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8 October  2002. Agenda Item 98 of the 57th UNGA: Social Development, including question relation to the world situation and to youth, ageing, disabled persons and the family. Statement by Ms. Ayda Aksakal, Youth Representative.

Mr/Madam Chairman,

As this year's youth representative in Sweden's delegation to the UN General Assembly, it is a great honour for me to address this committee in relation to social development.

Mr/Madam Chairman,

Human development and democratic cultures are not possible if more than half the population is left out. Young girls and boys play a key role. A meaningful youth participation means that our strengths, interests and abilities have to be recognised and nurtured. This can be achieved by giving us real opportunities to become involved in decision-making at all levels of society.

Our abilities and knowledge are often under-estimated. Politicians should visit schools and youth organisations to listen to our views and opinions. Governments should invite us to be actively involved in political work, nationally as well as internationally. Governments should simplify the access to information that is necessary in order for us to play an active role regarding national and international concerns. If we are involved nationally our influence internationally will automatically increase.

Youth organisations need to meet and work together. Governments should encourage and support us, both financially and mentally. It is also vital that governments actively promote and support youth exchange and create suitable meeting places, both nationally and internationally. This will enable an exchange of experiences regarding all types of youth policies. Such a co-operation will strengthen the civil society and will increase our influence on the global arena. Finally, governments, including those in developing countries, should include youth delegates in their delegations to the UN General Assembly.

Mr/Madam Chairman,

To include us is a responsibility. But sometimes society fails to do so. I would like to give two examples - young Moslems victimised after September 11 and young women who become victims of honour killings.

The attacks on September 11 2001 had a dramatic impact on each and every one of us. Innocent people became victims of these terrible acts. But little did the perpetrators know or care that another group of innocent people also would be victimised – the Moslems. The attacks on September 11 resulted in immediate increased violence and hostility against the Moslems, especially in the Western world.

In Sweden, three young men of Arabic origin, on their way to a week's vacation in Spain, were asked to leave the aircraft shortly before takeoff. The captain refused to fly the three men, claiming they acted strangely and looked like terrorists. Across Europe, young Moslem girls experienced daily verbal abuse and were constantly insulted by having their scarves pulled off.

This is what children and young people experience everyday, in schools, playgrounds, and in the streets. Today, physical abuse and violence have decreased but there is still a lingering change in daily lifestyle. Moslems, especially the youth, feel subjected to suspicion, hostility and feel forced to over and over again guarantee that they dissociate themselves from terrorism.

Mr/Madam Chairman,

In January this year in Sweden Ms Fadime Sahindal, a 26-year young Kurdish girl, was shot dead by her father. Why? She was a disgrace to her family because she chose her own way of living. Fadime wanted to have an education, they forbade her. Fadime wanted to have her own opinions, they prevented her. She did it anyway, they killed her. Her father claimed he wanted to defend the honour of his family.

When a woman is deliberately killed it must be considered murder. Such a crime must never be referred to, nor accepted as "defence of family honour". Furthermore, this cannot be assigned to a certain ethnicity, culture or religion. It is, on the contrary, crucial that we recognise this as a social problem. This phenomenon is a global one and we have to clearly state that these actions originate from manners and customs featured by a distorted view of women.

Mr/Madam Chairman,

These are only two examples of youth being victimised because of prejudice, ignorance and intolerance. Thus, we can see that young people are being discriminated against due to race, beliefs, gender and other grounds. Exclusion of youth is directly destructive for society and threatens its social and economic development. Clearly, we are not encouraged to believe that we are part of society, or that we have much to offer society.

However, by giving me the opportunity to participate in the Swedish delegation Sweden has taken a step in the right direction. Those who have met me can clearly see that I do not look like the ordinary Swede with blue eyes and blond hair. I have my origins in Central Asia, my mother is born in Pakistan, my father in China, my relatives live in Turkey and I am a Moslem. So you see, it is impossible to categorise me, I do not belong to just one culture, one ethnicity or one belief. And I am glad that Sweden recognises this.

Mr/Madam Chairman,

To include us is a responsibility. Today's excluded children will become tomorrow's marginalized youth.

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