UNITED NATIONS — Now is the time to invest in young people and to promote dialogue and understanding across cultures and generations, said Purnima Mane, Deputy Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, who delivered an opening speech at the World Youth Conference, Mexico 2010, on behalf of UNFPA’s Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid. Young people are not just the future, but very much the present, she told the conference, which is under way in Léon, Mexico.

In her speech at the opening of the ministerial segment of the conference yesterday, Ms. Mane said that more than half of all young people live on less than two dollars a day. In addition, an estimated 100 million adolescents do not attend school, and about half of all sexual assaults worldwide are against girls aged 15 and younger. 

She also noted that 16 million young girls become mothers every year, and complications from pregnancy are the leading cause of death among girls 15 to 19 years old. An estimated 2,500 young people become newly infected with HIV every single day, and high unemployment makes many of them fall victim to exploitation and violence.

The challenges are many, said Ms. Mane, but not insurmountable. “Together, we can overcome them if we work together and redouble our efforts to guarantee that all young people have the knowledge, skills and opportunities to reach their fullest potential”.

Blogs from the Youth Conference

She called on young people to stand up for their rights and for the rights of others. “Your leadership is needed now more than ever,” she said. “You are already leading the use of new technology to network, create and speak out for change.”
 
Ms. Mane also called on world leaders to listen to young people, and to involve them in all decision-making that affects their lives. “Only through meaningful dialogue across generations can we all contribute to finding solutions to the challenges we face”.

The conference, which is being attended by thousands of young people from more than 100 countries, aims at convincing governments to increase investments in youth — in their education, health, employment and leadership.

Several Mexican government officials, including Minister of Public Education, Alonso Lujambio, Governor of the State of Guanajuato, Juan Manuel Oliva, and Director of the Mexican Youth Institute, Priscila Vera, also spoke at the opening ceremony.