Delegates: Ms. Amanda Gran, Mr. Bjørn-Kristian Svendsrud
11. Ms. Gran (Norway), speaking as a youth delegate, said that the number of conflicts driven by climate-related shocks was on the rise, causing pressure on food security. Multiple forms of malnutrition coexisted, affecting children and young people the most. Addressing food insecurity called for a holistic and conflict-sensitive approach to efforts to sustain peace. Girls living in conflict areas and in some refugee communities faced the danger of early or forced marriages. Through healthcare, education and equal opportunity, all States could empower young girls to become champions of change in their own communities. In conflict areas, young people were unable to attend school and were more vulnerable to violence and recruitment by armed groups. Member States must protect schools from being used as a strategic target in conflict. The extent and depth of trauma suffered by young people at the hands of armed groups threatened to create a lost generation in some parts of the world. Yet young people had never been more dynamic and engaged, showcasing their potential as much more than victims of conflict.
12. Mr. Svendsrud (Norway), speaking as a youth delegate, said that, notwithstanding Security Council resolutions 2250 (2015) and 2419 (2018), which recognized children and youth as positive and important change-makers in conflict resolution and peacebuilding processes, that narrative was not acknowledged in all processes and many young people’s lives were disrupted by conflict.
13. Of all the children born each year, 1.7 per cent were born with sex traits that did not fit typical definitions of male and female. Intersex people were often subject to irreversible surgery without the opportunity to make an informed decision. He called on Member States to put an end to that practice, to realize their rights to physical integrity, health, privacy and autonomy. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer persons must be entitled to enjoy the protections provided by law, including the right to life, security of person and privacy, and freedom from discrimination. Member States should invest in youth, enabling them to participate and make their voice heard in politics and decision-making. It was time to make [*4*] young people part of the solution, allowing them to shape a better future for all.
UN Doc.: A/C.3/73/SR.3
Cite as:
UN Doc.: A/C.3/73/SR.3, 3 October 2018, p. 3, Youth Delegate Search: https://youthdelegatesearch.org/norway-2018/, doi: 10.17176/20221018-192015-0.