I thank the briefers for their thorough overview of the issue.
Today we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the landmark resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security. This year we also had the first ever report of the Secretary General on the same topic. While hoping for this to become a regular occurrence to ensure a consistent focus on YPS, it is us, the members of the Security Council, who must continue and increase our efforts.
We cannot build a resilient and peaceful society without including the next generation. Young people are the vital driving force behind new ideas, solutions and innovation. They have a right to participate in public life and decision making processes. There are almost 2 billion young women and men, aged 10 to 24 years in the world. Providing these young people meaningful and genuine ways to participate and shape their societies is the best way to avoid tensions and conflicts and to ensure peace instead. If we fail to do that, we risk alienating roughly about 25% of the world’s population – the ones who take our societies forward. Moreover, the failure to address the needs and rights of the youth impedes an end to sustainable peace.
It is important to recognize the growing role youth plays in peace and security. The youth should not be treated as passive civilians. We sincerely hope that implementing and strengthening Youth, Peace and Security resolutions is a continuing trend in the UN. We must continue to show others the way forward. I would like to thank UNICEF and Save the Children organizations among others, for their important work on children and youth. On country level, there are still visible barriers to youth participation in decision-making. Youth activists continue to be subject of human rights violations and abuses. We have said it before and I will continue stressing it – any threats, attacks and acts of intimidation made against youth peacebuilders, human rights defenders, especially women activists, are unacceptable. We must overcome these problems collectively. The local youth should be ensured a meaningful chance to participate in public life.
There is still a long way to go, but there are already visible achievements. The ad-hoc inclusion of YPS in our work must evolve into a systematic approach. The youth reminds us that we need to take a long term, sustainable and forward looking approach in peace and security, as well as on climate and human rights. These are their rights and it is our obligation to listen to them. I am convinced, that multilateralism has lots to win from encouraging, listening and supporting youth.