UNGA president underscores role of women, youth for post-2015 development agenda

Addressing the opening of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on "The Contributions of Women, the Young and Civil Society to the Post-2015 Development Agenda," Ashe said that women and girls continue to face increasing violence, discrimination and unequal access to resources and assets, social protections and fundamental rights such as education and health; as well as to political participation and decision-making processes. He reminded participants that "women not only subsidize economies, but they sew the social fabric of their communities together, and are the primary drivers of nutrition, health, education and well-being of future generations." Talking about the young who make up one-quarter of our population and are the guardians of the future, Ashe said the world's 1.8 billion adolescents and youth are "one of our greatest assets." He noted that across the world, youth have shown the impact they can have in social and political movements, ranging from the Middle East and Eastern Europe, to Latin America and Africa. "While they are often denied the investment and opportunities to make use of their full potential, whether due to a lack of employment and education opportunities, disease burden or child marriage, they are well aware of what they want and need: quality education and health care, job opportunities, protection from all forms of abuse, removal of barriers that hinder inclusion and participation, and open and transparent governance," he said. 2015 is the deadline for meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by world leaders in 2000 to eradicate poverty and promote gender equality, among other things. And for the agenda beyond 2015, which will succeed the MDGs, the president of the UNGA noted that all groups and all people have a stake in this development agenda and have a right to be included and heard. Ashe stressed that the two-day event of the UNGA, with theme on equality, inclusiveness and participation, will focus on how women, the young and civil society can and should participate as actors, partners and contributors to the development and subsequent implementation of a shared post-2015 development agenda that has the eradication of extreme poverty as its overarching objective, and enables us to achieve sustainable development.