Mr. Chairman,

As a youth representative at this General Assembly, it is an honour for me to address this committee.

Within the next ten years, more than a billion of today’s children and youth will join the working age population. They are the best educated generation ever and have a tremendous potential for economic and social development.
However, to a large extent, especially in developing countries, only underpaid and insecure jobs with small possibilities for advancement are available to the young generations. There is a substantial risk that the economic investment of governments in education and training will be wasted if young people cannot move into productive jobs that enable them to pay taxes and support public services. Young women and men who find themselves alienated from society, frustrated by lack of opportunity and without means to care for themselves are more vulnerable to involvement with illegal and criminal activities and are at risk of recruitment by armed groups.

Mr. Chairman,
In accordance with the Millennium Declaration, the UN Secretary General in cooperation with the heads of the World Bank and the International Labour Organisation created the Youth Employment Network. The aim of the network was to combine political, technical and economic expertise to create a unique and powerful partnership to address the global challenge of youth employment.

The activities of the Youth Employment Network have been strengthened by two General Assembly resolutions, encouraging countries to prepare National Action Plans on youth employment with the specific involvement of young people. Ten countries, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Namibia, Mali, Rwanda, Senegal, and Sri Lanka have stepped forward to be lead countries in this process and showcase national plans that others can learn from.

The Youth Employment Network is working to ensure that youth are actively involved in these plans. In this respect it has already had some successes:
In Azerbaijan a grouping of NGOs and other civil society organizations, led by the National Assembly of Youth Organisations, have formed a National Coalition on Youth Employment, which will work closely with the Government and the ILO to develop the National Action Plan on Youth Employment.

In Namibia, the Minister of Higher Education has asked the Namibian National Youth Council to assist the Government in forming a multistakeholder task team that will work on developing the Action Plan.
As a youth representative, I strongly support this type of activity. I hope that all Member States can learn from the results achieved by the Youth Employment Network so far, and especially from the good examples of the ten lead countries.

Mr. Chairman,
Rather than being seen as a target group for which employment must be found, youth want to be accepted as partners for development, helping to chart a common course in shaping a brighter tomorrow. Just as they want to be partners in national employment issues, they also want to participate in the important work of the UN.

Mr. Chairman,
Young people may be tomorrow's leaders. But more importantly, they should be today's partners. Resolution 36/17 adopted by the General Assembly in
1981 asks "governments to consider the inclusion of youth representatives in their national delegations to the General Assembly". This call has been reconfirmed by resolutions in 1996, 2001 and 2003. Acknowledging that efforts have been made, it must be noted that there are still almost 180 Member States, which have not included Youth Representatives in their national delegations to the General Assembly.

I am deeply concerned that today, the Youth Representatives to the General Assembly are far from reflecting the world's cultural diversity. Especially, youth contributions from developing countries and countries with economies in transition would be of special importance.

Mr. Chairman,
I would to like to underline, that the year 2005 is of a special interest regarding youth participation within the UN system. Next year at the General Assembly, a plenary debate will take place for the evaluation of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond. That will mark an important step in the overall UN process towards broader youth participation.

I therefore urge Member States to make all possible efforts to include Youth Representatives in their national delegations to the General Assembly in 2005 as well as to all following General Assemblies.
Thank you for your attention.