Commission on Population and Development:

Adolescents (aged 10-19) and Youths (aged 15-24) make up nearly 25% of the global population, at 1.8 billion people in these age ranges. Young people stand at the precipice of adulthood, with all the potential as they develop their passions and interests through education and work experience, develop their bodies and identities as they progress through puberty, and look outward to social contribution as they innovate new and unique ways to participate and improve society. That potential diminishes quickly when young people are denied access to education, health and reproductive services and excluded from participation in employment and skill training, leading to health risks, poverty, and insecurity. The Representatives of Colombia in their statement to this body noted, “There is a growing tendency encompassing young people in experiencing a lack of opportunities for personal growth whether it be mentally or physically as well as government benefits…. Unemployment and impoverished youth will lead to social instability and the repercussions will further increase the youth bulge.”

To counter this tendency, the The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) developed its strategic plan for 2018 – 2021, “My Body, My Life, My World,” focusing on education and awareness across their three pillars of social interaction – health and identity, education and training, and participation in social dialogue and decision-making. The Representatives of Argentina highlighted the landmark Convention on the Rights of the Child and its impact towards these issues, “Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, children have the right to free public education and to reach their full development as human beings and as citizens.” The Convention identifies a child as someone under the age of 18. Adolescents, while falling into the definition of a child, share with Youths the growing need for self-advocacy and decision-making, which is the defining difference with the UNFPA Strategy. 

The Representatives of Japan connected the “moral imperative to provide a better future for the world’s adolescents and youth” with the “disastrous effects of global climate change,” bridging solutions across multiple sustainable development imperatives. Japan recommended “climate change actions [that] will require the creation of new ‘green jobs’ which can be utilized to address youth unemployment worldwide, but especially in developing countries which often experience a ‘youth bulge.’ Training programs for green jobs can pull millions of people out of poverty and provide an avenue for youth to earn an acceptable income, which will also increase social and political stability.” 

The Representatives of Mexico called upon “countries to raise support for having equal opportunities and conversations about both men and women, especially in the case of sexual and reproductive health and rights…. We believe that the UN entities should cast political views aside and focus on the betterment of youth in all countries, but particularly in the areas of gender equality, employment, health and access to opportunities.” The Representatives of Cuba recommended “the United Nations provide resources and programs to developing countries with large ‘youth bulges’ to ensure that they have the basic tools for success.” The Representatives of Colombia made the same recommendation, advocating for the “UN and its Member States to ensure and uphold their initiatives of establishing programs or policies that help adolescents and youth in having access to basic rights [that] have turned into a privilege that not many are granted.”