Accra, Ghana, October 23, 2019//-The Ghana United Nations Students and Youth Association (GUNSA) is demanding urgent actions from world leaders to fight the rising figures of unemployment among the world’s youth.
In a statement to mark the 74th anniversary of the founding of the United GUNSA said the unemployment phenomenon has proven to have direct correlation with poverty, crime, illegal migration and human trafficking and this the association belief possess one of the biggest threats to global safety and security.
The statement released in Accra and signed by the General Secretary of GUNSA, Mr. Emmanuel J.K Arthur challenged world leaders to make good pledges at the numerous United Nations fora including the 74th United Nations General Assembly Sessions held in September this year in New York in order to instill confidence and hope to the continent’s teaming youth.
According to the United Nations Population Fund, there were 1.2 billion youth aged 15-24 years globally in 2015, accounting for one out of every six people worldwide.1 By 2030, the target date for the sustainable development goals, the number of youth is projected to have grown by 7 per cent, to nearly 1.3 billion.
“GUNSA holds the firm believe that the youth can be a positive force for development but only when they are provided with the knowledge and opportunities they need to thrive.
In particular, young people need access to a job market that can absorb them into its labour force since it is a well-known fact that among the greatest challenges facing many countries today are inadequate human capital investment and high unemployment rates among youth”, the statement said.
The statement expressed regret that unlike many years ago, the face of unemployment and the urban informal sector in lower middle-income countries is becoming that of the secondary or tertiary school graduate.
GUNSA has therefore challenged African leaders especially to urgently put in place practical mechanisms to address the issues of unemployment and under-employment.
The statement however commends efforts by the government of Ghana to prioritize the plight and situation of the youth but demanded more sustainability in their various approaches towards finding a solution.
GUNSA was founded in 1963 and operates under the Multilateral Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and works with several local and foreign organizations to advance the work of the United Nations through advocacy.
It is a member of the Geneva-based International Students and Youth Movement of the United Nations (ISMUN) and a Consultative member of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
The association operates in second cycle and tertiary institutions nationwide.
The theme for this year’s UN Day celebrations is “Galvanizing multilateral efforts for poverty eradication, quality education, climate action and inclusion.”
As part of the celebration, GUNSA is collaborating with the National Adhoc Planning Committee under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to hold Clean Up exercises, debates and discussions on various campuses.
African Eye Report
