilities in terms of Mediterranean, European and global cooperation to improve the position of young people.
ALFRED S. SASAKO, Minister of State Assisting the Prime Minister, Solomon Islands, said that, in approaching future youth policies, the
- 10 - Press Release SOC/4468 10 August 1998
temperaments, choices and behaviour of young people today must be understood and appreciated. Problems facing youth today can be solved when the causes were identified. The international community must try to understand the root causes of the so-called problems facing youth, so as to prescribe cures.
Nearly 75 per cent of the 400,000 citizens of the Solomon Islands were under the age of 30, he said. His Government placed very high priority on the development of its young people, realizing that they were the stakeholders in the future of the nation. The Government had committed itself to the cause of youth development by providing the necessary resources, as well as implementing and monitoring youth policies.
The national youth policy of the Solomon Islands included the creation of a separate government bureau for the youth, he said. Other goals included revitalization of a national youth congress; promotion of unity in diversity in a multi-ethnic community; and development of a curriculum framework as guidelines for the Christian youth groups.
ALEX BODRY, Minister of Youth, Luxembourg, said the Conference was focusing on concerns foremost in the minds of the world's youth. It was important that there be agreement between government and young people on areas of focus. The Council of Europe had held its meeting of ministers responsible for youth in 1995. Despite agreement on the need to cooperate with the United Nations and other international organizations, in fact, cooperation had generally been restricted to participating in ministerial conferences. The draft Lisbon declaration mentioned that the General Assembly invited regional and interregional conferences of youth ministers to boost cooperation under the aegis of the United Nations. It would also be useful to have a regular world ministers conference, perhaps every 10 years.
Young people must be the driving force of efforts for youth, he said. Regarding environmental protection, he was pleased that the draft Lisbon declaration mentioned the need to raise awareness among young people on the protection of the environment. In Luxembourg, several action plans had been established to involve young people in public life and voluntary work. Other initiatives included mediation structures and expanded youth research. Efforts were being made to decentralize such programmes and train young people of their rights and duties to society.
Turning then to youth employment, he said that the issue has received great attention at the European Council meeting on employment held in 1997. By being deprived of access to jobs, young people were marginalized and denied full citizenship. To integrate young people into society, it was vital that youth ministers cooperated with other sectors.
- 11 - Press Release SOC/4468 10 August 1998
MOHAMED SEIF KHATIB, Acting Minister for Labour and Youth Development, United Republic of Tanzania, said that the problems faced by young people were similar, but differed in degree. His country's national youth policy, developed in 1996, had several objectives. These included creating employment opportunities for young people, promoting and coordinating support services with other social stakeholders, advocating responsible parenthood, and sensitizing society on gender equity.
Many youth-related issues and problems cut across sectors, such as unemployment, substance abuse and health problems, he said. His Government had focused its youth efforts on economic development, upbringing and advocacy. Strategies were designed to deal with new and emerging issues of youth, such as drug abuse, HIV/AIDS and street children.
Global peace was of vital importance to the entire human race, and today's young people had to resist influences that fostered hatred, he said. Youth problems were complex and required concerted and pragmatic efforts at the national and global levels. The current Conference should lead to the harmonization of approaches and actions, taking into account the conditions of each country. The United Republic of Tanzania was committed to finding solutions to youth problems and creating a better environment for the young.
AHMED T.H. ALYAZJI, Secretary for Youth and Sports, head of delegation, Palestine, said the development of any society depended on the promotion of youth. Of particular importance was the development and promotion of the rights of youth subjected to wars, armed conflict and foreign occupation. Generations of Palestinian young people had known nothing other than Israeli occupation and Palestinian diaspora. They had suffered from many injustices, and they paid a very high price. Many youth had been traumatized by arrest and imprisonment in Israeli jails. The closure imposed by the Israeli Government had retarded youth development, increasing unemployment and other problems.
He called upon the international community to increase assistance to Palestinian youth, to promote and protect their right to association and freedom, he said. The improvement of the situation for Palestinian youth demanded continued international involvement and assistance. Although the peace process had deteriorated, he hoped the future would bring positive developments that would create opportunities for youth.
KAZAMOKO COULIBALY, Minister for Promotion of Youth, Poland, said the communist system of government in Poland until 1989 had not provided opportunities for the development of independent, non-governmental youth organizations. Since 1989 -- since the overthrow of the totalitarian communist system -- many NGOs had developed and filled the gaps. The
- 12 - Press Release SOC/4468 10 August 1998
Government supported the activities of youth organizations and encouraged their involvement in international cooperation.
Youth exchange programmes were of priority, he continued. The Government actively supported opportunities for young people from different countries to come to know different cultures, learn to break down barriers and look beyond stereotypes. An important aspect of integration into the European Community was the European Union Commission's programme "Youth for Europe". The programme supported transborder cooperation, as well as cooperation in the Baltic region.
The Baltic Sea, previously viewed as a geographic barrier, could now be a link between regional nations, he said. Efforts to build mutual understanding, break down prejudices and stereotypes, and learn about other countries were the best way to create a new, active society of European nations open to others.
BOUBACAR KARAMOKO COULIBALY, Minister for Promotion of Youth, Mali, said that due to the process of globalization, the number of challenges faced by young people was increasing. Mali had established a number of programmes for youth, promoting sports, business and information exchange, among other areas. In addition, it had set up projects in cooperation with the United Nations system and other bodies.
The international community must support developing countries in their efforts to advance their human resources, he said. Family, social and cultural values should be examined as well. The problems of the young were multi-faceted. Due to unemployment, youth were engaging in substance abuse. Illiteracy, early pregnancy, and other problems must be addressed in order to create perfect world citizens.
He called on the United Nations to designate 12 August as world youth day. The results of all efforts to enhance the situation of young people would eventually become evident. With that in mind, Mali's President would not fail to translate the recommendations of the Lisbon declaration into solid action.
CRISTINA MIRA SANTOS and JAMAL HARIM BIN ABDULLAH, of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, described conclusions reached at the working group on participation of the World Youth Forum. Participants had agreed that young people with disabilities faced great obstacles due to unequal opportunities. Awareness campaigns and efforts to redress discrimination were needed at all levels.
Also, governments, NGOs, intergovernmental organizations and the United Nations system should promote intercultural understanding through a variety of
- 13 - Press Release SOC/4468 10 August 1998
means, including workshops, seminars and youth camps, they said. Respect for all cultures -- especially indigenous groups -- should be promoted. Another agreement was that the United Nations should facilitate information exchange about those working with young poor, as well as victims of violence and sexual violence. National monitoring centres should be established to submit annual reports to the United Nations on young victims of violence.
OLIVIER MEIER, of the World Federation of Democratic Youth, said the youth of today were very demanding, and they would not be satisfied with empty words. If ministers were to respond to youth needs, they must take concrete action. Young people did not want to hear about contracts when the issue was unemployment or hear moralizing statements when addressing the AIDs epidemic. The Braga Youth Action Plan called upon the ministers to ensure youth rights. States must take the political decisions to put those recommendations into action. He called on the international community to begin to truly understand all young people.
NATHALIE FISHER, of the World Young Women's Christian Association (WYWCA), said women's empowerment was a prerequisite for development. Youth, meeting in Braga, had adopted a gender policy to ensure equal gender participation. As many barriers to women's participation remained, girls and young women needed to be given priority and ensured freedom from discrimination and violence. The participation of young women must be built into all government policies. Priority should be given to ensuring young women a place in all levels of society.
* *** *