The United Nations (UN) and European Union (EU) have launched a Youth Advisory Group (YAG) comprising 15 Jamaicans aged 16 to 29 years, to interact the nation’s youth within the pursuit of world sustainable growth targets.
The UN-EU YAG was convened on the finish of final yr and goals to fulfil the companies’ shared targets of youth empowerment and lively citizenship, by making certain that the youth voice is taken into account in shaping insurance policies and programmes.
The Group’s mandate contains offering enter and suggestions on UN and EU insurance policies and programmes, advocating for youth pursuits and involvement in sustainable growth and supporting consultations for the UN Cooperation Framework.
It is usually tasked with selling connections to wider youth networks, partaking in communication and outreach initiatives and strengthening info dissemination on youth points.
Members of the UN-EU YAG had been chosen primarily based on their dedication to sustainable growth and potential to affect optimistic change.
Talking on the launch of the YAG on the European Union Delegation’s workplace in Kingston at the moment (April 8), EU Ambassador to Jamaica, Her Excellency Dr. Erja Askola, acknowledged the pivotal position that younger folks play in shaping the long run.
“We imagine that younger individuals are not simply beneficiaries however they’re lively individuals and contributors to world options. This partnership with the United Nations displays our shared objective of making certain that younger folks have a significant say, significant voice in choices affecting their lives and futures,” Dr. Askola mentioned.
She famous, additional, that the partnership reaffirms the EU’s dedication to creating areas the place younger voices are heard and valued.
“This group will function a strong platform to Jamaican youth to contribute to coverage discussions and making certain that their views are taken under consideration, and so they inform the collective efforts in the direction of sustainable growth and peace,” the EU Ambassador outlined.
In his remarks, UN Resident Coordinator in Jamaica, Dennis Zulu, famous that the launch of the YAG marks a major milestone within the UN and EU’s shared dedication to uplifting the voice of younger folks, making certain that they’re lively contributors to the insurance policies and programmes that form the long run.
“The UN stays dedicated to making a sustainable platform that empowers younger folks to be architects of their very own future,” he said.
Mr. Zulu defined that the YAG shall be guided by regional and nationwide frameworks such because the UN Youth 2030 Technique, the EU’s Youth Motion Plan, the Multi-Nation Sustainable Growth Cooperation Framework, Imaginative and prescient 2030 Jamaica, the Nationwide Youth Coverage of Jamaica, and the UN Nation Crew’s Youth Engagement Motion Plan (YEAP).
“Collectively, these frameworks reaffirm the precept that younger folks have to be on the centre of sustainable growth,” he additional said.
The UN Resident Coordinator famous that the 15 YAG members, who will serve till 2026, had been chosen in collaboration with the Ministry of International Affairs and International Commerce and the Ministry of Schooling, Abilities, Youth and Data.
Performing Senior Director within the Youth and Adolescents Coverage Division on the Schooling Ministry, Yanique Williams, prolonged gratitude to the management of the United Nations and the European Union for his or her partnership to empower and interact Jamaican youth.
“The Ministry in tandem with the federal government at massive, recognises the vital position that youth play within the nation’s growth. The launch of the UN and EU Youth Advisory Group is a catalyst for the development of the voice of the youth,” she shared.
Ms. Williams mentioned the YAG goes hand in hand with the Youth and Adolescents Coverage Division’s mandate of growing and empowering the youth.
“The Ministry notes that the UN and EU initiative will add one other layer, offering avenues for selling youth participation, and can function a device to empower younger folks to be advocates of change nationally and globally.
These initiatives are working in tandem with the Ministry of Schooling, Abilities, Youth and Data’s general agenda of constructing a extra strong and extra importantly sustainable youth inhabitants,” she outlined.
