An Indicator on Youth in the Monitoring Framework: the Missing Link?

In this Amphitheatre Session, participants were asked to discuss the value of adding a youth indicator to the monitoring framework, identifying the gaps that it would fill and the contribution it would make to improving the effectiveness of development co-operation.

Jayne Njoki, Chair, Youth Committee, COTU-K and ITUC Africa, Kenya

Jayne Njoki started by highlighting that trade unions empower workers and give them a voice. She highlighted the experience of youth being empowered through social dialogue, in particular, in the area of social and economic decision making. She went on to elaborate that inclusive development is about decent work, the human rights based approach and enabling environment for trade unions by supporting freedom of association and bargaining. She closed by stating that bringing governments, workers and employers is critical for accountability and social progress.

H.E. Dr. Sahar Nasr, Minister of International Cooperation - Egypt

The representative for Egypt highlighted that young people have the power to come together to effect positive economic and societal change.

Mary Kawar, Director, ILO Country Office for United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, Daressalaam, Tanzania

The ILO representative highlighted the role of the ILO and its focus on realizing SDG 8 and especially with respect to youth employment and access to decent work. She emphasized their work on monitoring of youth employment strategies. She informed that audience that the ILO is very close to the ground, especially when it comes to monitoring and reaching out to youth on this topic.

H.E. Lilianne Ploumen, Minister for Foreign Trade & Development Cooperation - Netherlands

Youth Minister Ploumen made a very practical intervention stating that it would be important for the youth constituency to be represented in the Steering Committee of the GPEDC. She further went onto detail how the government of the Netherlands regularly includes a youth envoy in their official delegations and said other governments should look into similar practices.

Rey Perez Asis- Regional Secretariat Member, Asia Pacific Students and Youth Association

Rey also took a practical approach in his intervention suggesting that the GPEDC and the youth constituents create a task force to elaborate youth priorities for the GPEDC. This could take the form of a Global Partnership Initistive where all interested stakeholders would be welcome to take part.

Michael Asuidi, Organization of African Youth

Michael Asuidi delivered the youth forum statement which can be found here.

For more on Trade Unions’ participation in the HLM2, click here