These young people also told me that there was no way to make this dream come true. Years of hard work were so far completely without result. Before I left for New York went home once more and the situation was different. This time they told me – “Our dream is coming true!”. Each day the constructions of the skateboard park progress, their newly formed youth-led organisation is gaining members and the community is opening a skateboard high school. I can tell you what made the difference. Instead of being viewed as an obstacle or an alibi, young people are included as a resource. Distinguished delegates,No matter the goal and ambition, there is the key to development!
Mr. Chairperson,Inclusion of young people in global politics starts in their everyday life. Young people of the world deserve to be included into society and to have power over their own fate. Youth-led organisations give children and youth participation, influence and power over their own leisure time, and in the long run, power over their own lives.
This power enables influence in school, work life and politics, and also break alienation.
Genuine participation, influence and power should never be out of reach! Mr. Chairperson,Our generation’s greatest challenge is climate change, and we all agree that we have to act. Sweden has acted by initiating The Commission on climate change and development. As a representative of the Swedish youth organisations, I feel proud of our government’s efforts to coordinate a new global climate charter. The world’s older and younger people and people not yet born, all need an agreement stronger then the Kyoto agreement!The Swedish Youth Organisations will continue by inviting our partners within the world-wide young civil society to a Global Conference on climate and security. This we hope is the first step towards the inclusion of young people – the key to development – in the formulating of global solutions concerning climate change.
Mr. Chairperson.Unemployment among young people in the world is a huge challenge. ILO states that the generation of currently young people is the most well-educated generation of youth ever. Despite these facts there were 66 million young people without paid work in 2006. Young people confined to unemployment do run a high risk of enduring alienation and lack of power in relation to society.This problem challenges countries regardless of its location or development status. ILO continues by saying that things are not improving. As I speak more young people are being alienated from society due to unemployment.In this context, I wish to highlight entrepreneurship. Young people must have both the option of being employed and the option of creating their own living. Young people must have viable routes to the labour market.Civil society can teach young people to realise their potential. Knowing how to make ideas come true under non-profit conditions gives you experience useful when entering commercial entrepreneurship. People who are about to start working are in a unique situation and may therefore be in need of special support. We cannot afford to have young people become alienated due to unemployment! Use non-formal and vocational education as a complement to formal education. This will stimulate both growth and inclusion. Use young people as a resource in search of innovation, development and economic growth.
Mr. Chairperson,There is no alternative to a more global society. In fact, the global society is already here. Outdated visa policies should not be allowed to stop people from travelling to, or searching for work in, other countries. I believe that the freedom of movement that was born in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights does not need to stand in contrast to the national security of nations!All things I have said rest upon the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. We all must see the urgent need of these rights being fulfilled. All people who cross borders between countries do not travel in search of work or on holiday. There are people who run in order to survive. People who run from countries where human beings are killed for no other reason than loving a person of the same sex. When people seek asylum the Human Rights should be used to protect them and therefore a person’s sexual reference must be considered ground for asylum. We cannot excuse ourselves by saying that people could hide their sexuality.Mr. Chairperson,We cannot afford to waste resources any more. Time is short and huge challenges are at the doorstep. We, the people of the world, cannot afford to have half its population not being able to contribute to its full potential.If we co-ordinate our efforts, we will give children and youth the ability to grow and feel meaningful. We will give children and youth tools to make their ideas come true. I propose that we, as member states, decide to adopt the Goals and Targets proposed for the cluster “Youth and the Global Economy”.Remember, young people are the key to development.If we are included and able to contribute, our participation will bring innovation, development and growth!Thank you!