United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) has stressed that young people in Nigeria, have the power to make the physical and digital world more just, equal, peaceful, and safe.
The assertion was made in a goodwill message delivered on behalf of UNFPA Resident Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Gifty Addico at the Sensitization and Entrepreneur Skill Acquisition for Young People in Commemoration of the 2024 International Youth Day (IYD) held on Friday, August 23, 2024, in Bauchi.
Represented at the occasion by Deborah Tabara, Gender/Reproductive Health Analyst and Bauchi State Coordinator of UNFPA, Gifty Addico further stated, “We are honoured to deliver this speech at this very important event on sensitization and entrepreneur skill acquisition for Adolescent and Young people in commemoration of 2024 International Youth Day in Bauchi state. With the theme From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.”
“As a generation born into a digital world, young people are adept at harnessing the vast opportunity that technology offers to build a more inclusive present and future.
“Young people have boundless potential to inspire and change our communities, state, and the nation as a whole, as they are vibrant and full of ideas.
“On this International Youth Day, we celebrate the resilience, strength, and progress young people are making towards driving change in their communities and beyond. Their journey is one of overcoming obstacles and asserting their rights.
“We commend the office of the Bauchi state Sustainable Development Goals for organizing this event as part of the government’s effort to empower young people through education and entrepreneur skills acquisition, highlighting the significant strides being made to harness young people’s potential.
“UNFPA’s mandate is grounded in the International Conference on Population and Development and its Programme of Action, which calls for addressing the interrelationships between population, sustained economic growth, and sustainable development, as well as poverty, hunger, health, education, and gender equality in policies and programs, which are without doubt some of the most important of all the United Nations SDGs.
“In the spirit of partnership and cooperation, UNFPA is committed to working closely with the Bauchi State Government to achieve its development outcomes for the growing population of young people, who constitute more than 35% of the 8,780, 684 population (2024 UNFPA population projection) in the state.
“It is important to put the right investment to harnessing their potential towards an overall socio-economic development of the state. No state can achieve sustainable development without understanding the needs and deliberately investing inclusively in the youths and young persons living in our communities today including persons with disability to ensure that No One is left Behind.
“This event presents another opportunity to reinforce UNFPA mandate of ensuring every young person achieves their potential, leaving no one behind.
“As we look to the future, the role of digitalization plays an important role in all aspects of life, especially with the youth, this will enhance the ongoing empowerment initiatives of youth which is essential.
“Their digital skills, voices, and experiences will add value to shaping the conversation around sexual and reproductive rights and services, pushing for a world where every young person, regardless of their background, can live a healthy, empowered life.
“UNFPA remains the United Nations Agency for Reproductive Healthy, our mission is to deliver a world where all pregnancy is wanted, all maternal birth safe and all young person’s achieve their potentials.”
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