World’s youth want their voices heard at all levels
View(s):Create safe spaces and institutions for young people to express their concerns and have their voices heard at all levels, some 1,500 youth representatives from 162 countries urged world leaders yesterday.
Their appeal was part of the Colombo Declaration on Youth-2014 that was issued at the end of the five-day World Conference for Youth (WCY) 2014.
Youth conference delegates enjoy a light moment while looking at a group photograph of participants
Sri Lanka’s Youth Affairs Minister Dullas Alahapperuma told the closing ceremony held at the National Youth Services Council in Maharagama that the ‘Colombo Declaration’ could achieve its goals and bring maximum benefits if policymakers and youths worked together, casting aside differences and making sacrifices.
Under the theme of ‘Mainstreaming Youth in the Post-2015 Development Agenda’, the declaration was worked out by the young delegates, ministers responsible for youth affairs, representatives of governments, United Nations agencies and youth-led organisations, among others.
The declaration recognises that ethnic, cultural, religious, gender, political and socio-economic diversities of young people have enabled them to contribute positively to development strategies and plans through their creativity and capacity for innovation.
It calls on government leaders and civil society organisations to affirm that the promotion of meaningful participation and the realisation of rights and integral development of young people represent some of the biggest challenges that need to be tackled along with the priority areas of United Nations World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY).
The declaration makes several recommendations for action under different categories that include Inclusive Youth-Led Development, Poverty Eradication and Food and Nutrition Security, Realising Equal Access to Quality Education and Promoting Healthy Lives and Access to Quality Health Care.
Under the topic of ‘Realizing Peace, Reconciliation and Ending Violence’, the declaration calls for more education opportunities and employment for all youth, especially those affected by armed conflicts. It also draws attention to the need for policies and programmes to identify and address factors that put young people at risk of engaging in crime and violence.
Meanwhile, the conference organisers have come under criticism for lack of organisational skills and other shortcomings which left journalists and foreign delegates stranded.
Media passes, which were to be issued before the start of the conference, were not ready even by Friday and, as a result, several local journalists could not gain access to certain sessions at the BMICH, where the conference was held.
Some journalists were also asked to stay out of the media centre till the accreditation issue was sorted out. The journalists said they had handed over duly filled application forms for media accreditation on time.