Photo by Gary Raynaldo  /  Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President, United Nations General Assembly, speaks at International Peace Institute policy forum Manhattan, NY Apr. 9, 2019. 

By Gary Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC TIMES

The global narrative is steadily changing  from viewing the rapidly growing numbers of youth, particularly in the developing world, from being a serious problem and/or security risk that needed to be contained to now as becoming  active participants in  development of policy concerning them. However, much progress is still needed.   The International Peace Institute held a policy forum this week on “Meaningful Inclusion of Young People as Drivers of Peace: Local Voices from the Field” to address this issue. 

“Young people are engaged themselves in creating ways in preventing violence, sustaining peace, and promoting sustainable development around the world,“ Adam Lupel,  Vice President, IPI, stated.  Co-sponsors of the event with IPI were the Office of the President of the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Peacebuilding Support Office, the UN Population Fund, Peace Direct, and Interpeace.

 “Youth, peace and security must be actively embraced by all UN members. We must change the narrative of youth. Young people must be included in the decision-making.”

-Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garcés,  President, United Nations General Assembly

Photo by Gary Raynaldo /   Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President, United Nations General Assembly at IPI  Apr. 9, 2019. 

Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the  United Nations General Assembly,  has dedicated the Session to making the  ‘UN relevant to all’,   which includes a focus on youth, peace, and security as one of her official top priorities.  She denounced what she said is  fact around the UN  that  “youth perspectives are still viewed by some as something novel or nice to have rather than integral to discussion.”  Espinosa Garces stated that upon becoming the UNGA President,  she set a challenge for herself to assure that youth voices are not just heard but listened to in the halls and meeting rooms at the UN.  She said that at every major event she convenes she includes a strong youth focus and participation.  Espinosa Garcés  further pointed out that during the past decades,  when the UN has worked on related youth issues, the focus has often been on the most extreme situations such as child soldiers and survivors of sexual violence.   She acknowledged that these are absolutely crucial, but that it must to be forgotten that one third of all young people in the world today live in fragile and conflict-affected terms.  Espinosa Garcés  said these young people simply want to learn to be healthier, to have jobs, and to live like normal people everywhere else.  The UNGA President stated that in order for the UN Youth Agenda  to effective, progress must be made in 3 Key Areas:

(1)   “Youth,  Peace and Security must be actively embraced by the whole of UN membership. It must  be embedded in all pillars of our work. We need action in the General Assembly.               

(2)   “We must change the narrative on youth. Policy makers still see young people as a problem, as a demographic time bomb of unemployment, fertility, and violence. But what about a demographic dividend? The Peace Dividend that this generation, the largest, most educated, most globally-minded in history can deliver for peace. It is also crucial  for the media and politicians to adopt a more positive narrative (on youth). 

(3)  “Young People must be included in decision making period!  We will not make progress on youth peace and security without making progress on broader civic, economic inclusion of young people. This includes participation at the UN. “

-Espinosa Garcés,  President, United Nations General Assembly

VIDEO by  Gary Raynaldo /  Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garcés,   IPI forum Apr. 9, 2019.

Photo by Gary Raynaldo /  IPI policy forum panel left to right:  Graeme Simpson, Principal US Representative and Senior Peacebuilding Advisor, Interpeace USA,   Adil Skalli, program manager, UN Association of Canada, Jake Sherman, Director of the Center for Peace Operations, International Peace Institute, Vanessa Wyeth, Senior Political and Public Affairs Officer (Peacebuilding), Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations,  Moussa Tolo, President, Allô Gouvernance.

Photo by Gary Raynaldo /  Dereje Wordofa, ASG and Deputy Executive Director, UNFPA, speaks at IPI forum Apr. 9, 2019

“The reform of the UN peace and security pillar as well as the development system give us a unique opportunity to reconfigure our engagement with young people, their organizations and networks. We should not miss this opportunity,”

-Dereje Wordofa, ASG and Deputy Executive Director, UNFPA.