ECOSOC Youth Forum 2016

02.02.2016 – The ECOSOC Youth Forum, “Youth Taking Action to Implement the 2030 Agenda,” comes to an end at UN Headquarters in New York today.

The biggest youth event of the year brought together young leaders from around the world to develop and harness ways in which young people can play an active role in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The two-day conference which ran from 1-2 February, served as a platform for young people to engage in dialogue with Member States and contribute to policy formulation on global economic, social and environmental issues.

Objectives of the 2016 ECOSOC Youth Forum are to:

1. Provide a platform for young people to engage in a dialogue with Member States and other actors on concrete commitments and actions to realize the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at national, regional and global levels.

2. Identify possible avenues for young people to contribute to the intergovernmental review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, including identifying ways that young people can partner with the UN system, civil society and governments to ensure implementation.

The event was organized by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the Office of the Youth Envoy of the Secretary-General, in collaboration with the United Nations Inter-agency Network on Youth Development.

Participants included ministers, representatives from the Permanent Missions of Member States to the UN in New York, youth delegates from Member States delegations, representatives from the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth, representatives from National Youth Councils, representatives of regional youth organizations, multilateral organizations.

ECOSOC, which recently celebrated its 70^th anniversary in January, emphasized the importance of young people in realizing the new SDGs. Youth engagement is an essential component in raising awareness and realizing the new goals that include eradicating poverty, reducing inequality and tackling climate change over the next 15 years.

Why Youth Matters:

·  Today’s generation of adolescents and young people (between 10 and 24 years old) is close to 1.8 billion, more than at any other time in human history.

·   There are 20 youth-specific targets spread over six key SDGs: Goal 2 (hunger), Goal 4 (education), Goal 5 (gender equality), Goal 8 (decent work), Goal 10 (inequality) and Goal 13 (climate change).

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UNRICs Related Links

· Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth

· United Nations Economic and Social Council

· United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development

· Sustainable Development Goals  

· Fast Facts: Youth as Partners for the Implementation of the SDGs

Photo Credits

UN Women