Ulaanbaatar – August 12 marks International Youth Day 2016 with the theme “The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production”.
In his statement on the occasion of the International Youth Day in 2016,UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin emphasized, “Last year, the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which requires us to balance the needs of present and future generations, create economic growth without destroying natural resources and reduce consumption while enforcing well-being and dignity.” He goes on to say that, “To achieve these goals, a fundamental shift is needed. We must make decisions on the allocation of resources while keeping the interests of future generations in mind. We must make investments in social sectors that improve the resilience of individuals and communities. And we must place the fulfilment of human rights at the centre of development."
International Youth Day recognizes the important role of young people in leading the charge for this fundamental shift towards sustainable practices. Specifically, it is a call for youth-led efforts at sustainable consumption, entailing the use of products and services that meet the basic needs of communities while safeguarding the needs of future generations.
This message is echoed at the International Youth Day 2016 celebrations and launch of Youth Month, Mongolia, at the National Gardens on August 15. The event will bring together Mongolia’s various youth-led NGOs and CSO’s and launch a month-long calendar of events celebrating youth involvement, advocacy and action.
Now more than ever, youth have the ability to impact the future of Mongolia and make a significant contribution to addressing such issues as poverty reduction and promoting sustainable consumption. At more than one million, youth aged 15–34 years represent the largest demographic group in Mongolia, accounting for 34.9 percent of the resident population in 2015.
“UNFPA is proud to partner with young people to promote their participation and leadership in Mongolia,”says Ms. Kitahara, “They must be engaged in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and be the stewards of the planet which they will inherit. We will continue to promote opportunities for youth to achieve and unleash their full potential by supporting and urging the government to develop and implement youth policies and programmes and ensure adequate budgetary investments for youth development.”
About UNFPA (www.mongolia.unfpa.org)
UNFPA is the UN agency delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA Mongolia currently implements the 5th Country Programme 2012-2016, closely in line with the United Nations Development Assistance Framework for Mongolia.
By: A.Esguerra
