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CSocD
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From 4-13 February 2009 the Commission for Social Development will meet at United Nations Headquarters in New York, to discuss issues on social integration and its relation to poverty eradication and full employment. The meeting of the Commission is an annual event following up on the World Summit for Social Development held in Copenhagen in 1995, where social integration featured as one of the main themes. Social integration can be described as the process of building the solidarity, capacity and institutions needed to create an inclusive society, where all groups enjoy equal rights, access to basic services and opportunities for participation. The general perception of youth is that of a vibrant generation with an abundance of opportunities ahead of them. This perception, however, fails to recognize the very real threat of social exclusion that young people face. While socio-economic backgrounds, gender, migrant status, disabilities, sexual orientation and religious beliefs are factors which can lead to social exclusion of all age groups, youth may face a double discrimination because of their age. Education has been identified as one of the key mechanisms promoting social integration, as equal access to quality education can help to ensure that everyone has the same opportunities in life. However, only an average 65 per cent of the world's eligible youth are enrolled in secondary school. Access to education proves to be a great obstacle for the 85 per cent of youth living in developing countries, where secondary school enrolment falls as low as 32 per cent. Therefore, for the majority of these young people, the thought of a university degree is a distant dream, as even access to secondary education provides a challenge. In a recent consultation with its members, the Global Youth Action Network (GYAN) found that the access to higher education is considered to be a key area in promoting youth development. During the consultations, a participant from a developing country noted: "How fair of a society do we live in, when intelligent and capable people are left unrecognized [and] limited in their choices because they have no university degrees, and so they become marginalized, discriminated against, unemployed, poor and hungry?" There are far too many barriers that young people have to overcome to obtain a college education, therefore limiting their opportunities to realize their career goals and aspirations. The lack of access to education often leads to difficulties for young people to obtain decent work. Young people are, on average, three times more likely than adults to be unemployed, and often get stuck in a cycle where they cannot get a job without work experience. Young girls and women, especially young mothers, often face a double discrimination in the labour markets. In addition, the relative disadvantage of youth in the labour market is more pronounced in developing, than in developed, economies. Policies and programmes that assist young people in the transition between education and employment are needed, and resources are required to ensure that they are properly implemented. The focus on social integration at the Commission for Social Development presents an opportunity to consider the benefits of recognizing and including young people as equal partners in decision-making. The youth presence at the Commission has increased in recent years, as young people and youth-focussed NGOs actively participate. Some Governments have chosen to include young people in their official delegations. By attending the Commission, young people can promote increased youth participation in decision-making and draw greater attention to youth issues, therefore promoting a positive and dynamic perception of what young people are capable of achieving. By involving youth in planning and decision making processes, policies and programmes on education, employment and other issues are much more likely to reflect their needs and aspirations. An inclusive society, by definition, will be developed by considering and involving all groups in decision-making. For more information, relevant documents and the Youth Delegates take a look at: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/csocd47.htm |
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