International Youth Day (IYD) is observed globally on August 12 each year to raise awareness on issues that affect youth. The theme of this year’s IYD is “Youth Building Peace.” Young people have the potential to act as greater forces for positive social change and to build the foundation for a just and peaceful world.
Today’s generation of youth has come of age in an era of crisis, conflict and disaster. Yet, it has largely been excluded from national and global efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts.
Building peaceful, cohesive and resilient societies requires the full and meaningful participation of young people. Investing in them in ways that build their capabilities and creating opportunities that will enable them to realize their full potential in life are a prerequisite for their engagement in civic affairs. If we want a more peaceful Jamaica, Caribbean and world, we can no longer afford to leave young people behind. We must listen to and work with them.
Young people are powerful agents of change and progress when they are educated and empowered to participate in decision-making. Yet around the world and here in the Caribbean, too many youth are being left behind. They receive a substandard education or no education at all, and find few decent employment opportunities. They struggle to access basic sexual and reproductive health information and services. Without these tools, young people - young women and girls, in particular - find themselves grappling with poverty, early pregnancy, diseases and other challenges that stymy their potential to make meaningful contributions to society.
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, remains committed to supporting the efforts of governments and civil society to develop our greatest asset, young people, who can help us move closer to our shared vision for a world free of conflict and violence.
UNFPA works to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.
Contact: Denise Blackstock (Policy/Programme Analyst)
Telephone: 906-8591/2; Ext: 30412
E-mail: blackstock@unfpa.org
