Delegate: Lisbet Rugtvedt
Disclaimer: Obvious textual errors have been corrected. The authentic version can be found under “Original Records”.
19. MS. RUGTVEDT (Norway), speaking as a youth delegate, emphasized the importance of having young people participate in political decision-making in all countries. Nations must send more young people as delegates to the [*6*] General Assembly: currently only three nations had representatives from youth organizations in their official delegations.
20. Young people often led the struggle for democracy and respect for human rights, and it was important that their voices should be heard. Norwegian youth organizations were in favour of launching of the United Nations initiative for a global structure to improve communication between youth non-governmental organizations and the Organization.
21. Today’s youth was impatient: there were too many resolutions and not enough action on such pressing issues as the widening gap between rich and poor, the growing number of refugees and looming environmental problems. Young people were particularly concerned about the danger of global warming, the extinction of many species, and air and water pollution. Environmental problems could even lead to military conflict. Priority was given to the production of military weapons, whereas insufficient resources were set aside to address environmental issues. The 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development must direct its efforts to securing sustainable growth and drafting international environmental law. Environmental issues could not, however, be resolved without reducing the gap between North and South or tackling the debt crisis.
22. Young people were particularly concerned about the impact of alcohol and narcotic drugs in the third world. She supported the recommendation of the World Health Organization to reduce total alcohol consumption by 25 per cent by the year 2000 and also subscribed to its programme to combat substance abuse.
UN Doc.: A/C.3/46/SR.21
Cite as:
UN Doc.: A/C.3/46/SR.21, 29 October 1991, p. 5-6, Youth Delegate Search: https://youthdelegatesearch.org/norway-1991/, doi: 10.17176/20221018-195341-0.