FAMILY, MARRIAGE, PEACE, POLITICAL STABILITY AMONG ISSUES RAISED AT LISBON WORLD CONFERENCE
Press Release
SOC/4469
FAMILY, MARRIAGE, PEACE, POLITICAL STABILITY AMONG ISSUES RAISED AT LISBON WORLD CONFERENCE
19980811 (Received from a United Nations Information Officer.)LISBON, 10 August -- In a society of uncontrolled consumerism, many young people were spiritually impoverished, depressed and broken, Monsignor Stanislaw Rylko, Secretary of the Pontifical Council of the Laity of the Holy See, this afternoon told the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth meeting in Lisbon.
A real human society required strong moral foundations that respected human rights and marriage, he said, as the Conference continued its general exchange of views. Although the future of humanity itself passed through the family, the draft Lisbon declaration did not mention parents, marriage or the family. He called on young people to free history from the false path it was pursuing, while those responsible for youth should not be afraid of the powerful desires and dreams of the young.
Hugo Estigarribia Gutierrez, Vice-Minister of Youth, Ministry of Education and Culture of Paraguay, said his Government had worked to strengthen democratic values in young people. Reviewing areas such as education and health services in which his Government was actively supporting young people, he said a programme to educate them about their sexuality had been established in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). His Government did not want young people to cut short their lives or their opportunities due to lack of information.
Several ministers from developing countries emphasized the complex situation their nations faced in meeting the needs of youth. With populations in many nations shifting from rural to urban settings, governments must reckon with increasing cases of sexual abuse, exploitation, drug abuse and unwanted pregnancies. In addition, the costs of armed conflict, violence and population displacement continued to drain the already limited resources of these countries.
If young people were to take part in human development, they must exchange their instruments of war for instruments of production, said the
Minister for Redeployment of Youth, Sports and Civic Education of the Republic of the Congo, Claude Ernest Ndalla. Unfortunately, peace, stability and funds were needed to achieve that goal.
Young people in Swaziland were disproportionately represented among the poor and unemployed, said Guduza Dlamini, Minister for Home Affairs of Swaziland. With limited access to resources, education and training, this otherwise productive group was often engaged in criminal activities. Swaziland's approach to such issues facing youth unfortunately required funds beyond the Government's capacity. The international community should lend financial support to youth initiative of the Organization of African Unity. The declaration to be adopted in Lisbon could ensure that all countries formulated and implemented strategies and programmes in favour of their youth, taking into account the prevailing economic, social and environmental conditions.
The Conference was also addressed this afternoon by ministers from Uganda, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Azerbaijan, Sudan, Sweden, Cape Verde and the Central African Republic.
In addition, statements were made by representatives of Switzerland, Qatar, Iran, Dominican Republic, Austria and Libya.
Representatives of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Commonwealth Secretariat, Organization of Islamic Conference, informal group of youth non-governmental organizations of the Asian-Pacific region, International Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centres and ATD Fourth World Movement, and the International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations also spoke.
Conference Work Programme
The first World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth continued its general exchange of views this afternoon 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 governmental representatives 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
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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 policies to benefit youth. (For further background on the Conference, see Press Release SOC/4457, of 5 August.)
Statements
Sir HUMPHREY MAUD, Deputy Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Commonwealth Secretariat, said the Commonwealth -- a voluntary association of 54 independent States -- established its youth programme of action in 1973, with a mandate to assist governments to realize the potential of youth. At Commonwealth meetings, young people were consulted directly on the policies and programmes related to the Commonwealth youth action plan. Through its network of regional centres, the Commonwealth worked closely with governments and international, regional and local organizations to support policy development and capacity-building.
In 1995, he continued, Commonwealth youth ministers identified three interrelated areas as key to realizing the potential of young women -- human resource development, national youth policy, and youth empowerment. In May, the Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment was approved as a framework for action by Commonwealth ministers. The Plan of Action set out 10 strategic objectives for governments, including: special measures to promote young people's economic activity; increasing their participation in sporting and cultural activities; and promoting positive values in society. The pursuit of those objectives was an investment in the social capital of the future, which was an indispensable underpinning for a stable, equitable and democratic society.
The Plan of Action was a menu of practical steps which governments could take, enlisting the support of all organizations active on youth matters. It was now a priority of the Commonwealth Secretariat to ensure that all the programmes mandated by the ministers were executed.
DAVID STREIFF, Director of the Federal Office of Culture, Switzerland, said the marginalization of young people had reached great proportions, delaying the time when young people could become financially independent. His country had made great efforts to get young people to actively participate in society. But that was a long-term effort that demanded a cultural shift.
In Switzerland, youth organizations had legal recognition and were provided financial support, he said. It was important that youth participation be reinforced at all levels in society. Young people must have a voice in decision-making and the development of structures that influenced their daily lives. He noted the difficult situation of young immigrants and
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their social marginalization. Even when integrated into social life they did not receive the same civil rights as young Swiss citizens.
JANAT BALUNZI MUKWAYA, Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Uganda, said the three themes of the International Youth Year -- participation, development and peace -- were more relevant today than ever before. The youth of the world must have concrete mechanisms to participate in decision-making. They required programmes to develop interpersonal and public relations skills. Uganda had national youth councils which organized young people, and enabled them to engage in beneficial activities and fight against manipulation. Such youth groups must be fortified with financial resources, exposure and political commitment.
In less developed countries, the majority of young people lived in rural areas and comprised a large percentage of the active labour force, she said. These young people were among the most vulnerable social groups, with limited access to education and social services. Several other issues required urgent attention. Adolescent reproductive health must be promoted, since young people today faced a myriad of reproductive problems. Technological advancement denied young people of employment opportunities. They must play an active role in protecting the global environment. The combined hopes and threats raised by globalization had to be addressed. Land reform was a pressing matter; young people must be granted access to land.
The best way to empower youth was to enlist them in formulating and implementing national plans and actions, she said. In Uganda, youth were represented in the legislature and at all levels of government. They were, thus, able to view themselves as part of the national and local development machinery. It was critical that the political consciousness of young people was fostered, as well as their analytical skills.
MOHAMED BIN EID AL-THANI, President of Youth and Sports General Authority, Qatar, said the world's youth was its most important element of human wealth. In considering policies for young people, past experience must be taken into account.
Some points raised at the Conference could be useful, he said. Some countries had exerted fruitful efforts to benefit youth; those could be taken into consideration in developing future plans. There was need for a clear international strategy for youth that included the means to evaluate achievements. The Conference should also consider the fact that most youth bodies and organizations, even those in the same country, did not work in collaboration. Some devoted their attention to only one area. Often, these groups did not attract young people to participate in plans for development. Often, those working in youth groups lacked a clear vision of youth issues.
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A comprehensive world strategy for youth should be clearly defined and implemented, he said. Formulated in this way, it could provide clarity for all youth groups. The Lisbon declaration should be a framework for international agreement on specific concepts regarding youth policies.
ALPHA T. WURIE, Minister for Education of Youth and Sports, Sierra Leone, said the outbreak of rebel war in 1991 and the coup in 1997 had delivered a devastating blow to the already bad situation in his country. Young people were conscripted into various fighting forces in large number. They became the perpetrators of extreme violence and unbelievable atrocities. At the same time, it was the young that were the main victims of those atrocities. A large number had been maimed and traumatized.
As young people moved from rural to urban settings, sexual abuse and exploitation had become commonplace, he said. Unwanted pregnancies became a social problem, and sexually transmitted diseases had become a significant health problem. The incidence and prevalence of drug abuse was now a social concern.
The youth in Sierra Leone were in crisis, he continued. Recognizing that situation, the Government had adopted a new vision for young people which stressed the need to increase technical and vocational training and access to education. In June, the Government had initiated a consultative process on the situation of youth, with a view to designing a strategic framework to support them in realizing their potential.
GERARD-PHILIPPE NYAMWIZA, Minister for Youth, Sports and Culture, Burundi, said his country was in a socio-political crisis which had culminated in genocide and other crimes against humanity. The economic blockade which had been imposed on Burundi two years ago had worsened the situation. The crisis had altered the course of life in Burundi. Youth had been hurt by the crisis and they had been prey to politicians who dragged them into the cycle of violence. Many people had been conscripted into military activities which spread terror across the land. They were at the mercy of political leaders who used them for their own purposes.
Young people who were receiving education comprised a very small part of the population, he said. Prior to the crisis, the interest in primary education had increased, with the rate of those being educated more than doubling in a decade. But today, Burundi recorded the highest level of illiteracy in Africa. Of particular concern was the level of young people dropping out of school; a million people in Burundi had received no education. Given the difficult situation, it was vital to prevent young people from descending into the cycle of violence and idleness. However, financial resources were needed to help implement programmes such as vocational training. Help was needed from the international community. Lifting the
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sanctions against his country would be an act of solidarity with the youth of Burundi.
CLAUDE ERNEST NDALLA, Minister for Redeployment of Youth, Sports and Civic Education, Republic of the Congo, said young people made up 67 per cent of his country's population. If they were to take part in human development, young people must exchange their instruments of war for instruments of production. Unfortunately, peace, stability and funds were needed to achieve that goal. Social strife in perilous living conditions made young people restless, even more so at the end of the armed conflict, as was the case in his country, which had recently experienced two civil wars. In the first, from November 1993 until January 1994, some 5,000 lives had been lost. Beginning in June 1997, more than 10,000 lives were lost.
There was a link between peace and political stability and the integration of young people in economic activities, he said. In the subregion, and in his country, children had become familiar with misery, crime, war and addiction. However, young people should not be considered as an undifferentiated whole; they were subdivided into various groups. Some were idle and lacked ambition; at the end of war, they could become very dangerous, recruited by mercenaries from one region to the next. Others were idle but ambitious, lacking the material and financial support to forge a career. Some rural youth only wanted to till the land, but lack of equipment prevented them from achieving their aspirations. For those who attended school, appropriate jobs were often lacking. His Government had established programmes to assist youth in the short and long terms. Although the lack of financial resources had impeded the implementation of those plans, efforts were continuing.
Monsignor STANISLAW RYLKO, Secretary of the Pontifical Council of the Laity, Holy See, said new perspectives had been opened by the fall of ideologies and false utopias, the growth of democratic structures, technology and science, and globalization. At the same time, hatred, war and violence were spreading. In a society of uncontrolled consumerism, many young people were spiritually impoverished, depressed and broken. However, many of them were now developing a spirit of solidarity and fellowship. They had discovered the satisfaction of spiritual fulfilment.
All dimensions of the human person must be considered, he said. A real human society required strong moral foundations that respected human rights and marriage. Those responsible for youth must realize the high ideals of young women and men, and protect the moral order. Today, there were signs of increasing desire for spiritual values among young people worldwide. That was confirmed by the high attendance and fraternal spirit permeating gatherings between young people and Pope John Paul II on the occasion of World Youth Day.
Politics in favour of youth and those in favour of the family were inseparably connected, he said. The family had an irreplaceable role in the
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life of the young. It was the principal place for human formation, where important values were transmitted for life. Therefore, parents must be given help in their task, and conditions created for young men and women to marry and create solid families. The Holy See was deeply concerned that the draft Lisbon declaration did not mention parents, marriage or the family. The future of humanity itself passed through the family. He called on young people to free history from the false path it was pursuing, while those responsible for youth should not be afraid of the powerful desires and dreams of the young.
GOMEZ NBUBA KIMBAYA, Minister for Youth and Sports, Democratic Republic of the Congo, said his nation had lived under a dictatorship for the past three decades. During that time, the youth of his nation had been manipulated into destroying the fabric of society. Marginalization, illiteracy and juvenile delinquency had reached alarming levels. Since the liberation of his nation in May 1997, the Government had made great efforts to help young people. Structures were being established to allow young people to take on civic responsibility at all levels. The young segment of society was being called on to help rebuild the country.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo had recently fallen victim to violence from neigbouring Rwanda, he said. His Government was now taking actions to suppress those incursions. He called on Rwanda to stop its actions so that his Government would not be distracted from its efforts to improve the situation for young people.
HUGO ESTIGARRIBIA GUTIERREZ, Vice-Minister of Youth, Ministry of Education and Culture, Paraguay, said his Government had worked to strengthen democratic values in young people. To that end, they had been allowed to actively participate in charting the national youth programme. In some cases, programmes were being implemented through cooperation with international youth groups. There had been active reform of the education system. A programme to assist promising students without economic resources had been established. In the health area, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) had supported sexual education programme to educate young people about their own sexuality. Paraguay did not want young people to cut short their lives or their opportunities due to lack of information.
Youth today wanted to be heard, and they wanted their views reflected in their governments' actions, he said. The challenges of globalization should be seen as providing opportunities for young people. Governments must commit themselves to a world youth policy so that young people had a promising future.
ABDOUL RAHAMANE SEYDOU, Minister for Youth, Sports and National Solidarity, Niger, said young people accounted for more than 70 per cent of the population of his country. Major investments were being directed to meet
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their needs, despite an economic crisis which had led to a drastic reduction in overall public investments. The economic situation had resulted in a crisis characterized by poverty, illiteracy and disease. It had resulted in a widespread exodus of rural youth, which weakened rural communities, and, in urban centres, led to increased promiscuity and overcrowding.
Sexually transmitted diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS, were a serious problem in the Niger, he said. The State had decided to make major sacrifices to provide health, education, social and sports facilities to young people. The Niger also participated in international agreements protecting young people. A number of youth and women's associations had been formed since 1995, which played an active role in the country's decision-making processes and were part of the struggle against illiteracy and malnutrition.
His Government had the future of its young people at heart, he said. A national youth policy contained both social and educational components. The national charter of youth, which the State recognized as law, constituted a legislative framework on the rights, duties and freedoms of youth, focusing on education, health, employment and environment. Given the country's financial and economic difficulties, as well as the requirements of a multi-party democracy, solidarity was of utmost importance. He invited the international community to pay special attention to the concept of solidarity.
ABOULFAS GARAYER, Minister for Youth and Sports, Azerbaijan, said only peace on the basis of respect for civil rights could yield comprehensive development of the person and the community. Azerbaijan was taking steps towards becoming a democratic society. It had adopted a democratic constitution, and parliamentary elections had been held. While there was much to be done in legislation, Azerbaijan had taken a crucial step by abolishing the death penalty.
Along with democracy, the fall of the Soviet Union had brought new problems in the economic and social spheres, including deepened ethnic conflicts, he said. The country's youth faced serious problems, in part due to the processes of socio-economic transition and the military conflict in Nagorny Karabakh. About 20 per cent of the country's territory had been occupied, over 18,000 lives lost and the number of refugees and internally displaced persons had reached 1 million, one third of whom were young.
At the end of the twentieth century, numerous countries were facing problems caused by unresolved regional conflicts, he said. International organizations played a crucial role in settling those conflicts. If young people living as refugees were neglected, they could be drawn into all sorts of anti-social activities, such as crime and drug addiction. Azerbaijan urged governments to concentrate on the issue of refugees, and called for better projection and respect of the rights of young refugees. The Conference declaration should reflect the importance of that issue.
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YOUSIF ABDEL FATAH MAHMOUD, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, Sudan, said with youth representing 70 per cent of the population of the Sudan, his Government depended on their efforts, noble values and capacity to develop the country. It looked to young people to assist in developing the cultural dimension, to confirm the originality of the Sudanese distinguished personality. Youth was called on to participate in the "struggle dimension" which completed the freedom of men and the country. Also, young people were called on to promote and develop the cultural, social and economic domains so the whole Sudanese nation could attain security, social stability and solidarity.
The Sudanese Government intended to equip its youth with the requirements of the coming era and the qualifications needed to achieve and perform their duties, he continued. The Sudan´s youth strategy was derived from the Afro-Arab Islamic culture and based on the belief in human rights and dignity. The Government was committed to planting those noble values in its youth. The Sudan was convinced that real development was the development of the human resource.
MORTEZA MIRBAGHERI, Adviser to the President of Iran, said youth issues demanded concerted, long-term international actions. As youth constituted 65 per cent of Iran´s population, the Government had been inspired to establish a special council on youth that had managed to provide some solutions to the challenges confronting the Iranian youth. Young people had contributed their views and participated in the development and implementation of youth policy.
Iranian youth´s full participation had been the driving force behind every remarkable event that had taken place in his country during the past quarter century, he said. Those events ranged from the victory of the Islamic revolution to the defence of Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity. In addition, they had been involved in the election of a president who believed in the views, potential and capabilities of young men and women; a president who believed in the power of dialogue among civilizations and understanding among nations as the determining factor for ensuring a better future for mankind.
It was important to touch upon the serious situation facing Palestinian youth, he said. Arbitrary detention, torture, excessive use of force, killing, economic seizure and deprivation were the order of the day for young Palestinians. Until and unless the international community took serious action to put an end to the occupation, there would be no hope for the Palestinians. Participants in the Lisbon Conference could not turn a blind eye on the Israeli atrocities. Nor should they be indifferent to the legitimate aspirations of Palestinian youth to self-determination and to having a homeland.
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DOMINGO CONTRERAS, Director-General for the Promotion of Youth, Dominican Republic, said youth was not a matter of age; it was, instead, a state of mind and a way of living. Policies for youth should address young people integrally and with intersectoral cooperation. With that in mind, his Government had established an intersectoral committee, which worked for youth with related ministries and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). A five- year policy for adolescents and youth had been developed, while coordination between local and national mechanisms had been promoted. A range of programmes sought to raise awareness of the contributions of youth. For example, monthly prizes for academic excellence were distributed with the President in attendance.
As part of the struggle for democracy, socio-economic gaps must be abolished, he said. Social and economic disparities often resulted in two separate worlds existing in the same country. Part of the population had access to the benefits of globalization, while another part, generally including young people, lacked access. That resulted in frustration and anger, which, in turn, manifested in delinquency and social unrest. The challenge was to create new opportunities for young people. However, in the Dominican Republic, money was spent on paying interest on external debt, while the implementation of social programmes was repeatedly delayed.
Regional networks should be created and strengthened to implement the Lisbon declaration, he said. Globalization had to become more human. The institutions of the future should be based on recognition of ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, and use human rights as an instrument to forge peace and create a youthful and hopeful world.
Prince GUDUZA DLAMINI, Minister for Home Affairs, Swaziland, said implementing adopted documents was of critical importance, requiring coordinated efforts at all levels. The declaration to be adopted in Lisbon was the cornerstone for ensuring that all countries formulated strategies and implemented programmes in favour of their youth, taking into account the prevailing economic, social and environmental conditions.
As in many other countries, most young people in Swaziland were poor and unemployed, he said. They were exposed to acute health risks, violence and neglect, and had limited access to resources, education and training. As a result, this otherwise productive group was often engaged in criminal activities. Special attention must be devoted to the planning and implementation of a strategic programme addressing the special needs of young people, strengthening national youth policies and developing their potential.
Swaziland's approach to youth unfortunately required funds beyond the Government's capacity, he said. He encouraged the international community to lend financial support to operationalize the African Youth Fund and the Programme of Young Volunteers, initiated by the Organization of African Unity
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(OAU). Youth with disabilities were an isolated group, experiencing severe conditions due to the lack of educational and rehabilitation facilities. Efforts by governments and NGOs to alleviate the problems faced by that group should be noted, since such youth were often failed by a lack of adequate resources. Special emphasis should be placed on strengthening and restoring culture values and traditions as an instrument proven to create united and peaceful societies. Swazi law and customs ware currently being codified. Young people were more than ready to contribute to the transformation of society. Partnerships and cooperation with them must be forged.
MIKAEL SJÖBERG, State Secretary and Deputy Minister for the Interior, Sweden, said that as the world became more open, there was greater need for mobility and understanding of other cultures. Young people's tolerance of differences tended to be greater than that of other age groups, yet that positive value should still be strengthened in political work at different levels. True dialogue with young people must be used to shape policies. Only then could mutual trust between generations be forged. Dialogue and participation were also fundamental to achieving concrete results in cooperation between States.
Mr. Sjöberg then gave the floor to CAMILLA LINDQUIST, of the National Council of Swedish Youth Organizations, Sweden, who requested that delegates take home the Braga Youth Action Plan, adopted at the World Youth Forum last week, and translate it into action. It was necessary to work in partnership with the young, since they were the experts on being young. Youth were the future, but they were also the present. They were part of society and wanted to participate not only due to their future role, but also because of who they were now. There was no use in saving the qualities of youth, such as enthusiasm and new ideas, to be used tomorrow. "We, the young people, are a big group, with different backgrounds, interests and everyday lives, but we have one thing in common. We are knocking at your door: please let us in, now", she said.
VERONIKA HOLZER, of the Ministry of the Environment, Youth and Family Affairs, Austria, said a new quality of policy for young people was needed. Also, a new quality of policy created by young people was needed. Austria was very active in the implementation of the voluntary service programme of the European Commission, she said. The programme, nearing the end of a two- year pilot phase, would become a regular programme for young people in the European Union.
Equal opportunities for social and economic mobility and participation should be offered to young people, she said. Youth must play a role at different levels of decision-making in connection with the European Union enlargement to the east. The step-by-step enlargement of the European Union should produce economic, cultural and peacekeeping advantages. A very
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important tool in those areas was the reduction of fear and prejudice, and the encouragement of dialogue between young people all over Europe.
ALI MURSI SHAARI, Secretary of the General People's Committee for Youth and Sports, Libya, said his Government had worked to allow youth to channel their energies in a positive way. In focusing on the role of youth in enriching society, facilities must be made available to young people. By providing them with sports and other facilities, the Government was attempting to address such needs. Individual efforts made by every State were necessary for the development of youth worldwide. Without a democratic system, no development would be possible.
In spite of his Government's efforts, he said his nation was facing great difficulties due to the sanctions imposed against his country. Those arbitrary measures hindered Libya from acquiring and utilizing modern sophisticated technology. The unfair and unjustified sanctions imposed due to false propaganda of Western colonial Powers called for a joint effort by the international community to put a stop to such measures. The International Court of Justice had recently confirmed that the resolutions adopted by the Security Council against Libya were groundless, he added.
MARTA SANTOS PAIS, Director, Division of Evaluation, Policy and Planning, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), said that her organization was increasingly focusing on young people for several reasons, including advances in health that had led to children surviving their first decade. Younger persons were often most vulnerable, different from both small children and from adults. The Convention on the Rights of the Child recognized adolescents' rights to information, a safe and supportive environment and opportunities to participate as full citizens. The fact that those rights were not respected impeded social and economic progress.
She expressed the hope that the Conference would accomplish certain results. Governments, civil society organizations and families should change the way they view young people. They were not passive beneficiaries; they wanted to participate. Involving youth was not a favour; it was a right that should be enforced. Also, she hoped the recommendations stemming from the Conference would include some special focus on families. The family must be the front line of protecting young people's rights. By working with parents, problems such as drug abuse and HIV/AIDS could be transcended and the focus shifted to interventions that contributed more broadly to young people's development. The Conference should provide guidance on how young people's rights could be better addressed. Further, it should result in imaginative and pragmatic approaches for involving them, who were agents of change.
It was important to realize that young people were not the problem, she stressed. The problem was that, too often, their rights were ignored and neglected.
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MOHAMMAD GAZDAR, Secretary-General of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation, spoke for the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC). The OIC was extremely interested in protecting young people from the problems and threats they faced. Through its programme, the OIC played an active role in solving the problems encountered by youth in its member States. Those efforts were generally coordinated with the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation.
The policies of the OIC were in conformity with most of the items submitted in the Conference and would contribute to the development of many youth sectors in its member States, he said. All the OIC resolutions on youth activities and projects were well received in member countries, which mobilized efforts for their implementation.
PEDRO MOREIRA, Secretary of State for Youth and Sports, Cape Verde, said 75 per cent of his country's population was under age 35. Due to the high number, as well as his Government's belief that youth were essential components of national development, Cape Verde involved young people in its national development. The national youth policy was based on coherent and coordinated policies and activities. Young people were viewed as the instrument of social change.
He said he had been impressed by the commitment expressed by participants regarding youth-related issues. He urged them to listen and believe in young people. Apart from resources and means, a significant problem faced by governments in implementing youth policies was the lack of young people's participation. Young people should not have to refer to "your policies" when addressing the Conference; instead, they should say "our policies". More young people should have been at the Conference, defending national youth policies. It seemed that government officials were often distant from their youth. He hoped a new era of relations between young people and government would unfold.
BEA BERTIN, Minister for Youth and Sports, Central African Republic, said military and political crises in his country had worsened its economic, social and financial situation. The support of the international community had contributed to improving the situation.
Due to the high rates of illiteracy and school drop-out, his Government had made education a top priority, he said. The health of young people had also been of concern. The Government had created the infrastructure to help develop NGOs, which could assist in addressing youth health matters. In efforts towards national reconciliation, youth ambassadors of peace were being trained. He asked whether this meeting in Lisbon would be a masquerade, or if it would be an opportunity to assist young people. The Conference was an opportunity to raise global awareness about the issues facing young people.
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SAIFUDDIN ABDULLAH, of the informal group of youth NGOs of the Asian- Pacific region, said the draft Lisbon declaration did not emphasize the need for political will. For that reason, the fate of the 1985 International Youth Year might be repeated. Now was the time for all Member States to fully implement international programmes on youth. National youth policies should no longer be treated as "second class" policies. Youth must be regarded as partners in development, not simply as beneficiaries of development.
He urged Member States to ensure that youth were enabled and empowered to fully participate in social life and decision-making. Youth participation was about partnership and ownership. When the youth were involved in all processes of youth development movement, they would feel a strong sense of participation.
ADELA RODRIGUEZ, of the International Federation of Settlements and Neighbourhood Centers and the ATD Fourth World Movement, said it was imperative that time-bound measures for the eradication of youth poverty be announced. The successful implementation of poverty eradication policies would involve reaching the poorest of the youth population and supporting their participation. Ministers in Lisbon should indicate specific measures to establish youth representatives as true partners. The NGOs must be encouraged to play an active role at all levels.
Governments and the United Nations must recognize the diverse needs of communities in order that they could work collectively, she said. With scarce resources, pooling was essential. Education, job training and employment were a welcomed priority. Youth unemployment was one of the most serious problems facing youth. Poverty could only be tackled when the barriers to quality education were removed. Governments should work with NGOs to develop training schemes to allow them the opportunity to gain dignified employment.
ERNEST GYIMAH, of the International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations, said the right to participation of peoples of all regions in global decision-making was vital. Measures must be taken to make that possible and to support the active participation of young people in the deliberations on the reform and future of global institutions. Youth and their organizations must be recognized as equal partners in all processes. Human rights must apply equally to young people from all countries. Measures must be taken to improve the situations of youth living under occupation, sanctions and embargoes.
Now was the time to act on global partnership for the fulfilment of agreed plans and programmes of the United Nations. Young people and youth NGOs could play a crucial role in generating the political will to meet the global needs of the new millennium. The United Nations and Member States could make a major contribution by supporting the aspirations of youth.
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