International Youth Day: Engaging youth today determines development and prosperity in the future

It’s the young people who should speak loud about the problems and to inspire the positive reforms in the society.

The Global Report on Ageism launched by the United Nations in March 2021 highlights the many data gaps that exist with regards to ageism against youth. It is our duty to support the young people in decreasing the age-related barriers in various spheres of their lives such as employment, political participation, health and justice. The way we engage young people today will determine the prospects for sustainable development, growth and inclusive prosperity in the years to come.

That is why UNDP in North Macedonia partners with young people, youth organizations, actors from civil society and private sector to public institutions and through our project activities we promote the youth-focused and youth-led development in practice. We believe that only if young people are the agents of change standing on the frontlines, we will succeed to build better future for all.

Young people not only represent the future, but they are also the present. On the UN International Youth Day, together with our partners we share a message for freedom, inclusion, progress, integrity, positive values, creativity and intergenerational solidarity.

According to the most current Youth Trends Survey, 35.7% of the young people in North Macedonia have no interest in participating in the national decision-making processes. We should work together to reduce this number by initiating grater youth involvement in all levels of decision-making and encourage the young people to stay in the country by putting real and durable policies into place. UNDP will support the Agency for Youth and Sport in the process of creating the National Youth Strategy 2023 – 2027. The Strategy will tackle different aspects of young people’s lives such as youth employment, health, education, culture, quality of life.

Inspired by the International Youth Day, we have also prepared a video story with Slobodan Prochkov from Kavadarci and his personal path “from diploma to employment” that was made possible through the Youth Guarantee program. It is a program that provides young people with the opportunity for training, retraining, starting business, employment or educational upgrade.

United Nations is marking the International Youth Day with a message to collaborate and foster successful and equitable intergenerational relations and partnerships to ensure “no one is left behind.” International Youth Day has been observed on August 12 since 2000. The UN established this day to increase public awareness of young relevance and the various social, cultural, and legal concerns that impact the young people all over the world.

To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the world needs to leverage the full potential of all generations. Solidarity across generations is key for sustainable development. We must collaborate to foster successful and equitable intergenerational relations and partnerships to ensure “no one is left behind.” While intergenerational solidarity and concern for future generations is being called for in tackling global issues – with the UN Secretary-General recently putting forward new recommendations on renewed intergenerational solidarity, including in Our Common Agenda – many challenges remain.