Global Policy Forum

By Joel C. Atencio

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan called yesterday on the youths worldwide, including the Filipinos, to join the war against unemployment and Acquired Immunity Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS. Annan made the call through a message read for him by UN resident coordinator Terrence T. Jones during the celebration of the International Youth Day at the Philippine Normal University (PNU).

The UN chief cited reports that many people are dying of AIDS worldwide while others are starving due to poverty brought about by unemployment. The problems are common in some parts of South Africa, Asia, Europe and America. Jones joined Presidential Security Adviser J. Roilo Golez, youth leader Roderick Cruz of United Nations Associations of the Philippines, Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chairperson Aurora Navarette-Reciña and other government officials in laying a wreath on the monument of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal.

"On International Youth Day (IYD), we celebrate the contributions that young people make to our world, and promote awareness of the challenges young people face. On this, the second observance of IYD, two issues merit special attention: health and unemployment," Annan said.

The UN chief said that the Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Hummo Immuno Virus (HIV)/AIDS held last June highlighted the alarming vulnerability of young people to the disease.

Annan said 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/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," he said. "I strongly encourage governments of the world to carry out the steps to which they agreed in the Declaration of the world," Annan said.

On the problem of unemployment, Annan said 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.

Annan went on to say that unemployment affects young people disproportionately: the 15 to 24 age group accounts for more than 40 percent of the world's total unemployed, and youth unemployment rates are typically two to three times higher than the rates for adults.

Reciña said that in the recent People Power 2, the youth certainly have proven themselves. "They play a vital role to effect social change into our country today.The other name of People Power 2 is youth power. Perhaps, with the ardent and brave fight the youth put up during People Power 2, most people now have a better - and brighter - idea of where the future is headed," she said. "Of course, despite their tremendous potentials, young citizens have their shortcomings. But young as they are, they make a stand on their own. Their position may not always be the best one, but at least, they have one and fight for it," the CHR chief said.

Reciña urged the young Filipinos to learn the values of international solidarity, "as our global village grows smaller, wherever other's rights are denied, our own humanity is threatened. We must learn that change is possible, through united action - action as alternative to despair, international solidarity as an alternative to isolation, a vision of a better world as an alternative to confusion."

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