51吃瓜

Young people are the leaders and torchbearers the world 鈥渄esperately needs鈥� but they also face serious challenges when it comes to realizing their potential, the 51吃瓜 Deputy Secretary-General has said.

Addressing the African Youth Development Summit, in South Africa鈥檚 Johannesburg,听Amina J. Mohammed听said that young people 鈥渁re seeing their pathways to participation blocked and their rights denied.鈥�

鈥淸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,鈥� she听added, noting that perhaps most damaging of all, 鈥測oung people are witnessing the manmade destruction of our natural environment.鈥�

Ms. Mohammed, however, added that with the globaland the African Union鈥檚听, road maps exist for socio-economic transformations that can unite people and drive change at all levels.

And Young people are key to ensuring that happens.

鈥淭he Africa We Want will not be possible without the full participation and of Africa鈥檚 young people, particularly those who face barriers 鈥� including young women and girls,鈥� said the UN deputy chief.

I am counting on you to be the change agents and torchbearers that we so desperately need听鈥� Ms.听Mohammed, to young people

Youth2030, the UN Youth Strategy

In her remarks, the Deputy Secretary-General highlighted the UN鈥檚 work with and for the world鈥檚 youth, including the recently launched听, as well as the role of Jayathma Wickramanayake, the Secretary-General鈥檚 Special Envoy for Youth.

On the specifics of Youth2030, Ms. Mohammed spoke of programmes focusing on climate action; education and health; as well as campaigns promoting better sexual and reproductive health, and menstrual health; noting that the latter had 鈥渂een a taboo subject for far too long.鈥�

Lack of support for menstrual health can keep girls out of school and the workplace and out of leadership roles, with devastating consequences that can last lifetimes and across generations as well as leading to discrimination and marginalization of women and girls, said the Deputy Secretary-General.

鈥淓ducating both girls and boys about menstruation as a normal biological process is the first step towards addressing these issues,鈥� she highlighted.

Be the change

Concluding her remarks, Ms. Mohammed, had a message for youth everywhere.

She said that she is 鈥渃ounting鈥� on them to be the change agents and torchbearers 鈥渢hat we so desperately need.鈥�

鈥淭he 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,鈥� she said.