Spring Break
Commission proves UN mission
Guest Column
Laura Smith
Issue date: 3/2/07 Section: Opinion
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For someone whose stated long-term goal is to save the world, attending a commission at the United Nations is a tremendous opportunity.
Thus, I was honored to learn I had been accepted to participate in the United Nations Commission for Social Development.
I attended the 45th Session of the Commission for Social Development with a program called "Agents of Change" through SustainUS, a network of young people in the United States who are committed to empowering youth and advocating sustainable development.
Briefings, side events and plen-ary sessions all addressed this year's theme: "Full Employment and Decent Work for All."
While the objective for full and decent employment is widely agreed-upon, the obstacles for employment growth are diverse.
Delegates from Jamaica and Nigeria often spoke of the "drain brain" problem resulting from highly skilled workers leaving their countries while representatives from Germany and the EU spoke of the need to integrate their substantial aging population into the workforce.
Overall, most discussion focused on the barriers to employment faced by society's most vulnerable populations: namely youth, the disabled and the aging.
My role at the Commission was to advocate for the inclusion of youth issues in these debates and to lobby for policies that were inclusive, fair and sustainable.
The youth delegates and representatives graciously shared information with Agents of Change and advised us on how to become more involved in the policy process.
In return, we helped them draft resolutions concerning youth issues and organized meetings to discuss how to strengthen and unify the youth presence.
Though being an NGO representative allowed me more freedom to express my opinions and attend a wider variety of sessions, I was appalled to learn that the United States does not have a youth presence on its official delegation.
Many European nations have official youth delegates who are treated as equal members of their country's delegation.
Thus, I was honored to learn I had been accepted to participate in the United Nations Commission for Social Development.
I attended the 45th Session of the Commission for Social Development with a program called "Agents of Change" through SustainUS, a network of young people in the United States who are committed to empowering youth and advocating sustainable development.
Briefings, side events and plen-ary sessions all addressed this year's theme: "Full Employment and Decent Work for All."
While the objective for full and decent employment is widely agreed-upon, the obstacles for employment growth are diverse.
Delegates from Jamaica and Nigeria often spoke of the "drain brain" problem resulting from highly skilled workers leaving their countries while representatives from Germany and the EU spoke of the need to integrate their substantial aging population into the workforce.
Overall, most discussion focused on the barriers to employment faced by society's most vulnerable populations: namely youth, the disabled and the aging.
My role at the Commission was to advocate for the inclusion of youth issues in these debates and to lobby for policies that were inclusive, fair and sustainable.
The youth delegates and representatives graciously shared information with Agents of Change and advised us on how to become more involved in the policy process.
In return, we helped them draft resolutions concerning youth issues and organized meetings to discuss how to strengthen and unify the youth presence.
Though being an NGO representative allowed me more freedom to express my opinions and attend a wider variety of sessions, I was appalled to learn that the United States does not have a youth presence on its official delegation.
Many European nations have official youth delegates who are treated as equal members of their country's delegation.
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