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 “More than half of the global youth population is living in Asia and the Pacific,” according to a 2019 report by ADB and Plan International, UK. Engaging this huge population segment in development activities and harnessing the power of young people is crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

In light of this and as part of Global Goals Week 2021, UNESCO joined hands with Youth Council Nepal, Action Aid Nepal, and other development partners to organize the third National Youth Conference on 18-20 September, 2021. The conference’s aim was to cultivate ideas, identify solutions and build partnerships to solve a wide range of complex global problems ranging from poverty and gender inequality to climate change.

The conference, organized virtually as well as in-person by Youth Advocacy Nepal, brought together 100 young people from across the country to share their experiences and ideas in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In her inaugural remarks, Lily Thapa, a member of the National Human Rights Commission, encouraged attendees to implement the human rights action plan prepared by the Commission to achieve the SDGs. “Treaty bodies’ recommendations are very crucial to accelerate the execution of SDGs,” she said. Appealing to young people and youth organizations, she added, “Human rights defenders, particularly young people, can be important change agents to localize the SDGs.” 

General Secretary of NGO Federation Nepal, Ram Prasad Subedi, underscored that youths from marginalized and vulnerable communities should be brought into the mainstream when implementing the SDGs; otherwise, the spirit of ‘leave no one behind' cannot be achieved. “Along with other rights, the youth should be linked to entrepreneurship,” he said. 

During the three-day event, various papers were presented and discussed, on topics relating to achieving SDGs, the associated challenges, and education during the pandemic, among others.