Giving tomorrow’s leaders a voice on the global stage
Meet the 2016 UK youth delegates to the United Nations General Assembly
Every September, 193 nations come together: world leaders are all in one room; dozens of events happen all over New York City, attended by diplomats, dignitaries and even the odd celebrity; decisions are made on the world’s biggest issues like global poverty, women’s economic empowerment or international peacekeeping and security. It’s the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
UNGA is an exciting time of the year for organisations like DFID that work with the United Nations (UN). UNGA brings together world leaders to make decisions on important questions, such as those on peace and security, admitting new members to the UN and budgets. It’s global diplomacy’s biggest stage.
This September, just like for UNGA 2015, two Youth Delegates will accompany the Secretary of State for International Development to UNGA as part of the official UK delegation. By again taking Youth Delegates to UNGA, the UK is demonstrating its continued commitment to transforming the way we work with and for young people. It’s a big job, but this year’s delegates are more than up for the challenge.
As the Secretary of State for International Development Priti Patel said: “More than half of the world’s population is under the age of 30, so we must invest in their future by creating jobs and growth across the world. As Britain becomes more outward-looking than ever before, our future leaders, scientists and teachers will be central to maintaining and building upon Britain’s position as a major world player.
“The UK is leading the way in putting youth high on the agenda and other countries must now step up to the plate and take young people as seriously as we do in our global efforts to secure a safer and more prosperous future for all.”
So who are this year’s UNGA delegates? Meet Minhaz Abedin and Takyiwa Danso, who have the opportunity to take the voice and views of young people in the UK right to the heart of the UN.
Minhaz Abedin: UK Youth Delegate 2016
Minhaz lobbied his first MP aged 10. Ever since, he has been engaged in community and youth work, both locally and regionally.
From speaking at the Dispatch Box of the House of Commons twice to then representing the views of millions of young people via televised news reports and newspaper articles — his work as a Member of Youth Parliament has set the foundations for his journey to represent UK youth at the UNGA this September.
Minhaz has just taken up a position with World Merit — an organisation that is working to tackle the Sustainable Development Goals every single day. Working on their flagship programme “Merit360”, coordinating just under 400 young people to attend the UN — two days before the UNGA — this September.
As Minhaz said: “I’ve seen how difficult it is to reach out to young people, because the Global Goals are a daunting topic for everyone. But if we break it down, we can let young people know that each Global Goal is independent. That is how we will make change, by allowing passionate young people to be the driving force.”
Takyiwa Danso: UK Youth Delegate 2016
Having volunteered with VSO International Citizens Service in Kenya, Takyiwa is now committed to ensuring as many young people from all backgrounds have similar opportunities, through her current work as a mentor through the IVO4ALL scheme, (International Volunteering Opportunities for All).
Takyiwa was part of the ACTION/2015 UK Youth Panel throughout 2015, amplifying and advocating for the power of young people in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, before going to Paris as a climate activist to participate in the COP21 climate negotiations last December.
Determined to motivate young people to become more engaged in decision-making, Takyiwa is keen to expand her political knowledge, and currently volunteers with the Patchwork Foundation and BBC Generation 2016. Takyiwa believes in the positive power of international development, and that the solutions to the world’s injustices lie not just with those in power now, but with the younger generation as well.
As Takyiwa said: “I would like to emphasise to the world that young people are part of the solution to tackling the biggest development issues, we are not the problem. We’re not here to judge or blame the older generation, we actually just want to get on with it and lead the way to create a better society for our future generation — world leaders just need to give us the space to do so.”
