Future of Multilateralism Hinges on ‘What Young People Make of It’, Speakers Stress, as Economic and Social Council Launches 2022 Youth Forum
Youth Envoy Points to Lack of Participation, While Young Change-Makers Call for Self-Determined Future, Not What Society, State ‘Tell Us We Should Be’
From remote work to green energy to ending conflicts, young people must be at the forefront of planning for a truly transformed, post-COVID-19 future, speakers told the Economic and Social Council’s annual Youth Forum today, while warning against resorting to tokenism or including youth voices to merely “tick a box”.
“Youth activism has been pushing the world forward,” said Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, during one of the two-day virtual Forum’s several opening discussions. “From the streets of every corner of the world to the online arena, we have seen powerful demonstrations of youth commitment to equality, climate action and human rights,” she said, adding that they are demanding a seat at the table and holding Governments and businesses to account for their inaction.
Young people’s vision and courage are even more vital, given the disproportionate impact they have suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. One in eight students globally has been left without access to education or training, most in low-income countries. School closures have rendered girls and young women more vulnerable to child marriage, early pregnancy and gender-based violence, and young people around the globe have lost jobs or suffered the mental health impact of lockdowns. However, youth also have massive potential to help the world recover, she said. Their meaningful participation in important policy- and decision-making spaces — which have been traditionally closed to them — is critical.
Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary‐General of the United Nations, agreed that young people have suffered significantly from COVID-19, the climate crisis and the “invisible cloud” of mental health distress. Taking part in an opening discussion moderated by Sherwin Bryce-Pease, Bureau Chief and Correspondent at the South African Broadcasting Corporation, she said that, as world leaders design plans for getting back to a better place, all programmes should be framed around the Sustainable Development Goals and address the needs of young people. Noting the many calls for inclusion, she warned adult leaders against sounding like a “broken record” and stressed: “We need to get to the implementation.”
As the world is changing rapidly, she called for fresh innovation in areas from decision-making to work life, pointing out that young people — many of whom are already “digital nomads” rethinking the traditional, in-person, five-day workweek — must be part of shaping the global trajectory. While young people cannot be expected to become Prime Ministers and Presidents overnight, the average age of leaders must drop, and more attention must be paid to how many young people are part of the system. She added that holding leaders to account requires that young people have access to the right data and metrics, in order to be able to ask: “What have you delivered for young people, for women?”
Jayathma Wickramanayake, the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, declared: “The lack of young people in decision-making is an ongoing problem.” While young people will inherit all the repercussions of decisions made today, only about 3 per cent of the world’s Parliamentarians are currently under the age of 30, and many structural, legal and financial barriers — as well as lingering stereotypes — still seriously hinder youth participation. Meanwhile, 2.2 billion children still lack an Internet connection, and many remain unable to realize their basic rights to health and education, all of which hampers their meaningful engagement.
Chido Mpemba, the African Union’s Youth Envoy, spotlighted the bloc’s Youth Charter, a governing document for all the organization’s member States. “We are not starting from scratch,” she said, pointing out that many countries on the continent have ratified the Charter and begun implementing national policies for youth inclusion in decision-making, such as appointing Youth Presidential Advisers. However, there is a gap in holding States accountable, as well as in providing sufficient opportunities for young people. Nearly 10 million people are entering the job market every year in Africa, but only about 3 million jobs are currently available, she pointed out, calling for more action on that front.
Shivangi Agrawal of the Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights said that, as a queer and disabled activist, her access to resources was even further reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Noting that many South Asian nations have long medicalized the identities of both trans and disabled people, she drew attention to youth who are queer, poor, lower class, HIV-positive, dark‑skinned, indigenous or living in the global South. She called for efforts to prioritize their experiences in COVID-19 recovery plans and for training that will help them become leaders in their communities. “As youth, we are fighting for self-determination, to be able to determine ourselves what disability and queerness means for us, not what society or the State tells us we should be,” she said.
Also participating in the opening discussions was Marinel Ubaldo, a climate justice advocate, who warned world leaders — as well as leaders within activist movements — against “tokenism” or exploiting the voices of marginalized young people to simply “tick the box” of inclusion. Asked during the discussion about the state of youth leadership in the climate movement, she said young leaders galvanize attention, but largely remain outside decision-making circles. “I feel like I am used” as a young woman and a super-typhoon survivor who is expected to tell her sad story, but not to share her activism and action, she said. While youth momentum does exist in activist circles, she emphasized that it must be urgently translated into more meaningful engagement.
The Forum was opened by Economic and Social Council President Collen Vixen Kelapile (Botswana), who pointed out that young people faced unprecedented education and labour market disruptions during the COVID-19 crisis, and General Assembly President Adulla Shahid (Maldives), who emphasized that future of policymaking, multilateralism and global cooperation “will be determined by what young people make of it”.
The Forum also held two morning panel discussions, on the respective themes “Youth and COVID-19: Building Back Better from Current and Future Crises” and “Youth and the Sustainable Development Goals: Achieving the 2030 Agenda With, For and By Youth”. Meera Dasgupta, 2020 United States Youth Poet Laureate, performed her poem One Small Step.
Following those discussions, the Forum held a virtual networking session for young change makers and several parallel thematic breakout sessions on the role of youth in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Youth Forum will resume at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, 20 April, with a series of parallel regional breakout sessions, followed by a special session on “Financing our Future” and two interactive dialogues, before concluding its work.
Opening Remarks
COLLEN VIXEN KELAPILE (Botswana), Economic and Social Council President, said the 2022 theme of the Youth Forum offers young people “a unique opportunity to contribute to the ongoing discussions on sustainable, inclusive and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic”, while its outcomes will feed into the high-level political forum on sustainable development. “The world is still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said, recalling that the Forum in 2021 convened when vaccines and treatments were developed and being rolled out. However, the virus has yet to be conquered, as the world faces the threat of new variants.
He said the most immediate task is to address the inequities vividly exposed by the pandemic, stressing that the crisis has disproportionately affected youth through unprecedented disruptions in education and the labour market. In the recovery phase, he called for critical efforts to make vaccines available to everyone as a global public good, without discrimination, as low vaccination rates in developing countries, particularly in Africa, are a matter of grave concern. Stronger health and social protection systems are needed, as are measures to tackle rising food and energy prices, as worsening food insecurity is pushing more people deeper into hunger and poverty, exacerbating social and political instability around the world.
Greater investments in technology and education are also required, he said, so that all young people can take advantage of opportunities offered by digitalization. The Education Summit, to take place in September, will provide an ideal opportunity to discuss the challenges ahead. Emphasizing the need to foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies, he called for sound and transformative policies and strategies to accelerate implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
ABDULLA SHAHID (Maldives), President of the General Assembly, said the future of policymaking, multilateralism and global cooperation “will be determined by what young people make of it”. Stressing his desire to leave a legacy after his term in office, he spotlighted his establishment of the “PGA Fellowship for Hope”, through which eight young diplomats — mostly from underrepresented countries — are currently fully immersed in the work of the United Nations and the Office of the President of the General Assembly. “Today, we are confronted by multiple crises,” he said, including conflict, climate change, biodiversity loss and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stressing that young people are humanity’s best hope for tackling such issues, he spotlighted the many solutions offered by young people during the COVID-19 crisis, as well as their leadership in climate change, which demonstrated both their will and ability to lead. Against that backdrop, the annual Youth Forum is a unique opportunity to for intergenerational conversations, which should be routine in leadership forums across the globe and at all levels.
Panel 1
The Forum’s first panel focused on the theme “Building Back Better from Current and Future Crises”. Moderated by Zubair Junjunia, Young Leader with the Global Partnership for Education, it featured the following panellists: Claudia Plakolm, State Secretary for Youth Affairs of Austria; Hussain Ismail, Minister of State for Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment of Maldives; Sahal Albazar, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Forum of Young Parliamentarians; Guillermo Rafael Santiago Rodríguez, Director-General of the Mexican Institute of Youth; Klaudia Szymuś, Liaison Officer for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Issues, including HIV/ AIDS, at the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations, Poland; and Ali Fayez, Co-Founder of Youth Consensus for Peace, Afghanistan.
Mr. JUNJUNIA, opening the session by drawing attention to the COVID-19 pandemic’s disproportionate impact on poor young people around the world, called for a “radical transformation at the systems level” to ensure that those who are behind are not left behind any further.
Mr. ISMAIL, noting that the pandemic’s impact differed from country to country, said its effects on youth mental health and employment was felt most acutely in Maldives, as many young people there work in low-wage jobs or small enterprises. Lockdowns resulted in massive job and income losses, while social isolation and confinement created stress and suffering. Emergency calls reporting domestic violence against women and children spiked against the backdrop of a country already dealing with sea-level rise and climate-change-related infrastructure destruction. Outlining several national programmes targeting young people and others who are highly vulnerable, he said the National Emergency Operations Centre is working to improve pandemic preparedness while other initiatives aim to ensure the survival of local businesses and enhance youth employment skill sets.
Ms. PLAKOLM, responding to a question about ways to ensure that the rights of young people do not suffer amid shifting Government priorities, said “almost all policies affect youth”. The last two years have been challenging for young people, who have suffered insecurity and uncertainty about their futures. “The young, in particular, have given up a lot,” including life milestones that are normally part of growing up. Noting that the European Commission named 2022 as the European Year of Youth — reminding young people that they have not been forgotten — she welcomed ongoing efforts to prioritize the needs of youth. For example, Austria has for several years had in place a “Youth Check” on any law passed at the national level — meaning that the impact of any law on young people must be explored and documented before it is passed. Austria also reduced the national voting age from 18 to 16.
Ms. ALBAZAR said parliaments can and must play a key role in efforts to focus on young people, as the bridge between people and public policy. “In our global context, we have little margin of error,” she said, adding that today’s choices affect the future of the planet and humanity as a whole. Today, less than 3 per cent of the world’s parliamentarians are under 30 years old. She spotlighted a campaign known as “I Say YES to Youth in Parliament”, which seeks to place more youth in leadership positions, while noting that in her native Egypt, Parliament has an unprecedented 20 per cent of seats held by people under age 45 in 2022. She also cited several basic services that must underpin such leadership initiatives, such as strong education programmes, universal health care and widespread access to credit and social security.
Ms. SZYMUŚ said meaningful dialogue with civil society is also crucial. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, members of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations began participating in a series of digital webinars that ultimately helped its members shape their national responses to the crisis. Listening to youth more broadly would have helped Governments avoid many of the pitfalls of their COVID-19 responses, such as policies that left the most vulnerable behind. She also drew parallels to the global climate crisis response, calling for a more intersectional approach that can be achieved by truly inclusive social dialogue.
Mr. SANTIAGO said the Government of Mexico views listening to youth as critically important in all its work. It provides training and sees young people as protagonists in all efforts to tackle crises, he said, noting that the Institute for Youth provides a free, online support programme that is open to all young people across the country. It also hosts a National Day for Youth Volunteering and runs a programme providing accessible, timely sexual and reproductive health education to all youth. The Government is also working to better understand the structural barriers to youth engagement, he said, emphasizing that there is no alternative to a horizontal approach.
Mr. FAYEZ, asked what can be done to ensure that no one — including youth in conflict situations — is left behind in efforts to recover from the pandemic, said the world is more connected today than ever before. Calling for common ground approaches to the four “existential threats” facing the world — namely, the atrocities of war, the COVID-19 pandemic, poverty and climate change — he said the way the international community responds to these issues will determine whether humanity descends into chaos. All these challenges must now be integrated into planning to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, he stressed, calling for both a change in mindset and approach. “We are common in our miseries, and in our prosperity and growth,” he stressed.
Panel 2
Nafesha Richardson, Founder of Spark SVG, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, moderated the second panel titled “Youth and the Sustainable Development Goals: Achieving the 2030 Agenda with, for and by Youth”, which featured presentations by Yurshell Rodríguez, Raizal climate activist, Colombia; Ashraf Sobhi, Minister for Youth and Sports of Egypt; Bakary Badjie, Minister for Youth and Sports of Gambia; Zsófia Racz, Deputy State Secretary for Youth, Office of the Prime Minister of Hungary; Domokos Kovács, United Nations Youth Delegate of Hungary; Max Trejo, Secretary-General of the International Youth Organization for Ibero-America; and Selma Bichbich, Youth Climate Activist, Algeria.
Ms. RICHARDSON, opening the panel, pointed out that there are less than eight years left to reach the Sustainable Development Goals. “We are nowhere near reaching our goal,” she stressed, underscoring that urgent action is needed.
Ms. RODRÍGUEZ said the 2030 Agenda was a call for action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The world is not on track to achieve this vision, she said, underscoring that, before the pandemic, progress was spotty in developing countries, including island nations at the front lines of climate change. Explaining that the Raizal indigenous peoples, of which she is a part, live on a small archipelago in the Caribbean Sea, she said the community has experienced the intensity of climate change, having lived through two major hurricanes in less than 15 years. A major obstacle to achieving the Goals is the lack of representation: local communities at the front lines of climate change are not being represented in discussions about their own futures. The Raizal community is facing the loss of ancestral sea space, due to conflict between Nicaragua and Colombia, making the implementation of peace programmes in the local context a challenge.
Mr. SOBHI emphasized the importance of benefiting from the experiences of young people and supporting them in efforts to overcome the pandemic. The President of Egypt has prioritized the needs of youth in efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda. For example, the Ministry of Youth and Sports has worked on many development initiatives and launched the “Egypt 2030 Vision”, featuring programmes on youth, sport, citizenship, fostering healthy living habits and encouraging volunteer work. It has also prepared a national strategy for youth and adolescents, in line with the United Nations Youth2030 Strategy, which has led Egypt to jump 13 places ahead in the Global Youth Index.
Mr. BADJIE said that, as young people are the largest sector of the population — and its future leaders — the only way to achieve sustainable development is to ensure that they are given the capacity and competence to deliver in the twenty-first century. The Gambia will continue to work to provide what is needed, he said, acknowledging the challenge of meeting the expanding needs of young people — especially during the pandemic. He pressed Governments to work with the United Nations to ensure their legislative frameworks are able to develop young people’s capacities. He underlined the importance of national reviews to measure progress on the Sustainable Development Goals and establishing better indicators for performance. Several countries struggle to fulfil the Goals, not because they lack commitment, but rather because they face economic headwinds. Institutions and international organizations must work together to look at areas for improvement, while “the older generation must be willing to cede power”.
Ms. RACZ emphasized that young people have an “unimpaired vision” of everyday life. They are citizens, activists, experts, leaders and drivers of positive change. Noting that the European Year of Youth recognizes the persistence of youth, she said Hungary offers opportunities for young people to participate at international conferences and introduce them to institutions where their skills would be valuable in the future. She pointed to umbrella youth organizations as an avenue for fostering the participation of young people and giving them a chance to present their visions.
Mr. KOVÁCS said that, in the past three months, he has met and spoken with more than 1,000 young people across Hungary. He underscored the importance of using good measurements to demonstrate the gains made against goals set, adding that he had visited several schools and helped them to organize selective waste collections. He also met many determined young people who are able to solve complex challenges at the local level and contribute to an economic approach.
Mr. TREJO called for solutions to address the gaps in governance, climate and youth, stressing that the “new normal” is an opportunity to advance a common agenda that features young people’s involvement in decision‑making. Youth must be recognized as actors who have a political part to play in social transformation. International organizations can move forward in this decisive decade by turning to them. “Let us speak less and act more,” he said, stressing that digitalization must be democratized, and that young people — by using their digital abilities — can usher in solutions, in both the public and private sectors.
Ms. BICHBICH said that, as the youngest panellist, she stands in solidarity with activists and youth from all over the world. When there were wildfires in Algeria, young activists started a campaign to support Algerians. During climate week, youth from the Asia Pacific and Europe regions offered support to Algeria. She envisioned a future where youth are not used to “fill the back seats”, she said, noting that, while some countries do not value the presence of young activists, they, in fact, support each other and help to lead their countries. She acknowledged that some countries in her region do not welcome youth voices or consider their insights. “This should be changed,” she observed.