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Add to Preferred SourcesUnderscoring the importance of fully involving the young in decisions affecting their lives, three United Nations agencies announced an innovative partnership on September 2 with African local governments, designed to inject youthful ideas and energy into urban planning policies.
Speaking at a press briefing, where the collaboration was announced, Christopher Williams, a Director at the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) highlighted the fresh “wisdom and insight” young people bring to planning initiatives.
“It is essential they are involved in initiatives systematically,” he said.
Under the partnership, UN-Habitat, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will join the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA), in organizing the inaugural youth forum at the Africities Summit, to be held from 20-24 November, in Marrakech, Morocco.
The initiative is all the more crucial for Africa as nearly three-quarters of the continent is under-35, noted Daniel Schatz, Programme Officer with the UNODC in New York.
Wambui Kahara, a UCLGA Youth Champion, said that youth were Africa’s greatest resource:
“Young people are dynamic, energetic, resourceful, creative, innovative and adventurous”, she said, adding that they were “vital for Africa’s growth and development.”
Young people should be at the heart of implementation and monitoring of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Ms. Kahara continued, in particular, SDG 11 which calls for inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable towns and cities by 2030.
Original source: UN News
Published on 2 October 2018