The United Nations in commemoration of Human Rights Day says it is the duty of everyone to ensure that the voices of young people are heard.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet in a statement issued in Geneva on Monday said the world owe a debt of gratitude to children, teenagers and young adults who have been standing up and speaking out more and more loudly about the crisis facing our planet.
“We have a duty to ensure young people’s voices are heard.
“All human beings have a right to participate in decisions that have impact on their lives. In order to ensure more effective decision-making, and to build greater trust and harmony across their nations, the leaders of every society should be listening to their people – and acting in accordance with their needs and demands,” the statement read in part.
She also shared on her Twitter picture from her meeting with popular teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg noting the importance of giving audience to young people
“We have a duty to ensure young people’s voices are heard. I had the pleasure to meet @GretaThunberg for #HumanRightsDay & we had an inspiring conversation. She is a living proof that we all have a role to play to create the future we want. We need to #ActNow!#StandUp4HumanRights,” she posted.
We have a duty to ensure young people’s voices are heard. I had the pleasure to meet @GretaThunberg for #HumanRightsDay & we had an inspiring conversation. She is a living proof that we all have a role to play to create the future we want. We need to #ActNow!#StandUp4HumanRights pic.twitter.com/ZBelfVace1
— Michelle Bachelet (@mbachelet) December 10, 2019
The United nations a tweet also stressed that young people are drivers of political, economic and social transformation and their participation is essential for achieving Global Goals.
Youth participation is essential for achieving #GlobalGoals, and young people are drivers of political, economic and social transformation.
On Tuesday’s #HumanRightsDay, see how YOU can #StandUp4HumanRights: https://t.co/Fx0uQPmvW7 pic.twitter.com/fdDcdlziOK
— United Nations (@UN) December 10, 2019
Bachelet however stressed that young people are rightly pointing out that it is their future is at stake and they cannot be left alone to handle these challenges.
According to her, joint effort is needed to tackle these challenges.
young people will have to bear the full consequences of the actions, or lack of action, by the older generations who currently run governments and businesses, the decision-makers on whom the future of individual countries, regions and the planet depends.
“It cannot, of course, be left to young people alone to tackle the climate emergency, or indeed the many other human rights crises that are currently causing simultaneous turbulence in so many countries across the world.
“All of us must stand together, in solidarity, and act with principle and urgency.
“We can, and must, uphold the painstakingly developed universal human rights principles that sustain peace, justice and sustainable development. A world with diminished human rights is a world that is stepping backwards into a darker past, when the powerful could prey on the powerless with little or no moral or legal restraint,” she concluded.