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International Youth Day is observed on August 12 every year to bring issues of importance to youth to the attention of the international community and celebrating the potential of youth as partners in building a culture of nonviolence, promoting peace, and countering extremism.
The idea for International Youth Day was proposed in 1991 by young delegates to the first session of the World Youth Forum of the United Nations.
The theme for International Youth Day 2024 is “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.” This theme highlights the key connection between digitalization and accelerating the progress of the United Nation’s Global Goals for Sustainable Development, emphasizing the crucial contributions of young people in this transformative process.
Here’s a video from the UN Environmental Programme about how young people are engaging in global action, and here’s more about the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that can be a blueprint for a better world.
And in this video, Felipe Paullier, United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Youth Affairs, says,
“On #YouthDay and every day, let us learn from the creativity, leadership & resilience of young people even in tough and complex times.”
To empower today’s youth, we must close the divide between the haves and the have nots through education, skills training, health care, food security and sustainable development. As UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in his message: “Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires a seismic shift – which can only happen if we empower young people and work with them as equals.”
Digital rights are women’s rights, and in March of this year, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women set out in its Agreed Conclusions, multiple actions to be taken across society to manage innovation and technology for women’s economic, social, and political empowerment and to tackle the new and unique barriers presented by engagement in the digital space.
The digital divide is particularly harmful for young women and girls in low-income countries, where only 20 percent are connected. The gender digital divide is most pronounced among marginalized groups, such as young women and girls in rural areas and those with disabilities. It is further complicated by socioeconomic status, race, and location, among other factors. Furthermore, online violence disproportionately affects young women and girls. One global study found that 58 percent of girls and young women have experienced some form of online harassment, highlighting the urgent need for policies and mechanisms that prioritize their safety and security in digital spaces.
On International Youth Day, we recognize and honor the immense potential and contributions of young people across the globe, and rededicate ourselves to finding solutions to the challenges they face today.
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