Young people "crucial" in shaping, achieving 2030 agenda, says UN deputy secretary-general

"Young people around the world were crucial in shaping the 2030 Agenda," said Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson at a youth forum held here on Monday.

"You(Young people) helped build a transformative, integrated and interrelated agenda. I call it a '21st century Declaration of Interdependence'," said Eliasson at the 5th ECOSOC Youth Forum under the theme "Youth Taking Action to Implement the 2030 Agenda."

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are people-centred, universal, inclusive and inter-dependent, he said. "They can determine your future and set the path to a world where balance and equity can be found and where no one is to be left behind."

"Now comes the real test: making it happen, making it a reality. Our work begins with you now, with us together at the start of the first year of implementation," he said.

Young people, he noted, have often been side-lined from decision-making, and have had little or no say over the course of policies and actions that affect them.

The situation started to changed, he said. The secretary-general has made cooperation with young people a priority for the entire UN system, according to the deputy secretary-general.

"Believing that we should work more in partnership with young people, the Secretary-General in 2013 appointed the first-ever United Nations Special Envoy on Youth, Ahmad Alhendawi," Eliasson said.

"And just recently, the Security Council recognized the crucial role of young people as peace-builders by adopting Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security," he said. "This is a historic step forward to recognizing the role and potential of young people in the world today for peace and security."

On youth employment, Eliasson said that "nearly 75 million young people around the world are out of work. Forty percent of all economically active youth are either unemployed or working in poverty."

"Employment, decent work, particularly for young people, is the backbone of development and stable societies. I am gratified that this is well reflected across the SDGs and targets of the 2030 Agenda, especially goal 8," he said.

Meanwhile, Eliasson also mentioned the launch of the first-ever UN system-wide Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth. "The idea for this global initiative came originally from young people," he said.

Wrapping up his speech, Eliasson said: "The UN needs your talent and energy to mobilize all in order to achieve the SDGs by 2030. Let us spare no effort to come together in global solidarity, for young people and for our common future on Mother Earth."

The two-day forum features brainstorming sessions, interactive panels and discussions with member states, providing youth representatives with an opportunity to voice their opinion about specific issues, such as education, youth employment and climate change, in the context of implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Endit