SOC/4683
3 October 2005
Youth Issues in Spotlight at United Nations 3-7 October
World Youth Report 2005 to Be Launched, Young People to Discuss Concerns with Member States and Governments
(Re-issued as received.)
NEW YORK, 30 September (UN Headquarters) -- Issues critical to global youth will be centre stage throughout next week at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The youth activities running from 3-7 October will coincide with the 10-year review of the adoption of the World Programme of Action for Youth in 1995, the first global blueprint for effective national youth policies.
A major highlight of next week's activities is the launch of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs report on the global situation of young people, titled World Youth Report 2005: Young People today, and in 2015. Published once every two years, the report takes an in-depth look at the 15 priority areas affecting young people identified by the General Assembly. The report, for the first time also provides a review of three relatively under-researched topics: gender dimensions of youth affected by armed conflict; young people in poverty; and the emergence of a global media driven youth culture. The report will be launched at a press conference at 12.00 noon on 4 October followed by a panel discussion with the contributors to the report who will throw light on these three topics.
"A number of important changes have taken place since the adoption of the World Programme of Action for Youth. Young people, more than any other age group, have been affected by developments relating to globalization, the ageing of society, rapid advances in information and communication technology, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and armed conflict", said United Nations Under-Secretary-General José Antonio Ocampo.
Key findings in the study underlines the urgent need to scale up activities that focus on issues critical to youth, such as poverty, education, HIV/AIDS and unemployment. Additionally, it emphasizes the need to ensure the well-being of today's children who will be the next generation of youth in 2015, the year targeted for the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals.
The 10-year review of the World Programme of Action for Youth will be conducted through two plenary sessions of the General Assembly on 6 October. The event is expected to attract ministerial level representatives from several countries, including Andorra, Belarus, Costa Rica, Hungary, Malaysia and Sweden. Notably, youth organizations and delegates will play an active role in the proceedings with informal interactive round tables, as well as official participation in the General Assembly. A resolution reaffirming the World Programme of Action for Youth and reiterating the importance of the effective implementation of the Programme is expected to be adopted by the General Assembly.
A series of side events, performances and film screenings have been planned for the period by United Nations agencies and civil society partners of the United Nations Programme on Youth. Events will be hosted by the Swedish Ministry of Education, United Kingdom Mission, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), All-African Student Union, European Youth Forum, Global Youth Action Network, MTV Networks and World Addiction Foundation, amongst others. A complete list of side events is available at http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/ga60.htm
Media Arrangements
Accreditation: Journalists without United Nations accreditation who wish to attend the press conference or other events should send a request on company letterhead signed by a supervisor to Gary Fowlie, Chief, UN Media Accreditation Unit, United Nations at fax (212) 963-4642. Media accreditation forms and general information for the media can be found at www.un.org/media/accreditation . For further information on accreditation and media access questions, Tel: +1 (212) 963-6934
For further information or inquiries regarding media interviews, please contact: UN-Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Charlotte van Hees, Tel: +1- 917-367-4053, e-mail: vanhees@un.org . Visit: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/ga60.htm ; UN-Department of Public Information, Oisika Chakrabarti, Tel: +1-212-963-8264, e-mail: mediainfo@un.org ; or Edoardo Bellando, Tel: +1- 212-963-8275, e-mail: medainfo@un.org
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