Empowered, Included and Equal: The 8th ECOSOC Youth Forum
On April 8-9, young leaders from across the globe came together at United Nations to discuss the most critical issues of our time.
At the 8th ECOSOC Youth Forum, which is the largest gathering of young people at United Nations, over one thousand young delegates gathered in New York City to review the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as making sure that the Secretary-General’s Youth 2030 Strategy was being implemented. The Forum was a chance to make connections and expand the respective youth network of ministers, political leaders, NGO youth representatives and entrepreneurs from all sectors.
Participants ensured a coordinated presence at each of the Regional Sessions, delivering statements and sharing insightful feedback. Sessions were distributed in Latin America and the Caribbean; Africa; Asia and the Pacific; Europe, North America and Other States; and Arab States. On the other hand, thematic session on the SDGs were organized in five sessions: SDG17 on partnership for the goals; SDG13 on climate action; SDG4 for quality education; SDG8 on decent work and economic growth; and SDG10 on reducing inequalities.
The Forum served as a platform for reviewing the implementation and progress of the first ever UN youth strategy, Youth 2030: Working with and for Young People, launched at the 72nd General Assembly in September 2018. It allowed young people to interact with UN official on the actual implementation of the five priority areas included in the Strategy. Some of these priorities include economic empowerment, protecting the rights of young people, and support access to quality education. You can read the Youth 2030 Strategy by clicking here.
The UN Department of Global Communications and its Youth Representative Programme hosted an interactive conversation amongst 30+ youth delegates to the ECOSOC Youth Forum at the Civil Society Unit. The session addressed three main topics: reflecting on the Forum and its thematic sessions; ensuring participation and action of young people at the grassroots and national levels; and building partnerships among youth leaders. Participants were also briefed on 68th UN Civil Society Conference and its youth platform.
On the following day the High-Level Breakfast on Youth and the Future of Work gave young people the opportunity to discuss on solutions for youth unemployment. Lead moderators of the group discussions highlighted the importance of building relationships with youth, reconceptualizing the hiring process, resource innovation, and decent work for youth.
UNA-NYC, with its Youth Representative to the United Nations, is committed to ensuring participation of young people within decision-making structures by allowing spaces within its programs where youth can actively participate and raise their concerns
As this year’s theme Empowered, Included and Equal, youth delegates at the Forum were empowered to share their perspectives, prepared to include other young people in social media and forum activities, and considered other participants as equal partners for the improvement of youth issues around the world.
For more info on the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2019, click here
To learn more about ECOSOC click here