Young people worldwide can eradicate poverty
The world’s young people, now numbering more than 1 billion, are a major human resource for development, and can be key agents of innovation and positive social change.
Yet, the scale of youth poverty
robs the world of that potential. In a world of great riches, nearly
one in five people between the ages of 15 and 24 must eke out an
existence on less than one dollar per day, and almost half live on less
than two dollars per day.
Moreover, while youth make up one fourth of the world’s labour
force, they account for one half of its unemployed. Labour markets are
having difficulty providing stable occupations with good prospects for
young people, except for the highly trained. Without decent work, young
people are left particularly susceptible to poverty, which, in turn,
complicates access to education and basic health services, further
impeding employability.
Over the long term, disadvantaged youth will confront steeper
obstacles along the path to progress, and may not accrue the assets
that commonly come through steady and long-term employment, such as
access to assets and resources, strong social networks and
decision-making status in the family or community.
Our challenge is clear: we must pay more attention to education
and, in particular, to the transition from education to employment. And
the ability of youth to find full and productive employment must be a
central objective of national development strategies, including poverty
reduction policies.
The international community has recognized what experts are now
calling the juvenilization of poverty, and made it a priority area in
the 1995 World Programme of Action for Youth. The Programme has
approached young people as equal partners in the global effort to
eradicate poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
Government commitment to the development agenda was renewed and
reinforced by the 2005 World Summit, which has opened up a fresh
opportunity to engage youth in action on the issues that affect them.
On this International Youth Day, let us seize that opportunity, and
redouble our efforts to support young people and free up their enormous
potential, for the benefit of us all.
Source: UN News
