By Prudence Arobani
New York – The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Ms Amina Mohammed, has said that young people are the leaders and torchbearers the world “desperately needs”.
Addressing the African Youth Development Summit, in South Africa’s Johannesburg, Mohammed, however, said the youth also faced serious challenges when it comes to realising their potential.
According to the UN deputy scribe, young people “are seeing their pathways to participation blocked and their rights denied.
“The youth know that for the sake of their future, we need to transform our economies and embrace new, sustainable patterns of production and consumption.’’
Mohammed noted that perhaps most damaging of all, “young people are witnessing the manmade destruction of our natural environment’’.
She, however, added that with the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, roadmaps exist for socio-economic transformations that can unite people and drive change at all levels.
According to her, young people are key to ensuring that happens.
“The ‘Africa We Want’ will not be possible without the full participation and of Africa’s young people, particularly those who face barriers – including young women and girls.
“I am counting on you to be the change agents and torchbearers that we so desperately need,’’ the UN deputy chief told young people.
The deputy secretary-general highlighted the UN’s work with and for the world’s youth, including the recently launched ‘Youth 2030’, the ‘UN Youth Strategy’, as well as the role of Jayathma Wickramanayake, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Youth.
On the specifics of Youth 2030, Mohammed spoke of programmes focusing on climate action, education and health as well as campaigns promoting better sexual and reproductive health, and menstrual health.
She noted that the latter had “been a taboo subject for far too long’’.
She said lack of support for menstrual health could keep girls out of school, the workplace and out of leadership roles, with devastating consequences that can last lifetimes.
“Educating both girls and boys about menstruation as a normal biological process is the first step towards addressing these issues,’’ she said.
Mohammed also said she had a message for youth everywhere, which is “the dignity that we want for our young women and men begins with each and every one of us.
“It will be a journey, the outcome of which will depend on how you travel that road to 2030’’. (NAN)