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Mr Chairman,
It is a great honour for me to address this committee in relation to youth and social development.
I am here today foremost as a representative of the Swedish government, but also as this year's Swedish Youth Delegate at the United Nations General Assembly. The Swedish government has taken the important step to involve the organised and engaged youth of Sweden, by giving our national youth council the opportunity to elect a representative for the 85 youth organisations it embodies.
Mr Chairman, distinguished delegates,
Young people are a major part of the world's population of today. Close to 40 per cent are 24 years old or younger. As the receivers of the generational torch, youth are greatly affected by our critical global challenges, and can indeed be responsible agents for substantial social change. Young people are an essential part of the solution - not the problem.
In fact, the objectives of the United Nations can only be realised if we all listen to young people's vision and make use of their energy and knowledge, in our everyday work. We have to respond to their needs and support their own actions and initiatives.
We all need their opinions on conceptualising, we need their perspective when taking decisions and we need their contribution when implementing and evaluating.
Mr Chairman, distinguished delegates,
The United Nations of the world need to put their trust in young people, both nationally and internationally.
Inclusion of young people and youth-led organisations on these levels is a fundamental question of strengthening democracy and giving it a broader foundation. Youth is a tremendous, untapped resource in the work for reaching our common goals, especially the concretely formulated and indeed reachable Millennium Development Goals.
Sweden therefore strongly encourages all nations to include Youth Delegates of both genders in your future national delegations to the General Assembly, as well as other essential formal arenas.
Mr Chairman, distinguished delegates,
Young people need to be your partners. There are youth movements all over the world, with expert knowledge within their field of interest – knowledge that you are the gatekeepers for.
As working representatives and officials of your respective governments, you have the possibility of involving youth-led organizations that are engaged in the same issues as you are – may it be the fight against HIV/Aids, the evolvement of your school system, working towards the Millennium Development Goals and a sustainable future, or the strengthening of the position of women.
You need to reach out to civil society, and the youth-led organizations that play a key role in so many of our countries. Acknowledge them, support them, listen to them. I promise you – they have insights we all need.
Our support for the democratic base of future youth delegates and partner youth-organisations is also a key issue. In this context, Sweden wants to stress the importance of the legitimacy of the youth actors of civil society, especially on the international level. Member-based decision-making, openness, accountability and democratic representativity are all essential aspects that form a solid base for cooperation and constructive partnership.
Mr Chairman, distinguished delegates,
I dare to challenge each and every one of you to work for the inclusion of youth and youth-led organisations, here in the General Assembly in the form of youth delegates, but foremost – in your own countries, as expert partners in your everyday work.
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Permanent Mission of Sweden
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E-mail: sweden@un.int