COTONOU, Benin, 15 November 2012 — The three-day Regional Youth Forum, Promoting the MDGs and the ICPD Programme of Action among African Youth, closed today with messages the African youth will share with their counterparts from other continents at the Bali Global Youth Forum in December. The latter forum will adopt concrete recommendations for policy makers and other interested parties and address the policy gaps on the youth across the world.
The forum, organized by the Beninese Ministry of Development and the Ministry of Youth with the support of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, aimed to engage the African youth in the review of the ICPD (International Conference on Population and Development) Programme of Action beyond 2014 and the post MDGs. It was also seen as an advocacy platform to ensure that the specific needs of young people and adolescents are reflected in policies around health, employment and sustainable economic development across the African continent.
The Forum was open on 12 November by Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin and Thomas Boni Yayi, current chair of the African Union, in the presence of Ministers and 150 participants from 23 African countries, United Nations agencies including ILO, UNDP and UNICEF and other partners, and to the sounds of a youth hymn.
In his statement, Dr. Osotimehin highlighted the fact that Africa should invest in its youth to develop human capital, a key factor for development. “What we need to do is to operationalize the way to make sure the youth feel they are engaged, they participate, and they have a future in this continent. At UNFPA, we will invest more to ensure African youth have a brighter future.
“Young people want and are entitled to quality education, good health care, and opportunities for leadership and employment,” he said, as stated at the 2011 AU Summit in Malabo.
He urged the participants to agree on a common position to make the African voice heard at the upcoming Bali Global Forum.
The President of Benin, Thomas Boni Yayi, said the African Union (AU) is committed to overcoming the challenges that the African youth are facing. “I am here today to reassure you, to revive hopes. Be proud to be Africans. The time has come for us African leaders to address your aspirations and provide you with the appropriate training that will enable you to participate in the creation of national wealth.”
He said one of the major issues African countries have been facing was maternal mortality, and that young people are also affected. “I reaffirm here the commitment of the AU Member States to accelerate the attainment of MDG 5.” He then officially opened Benin’s third CARMMA national week.
As a result of their intense knowledge sharing, discussion and debates, the Regional Youth Forum participants adopted many recommendations and a position they are to share at the Bali Forum, as follows:
- Governments should adopt national development frameworks that adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health and rights are embedded in, using the human rights-based approach;
- Promote gender equality and the effective participation of young girls and women in the decision-making sphere, including measures to empower girls;
- As for professional integration, incentives should be put in place, notably a pro-youth tax system to foster the creation of small businesses by young people, and access to decent work;
- Increase significantly the proportion of public expenses devoted to the youth. The AU and the Regional Economic Commissions should advocate with governments to determine the appropriate percentage of the national health budget to allocate to adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health;
- Special attention should be given to the needs, participation and professional integration of marginalized young people;
- During the current review process of the development agenda – ICPD beyond 2014 and MDGs beyond 2015 – the UN system should advocate with governments to include adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health as a development priority.
Dr. Osotimehin visited Benin from 11-12 November 2012 to consolidate the partnership between the UNFPA and the Government of Benin. This visit strengthened advocacy for better involvement of the national authorities in CARMMA and to give new impetus to this initiative at the continental level. CARMMA was launched by the AU in 2009, with the support of UNFPA as major partner.
~ Hugues Kone and Frankèle Zossoungbo
