Delegate: Ms. Guro Fjellanger
- Ms. FJELLANGER (Norway) said that, for many years, her delegation had included
two youth representatives and accordingly had a particular interest in agenda
item 90. The most important task of those representatives was to share their
knowledge and impressions of the work of the United Nations with young people in
Norway and to inform them, through the media and their respective organisations,
about the unique role which the United Nations played in world society. That the
United Nations enjoyed such high standing in Norway was due partly to such direct
contacts with it. The second task of the youth representatives in the delegation
was to present the perspective of the young generation on the issues under
consideration and to advocate a stronger youth involvement in nearly all areas of
society. [*8*] - Youth should be given an opportunity to participate in a meaningful way in
political activities at the international level. Separate international
conferences for youth could be useful but were not an alternative to direct
participation in already established political structures. She therefore hoped
that more countries from all regions would in the future include youth
representatives in their delegations. - If racism and racial discrimination were to be eradicated and solidarity and
understanding among peoples promoted, it was important that youth should have the
opportunity of international contacts and participation. Participation had been
one of the main issues of the International Youth Year, which had involved youth
more actively in a broad range of political questions. Political issues such as
education, employment, health and housing affected youth in a particularly direct
manner and she believed that youth should be more actively involved in solving such
problems. That young people had the will and courage to transform their care and
concern into action had been showed through such arrangements as Band Aid and Live Aid. - Drug abuse and illicit trafficking represented a dangerous threat not only to
the young generation but also to the sovereignty and security of States.
Information and education were the most important tools to combat drug abuse and it
was important that, at both the national and and international levels, youth should
participate in the struggle to combat the demand for drugs. Information and
education were also the most important tools to control and prevent the spread of
AIDS, which was killing a large share of the population aged between 20 and
40 years. - The interrelated issues of environment and sustainable development, which had
been highlighted by the World Commission on Environment and Development, had come to the top of the global political agenda and would have to be dealt with as a
matter of urgency at all levels – national, regional and international – not least
within the United Nations system. In its report “Our Common Future”, the World
Commission had laid particular emphasis on the participation of youth in promoting
the message of sustainable development. The report of the Secretary-General had
also stressed the importance of the active participation of youth in following up
that report. The majority of the population of the third world were young people
and there could be no effective follow-up without their involvement. The emphasis
placed by the World Commission on the need for a comprehensive and integrated
approach to meeting environmental and developmental challenges was very much in
line with the concepts and attitudes of young people. - The main task of the United Nations was to stimulate, co-ordinate and provide
policy guidance for environmental action throughout the world. One small step by
way of example would be for the United Nations to eliminate from its cafeteria the
packaging and drinking cups which were a threat to the ozone layer. A reduction of
documentation would also help to conserve forests, as would the use of recycled
paper. [*9*] - The importance of education in the field of human rights must also be
stressed; the young generation must be informed about the rights of individuals and
the obligations of States under established human rights instruments. - Disabled youth experienced special problems and were in a particularly
disadvantageous position; much could be done to alleviate their problems, however.
In implementing activities under the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons,
special efforts should be made to secure the participation of the young people and
the social integration of the young disabled from an early age.
UN Doc.: A/C.3/43/SR.16
Cite as:
UN Doc.: A/C.3/43/SR.16, 21 October 1988, p. 7-9, Youth Delegate Search: https://youthdelegatesearch.org/norway-1988/.