People seek jobopportunities at the 2nd annual hiring fair in the Vancouver Central Library in Vancouver, Canada, April 6, 2016. About 2,000 job seekers attended the fair held by the WorkBC Employment Services Center, with 30 companies offering onsite one on one interviews. (Xinhua/Liang Sen)
UNITED NATIONS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday urged the member states to increase youth employment, saying that increasing job opportunities for young people is conducive to promoting the efforts to carry out the 2030 Agenda, a blueprint for the global development efforts for the next 15 years.
In his message to mark World Youth Skills Day, the secretary-general said, "The turmoil prevailing in many societies today adds to the urgency of addressing youth unemployment. Too many youth in developing countries are trapped into working poverty stemming from the irregularity of jobs."
"Let us renew our resolve to invest more in empowering young people," he said."When we do, they can better advance the broader mission of the United Nations for lasting peace, sustainable development and human rights for all."
"They toil without formal employment or social protection," he said. "Jobs creation is not keeping up with new entrants to the labour market."
"Today's world has the largest generation of youth in history," he said. "Their needs and potential are increasingly recognized in the international community."
Ban has made youth issues a priority, including by appointing the first-ever UN youth envoy, Ahmad Alhendawi, to serve as a liaison between the United Nations and the world's young people.
"This elevation on the global agenda comes at a critical time," he said. "Young people hold the key to society's future advancement, yet too often they face barriers to their personal progress."
Across the world today, more than 73 million are unemployed, making youth three times more likely than adults to be out of work, he noted.
"Young people are understandably searching for the financial security, personal satisfaction and sense of purpose that come from meaningful employment," he said. "Leaders have pledged to assist them in this effort."
"The visionary 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls for substantially increasing the number of youth with the skills they need for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship," he said.
"Empowering young people through skills development strengthens their capacity to help address the many challenges facing society, including poverty, injustice and violent conflict," he said. "There is no better investment than helping a young person to develop their abilities."
"Successful skills programmes link young people with opportunities to gain experience and jobs," he said. "It is especially critical to cultivate girls and young women with skills in science, technology and innovation."
The United Nations Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth is bringing together the UN system, governments, businesses, academic institutions, youth organizations and other partners to scale up action and impact in this area," he said.
World Youth Skills Day falls on July 15, and the United Nations is observing the day with a special event on the theme of "Skills Development to Improve Youth Employment."
Understanding what works to support young people in today's and tomorrow's labor market through training and skills development will be key to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, and will be at the center of this high-level event.
