UNITED NATIONS, Apr 16 (IPS) - This year, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum's theme is "Youth at the Forefront: Leveraging Science and Social Inclusion for Sustainable Development", bringing together government representatives, young leaders and policymakers among other relevant stakeholders, to deliberate over youth involvement in the ongoing efforts to implement the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
On the sidelines of the forum, on April 15, Generation Unlimited, in collaboration with several United Nations (UN) agencies including the UN Youth Office, UNICEF and UNESCO, hosted an event: "What works to amplify the rights and voices of youth in education and employment?". This event featured testimonies from policymakers, young leaders and global experts, with the objective of finding ways to promote economic empowerment and quality education for young people. A major theme of discussion during this event was the second principle of the SDGs, known as "leaving no one behind". Through this principle, the UN seeks to eliminate structural barriers, such as gaps in funding and inequalities, that prevent young people from all walks of life from having equal opportunities for success. According to figures from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), approximately 251 million young people are currently not in school, the majority of which are in developing countries. Roughly 20 percent of global youth does not receive formal employment education training, with 2 out of 3 being young women and girls. "Education is the key driver of prosperous, inclusive and peaceful societies. Yet, quality education risks being the privilege of a few, if we do not take serious measures to give every child across the globe the same chance to learn and thrive," said Audrey Azzoulay, the Director-General of UNESCO. It is imperative that young people are given access to programs that develop their skills in the workforce. However, millions of people around the world have found themselves unable to find employment due to contrasting demands from labor markets. "What we see around the world is a mismatch between what young people are skilled at and what private sectors and employers need. The International Labour Organization estimates that 2 out of every 3 young workers in lower middle income countries have qualifications that are not aligned…