Young people are being encouraged to help create a better understanding of the uniqueness of Caribbean countries that threaten their sustainable development.
Hon Arnaldo Brown, State Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade made the call at a two-day (July 24-25) Regional Youth Workshop aimed at strengthening the capacity of young people to advance issues impacting them to the forefront of the discussions relating to the sustainable development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Minister Brown told the over thirty youths representing thirteen countries from across the region that their countries make up one third of the grouping characterized as SIDS. Therefore he said the region had a stake in ensuring that the world takes account of their vulnerability to natural disasters and economic shocks, and the importance of building resilience in the face of these challenges. Noting for example, the heavy dependence of many economies on tourism, Minister Brown stated that one natural disaster could obliterate the economic base of many Caribbean countries within a short period of time. Such disasters, he continued could have devastating effects on people’s quality of life and the sustainable development of the region.
Stressing the importance of public participation and partnership in achieving sustainable development, he commended the young people for taking steps to inform and prepare themselves to advocate their concerns on behalf of SIDS.
“ Those of us who live in the three SIDS regions know very well the impact of the challenges on our lives. In Jamaica we are experiencing the effects of climate change with some parts of the island experiencing severe drought. You live the experiences of drought and other natural disasters. So who better to enunciate the challenges they bring than you the young people.”
Mr Brown also encouraged them to use the opportunities provided including the workshop, information and tools, including technology available to them to advance the sustainable development of the region.
“Your generation of young people is the most inter-connected in history. This level of interconnectivity arising from increased access to information technology, travel opportunities and globalization among other external factors expose you to a wide range of influences. Use this to your advantage to demand and support the creation of greater opportunities for a better quality of life for us all.”
The workshop is organized by UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund in collaboration with other UN agencies and CARICOM as part of the preparatory activities leading up to the Third International Conference on the Sustainable Development of SIDS, which will take place in Samoa, 1-4 September, 2014. Several young persons from the region will participate in the conference and relevant side events including a global youth forum.
Meanwhile, Ms. Sheila Roseau, Director, UNFPA Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean in her address at the opening of the Workshop said UNFPA was responding to the demands of young people to be fully engaged in the processes that impact them; and for investments to be made in building their capacities to advocate on their own behalf.
“This is what this workshop and the preparatory activities are about. We want to support your desire to become strong advocates who will work alongside other partners and individuals that are influential in the region to highlight the issues that impact the region and specifically youth development. Further, your voice and activism are needed to ensure that issues relevant to young people in SIDS are highlighted in the outcomes of the Samoa conference, including during the youth forum,” she stated.
The Third International Conference on the Sustainable Development of SIDS represents a decisive moment for youth engagement, for the voice and realities of Caribbean people to be heard on the international stage and to influence the global sustainable development agenda, post 2015.
