Delegate: Mr. Bartnes
45. Mr. BARTNES (Norway), speaking as youth representative of his country, said that neither living conditions and opportunities for youth nor the position of youth issues within the United Nations system had improved in the decade since the observance of International Youth Year in 1985. However, it was encouraging to observe that the United Nations recognized the need for a global youth policy and had produced the draft world programme of action for youth towards the year [*13*] 2000 and beyond, which would be adopted during the current session of the General Assembly. The programme focused on such questions as AIDS, hunger, unemployment and drug abuse and gave the impression that youth policy was seen merely as a means to prevent a number of problems. The programme should reflect a more positive view of youth.
46. Despite the fact that children and youth constituted the majority of the world’s population, their views and problems were still overlooked by Governments and the international community. Modern society excluded youth from politics, administration, business and trade unions, leaving them without an appropriate framework for the expression of their needs. However, their imagination, ideals, energy and vision were essential for the development of the societies in which they lived. The youth of today were the decision makers of tomorrow; by participating constructively at local, regional and global levels and they would gain experience of how democracy worked. Governments should allow them to form their own associations without interference, and encourage them to participate at all levels by providing them with financial and moral support.
47. The United Nations needed young people to succeed in coping with the important challenges facing the United Nations system. Governments should be encouraged to include youth representatives in their delegations to the United Nations General Assembly and other important meetings, as recommended in General Assembly resolution 47/85. The United Nations should provide financial resources to ensure that the Youth Forum of the United Nations system could take place in 1996. In addition, young people should be recognized as a group with special needs and desires. The United Nations and Governments were responsible for applying the world programme of action for youth and for ensuring that future generations would be able to participate actively in building a better world.
UN Doc.: A/C.3/50/SR.8
Cite as:
UN Doc.: A/C.3/50/SR.8, 27 October 1995, p. 12-13, Youth Delegate Search: https://youthdelegatesearch.org/norway-1995-ii/, doi: 10.17176/20221018-195224-0.