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Ministerial Forum
Representatives of state, delegates and special invitees of UN Agencies met today at the Hyderabad YES Regional Forum to discuss Policy Making for youth empowerment in the region.
This meeting is seen as the first step to the drafting of the 'Hyderabad Declaration', which will be a document specifying concrete steps for furthering the cause of youth employment. The speakers of this session were Dr Hafiz Pasha, Assistant Secretary-General UNDP, Dr Ismail Serageldin, Director General, Library of Alexandria, Mr. P Ramulu, Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, Mr. Gopal Krishna Reddy, Minister for Employment Generation, Ms. Janet Whitla, Director, Education Development Center Inc. and Ms. Poonam Ahluwalia, Executive Director YES Campaign.
Dr Ismail said that the speed of change impacts our lives and this rushing faster was making us lose our core human concern for others. He highlighted the inequalities between rich and poor countries and how youth unemployment is different from other social problems as it has long term affects on careers and can be a social pathological problem.
Hailing the Alexandria YES Summit 2002 as a "Capstone and Launching pad", he said that the global summit was the answer to the worries of people ranging from village elders to the richest- youth unemployment. The youth unemployment issue was of global interest, and that justice and equity should be at the heart of YES. He laid special stress on the importance of policy making. He asked the ministers and the delegates to have more faith among the youth and to believe in their creativity and invest in their dreams. He also said that there need to be major changes made in the policy framework so as to allow the youth to develop and get job opportunities. In this way, the governments should look to remove hidden subsidies and reward innovations.
Dr. Hafiz Pasha spoke about the regional perspective, saying that fundamental transitions need to be made in the character of the labour force. He spoke on the lack of the agricultural sector in employment generation He said that the main points which need to be followed for employment generation were to enhance the investment in human development, increase the productivity of small scale farmers and off-farm activities, focus away from stabilizing policies to those of growth policies and the need to mainstream employment policies into national and state development.
Mr Gopal Krishna Reddy said that the main aim of the Andhra Pradesh government was to generate wealth and growth through employment generation. Special attention was given to women employment as well as empowerment and micro financing for them. In view of the labour laws, he said that they need to be changed in order to attract investment and entrepreneurs and praised China for its progress in this field.
Janet Whitla spoke about the role that EDC was playing and the need the founder of YES had felt to promote empowerment of youth as well as to provide sustainable livelihoods for them.
This session is to be seen as a preview of more discussions to be followed which will conclude in the drafting of the Hyderabad Blueprint which will be officially adopted and released to all at the closing of the YES Regional Forum 2003, Hyderabad.
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