International Youth Day./Youth Information Suppliment.

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Special Suppliment of Youth Information from ICYO 12 August 2001

Message of UN Secretary General on International Youth Day

" Young people should be at the forefront of global change and innovation "

--- Mr. Kofi n, Secretary General, United Nations

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Since two years 12 August is celebrated as the International Youth. Mr. Kofi

n, Secretary General, United Nations emphasis on youth employment in his

message on the occassion of International Youth Day.

Here is full text of the message of the UN Secretary-General Kofi n on

the occasion of International Youth Day:

" On International Youth Day, we celebrate the contributions that young

people make to world, and promote awareness of the challenges young people

face. On this, the second observance of International Youth Day, two issues

merit special attention: health and unemployment.

The special session of the United Nations General Assembly on HIV/AIDS held

in June highlighted the alarming vulnerability of young people to the

disease. Every minute, five people between the ages of 10 and 24 are

infected with HIV. Worldwide, that age bracket accounts for at least one

third of all people living with HIV or AIDS. The special session identified

measures that can help curb the spread of the virus among young people, such

as providing access to the information and education necessary to reduce

vulnerability to HIV. I strongly encourage governments to carry out the

steps to which they agreed in the Declaration of Commitment.

There are roughly 70 million unemployed young people in the world today, and

many more are struggling for survival on low wages and in poor working

conditions, often in the informal sector, with little or no job protection,

benefits or prospects for the future. Unemployment affects young people

disproportionately: the 15 to 24 age group accounts for more than 40 per

cent of the world's total unemployed, and youth unemployment rates are

typically two to three times higher than the rates for adults. Being

unemployment as a youth takes an enduring toll, damaging prospects for

employment later in life. To break this distractive circle of despair,

poverty, and social instability, the United Nations, International Labour

Organization and the World Bank have jointly launched a Youth Employment

Network to come up with proposals that cover the full range of the challenge

of youth employment. I strongly urge governments and our many other partners

support this initiate.

Young people should be at the forefront of global change and innovation.

Empowered, they can be key agents for development and peace. If however,

they are left on society's margins, all of us will be impoverished. Let us

ensure that all young people have every opportunity to participate fully in

the lives of their societies.

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The Youth Information is published by Indian Committee of Youth

Organizations (ICYO).

The ICYO is a coordinating body of 350 Youth Organizations in India, working

for capacity building of Youth Organizations, advocacy of and for Youth and

Child Right issues. Main focus subjects are Youth Health (including

HIV/AIDS), Population, Environment, Commercial Sexual Abuse/ Exploitation of

Child and Youth, Habitat, Peace etc. ICYO is member of World Assembly of

Youth (WAY), Asian Youth Council (AYC), Youth For Habitat International

Network (YFHIN), ECPAT International, International Youth ation

(IYOCO) and Roster status in ECOSOC of United Nations. Also National Youth

Coordinating Organization for HRD, ESCAP, UN.

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