PH Showcases Role of Filipino Youth in Nation-Building at 8th ECOSOC Youth Forum
National Youth Commission Assistant Secretary Paul Anthony Pangilinan delivers his speech at the 8th ECOSOC Youth Forum in New York on 09 April 2019. (New York PM photo)
NEW YORK 03 May 2019 – The Philipppines showcases the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) as a best practice in including and empowering the youth in nation-building and policy-making at the 8th Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum in New York on 09 April 2019.
“Even before engaging the youth in governance became fashionable and necessary, and long before the adoption of Goal 16, the Philippines has paved the way for youth participation in governance and in the policymaking process through its ‘Sangguniang Kabataan’ (SK or Youth Council),” National Youth Commission Assistant Secretary Paul Anthony Pangilinan said.
Assistant Secretary Pangilinan described the country’s SK as a mechanism where youth representatives are elected to local government positions and have a direct hand in formulating and advocating policies and programs that directly affect and empower the youth.
He added that through the Philippine Youth Development Plan 2017-2022, the Philippine Government will continue to engage the youth, recognizing that their meaningful participation and partnership are essential in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The 8th ECOSOC Youth Forum was organized by the ECOSOC Bureau, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Office of the Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth and in collaboration with the United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development, particularly the Working Group on Youth and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
With the theme “Empowered, Included and Equal,” youth delegates were given a platform to voice their ideas and perspectives on progress, challenges and actions on achieving the sustainable development goals, and which will contribute to various processes in the UN such as the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development under ECOSOC in July, the SDG Summit and the Climate Summit in September. END
For more information, visit www.newyorkpcg.dfa.gov.ph, www.newyorkpcg.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinNY/.