09 April 2019, New York - National Youth Commission Assistant Secretary Paul Anthony Pangilinan showcases the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) as a best practice including and empowering the youth in nation-building and policy-making at the 8th ECOSOC Youth Forum in New York. (END)
09 April 2019, New York – “Even before engaging the youth in governance became fashionable and necessary, and long before the adoption of Goal 16, the Philippines has paved the way for youth participation in governance and in the policymaking process through its ‘Sangguniang Kabataan’ (SK),” National Youth Commission Assistant Secretary Paul Anthony Pangilinan said in his intervention at the 8th Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum.
Assistant Secretary Pangilinan described the country’s Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Council) or “SK” mechanism where youth representatives are elected to local government positions and have a direct hand in formulating and advocating policies and programs that directly affect and empower the youth.
In addition, Assistant Secretary Pangilinan stated that through the Philippine Youth Development Plan 2017-2022, the Philippine Government will continue to engage the youth, recognizing that their meaningful participation and partnership are essential in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The 8th ECOSOC Youth Forum was organized by the ECOSOC Bureau, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Office of the Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth and in collaboration with the United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development, particularly the Working Group on Youth and SDGs.
With the theme “Empowered, Included and Equal,” youth delegates were given a platform to voice their ideas and perspectives on progress, challenges and actions on achieving the sustainable development goals, and which will contribute to various processes in the UN such as the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development under ECOSOC in July, the SDG Summit and the Climate Summit in September.