entrepreneurship

ITCs for Development

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Marie Paule Roudil, the director of UNESCO, discussed the importance of community media. UNESCO is attempting to conclude crimes against journalists, as one of its goals is to facilitate media development. The significant impact which information and communications technologies (ICT) can have on sustainable development was also discussed from various angles. Financial inclusion, a broadened distribution of information and an increase in the quality of education were predicted from a future with greater ICT access. Ms. Roudil continued by explaining that press freedom and access to information are sustainable development goals.

In making a comparison, Ms. Roudil elucidated that 6.7% of households situated in least developed countries (LDC) have access to the Internet, while 34.1% of household in developed countries have access to the Internet. Statistical discrepancies also exist between the amount of ICT access in rural and urban areas, financially secure and financially insecure areas and between males and females.

Ms. Pitchaporn Liwjaroen of Thailand called for inclusive sustainable development. Often, due to gender-based prejudice, females are not afforded the same opportunities that their male counterparts are to access these resources. Inclusive development is called for in Agenda 2030.

To help promote the value of ICTs, various nations are instituting technology-based programs that offer scholarships and other opportunities to their respective pupils. Masud Bin Momen described IPOA, a scholarship for students in Bangladesh. Also, according to Ye Yongfeng, programs to teach coding in schools are being integrated in Singapore. The majority of delegates gave their condolences to the nation of Thailand for the death of their king, Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Ashish Kumar Sinha expressed that the integration of ICT in India has been through e-governance, which provides open, governmental information. This has helped empower vulnerable populations, including rural people. He discussed how better, real time information has been transforming public policy.

Meeting: Information and communications technologies for development

Date/ Location: Thursday, October 13th, 2016; 15:00-18:00; Conference Room 2

Speakers: Shamika Sirimanne, Director of ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division of. UNESCAP; Marie Paule Roudil, Director of UNESCO; Ms. Pitchaporn Liwjaroen, Second Secretary of Development Affairs Division of Department of International Organizations of Thailand; Dato Abdul Ghafar Ismail, New Permanent Representative of Brunei Darussalam; Pennelope Althea Beckles, new Permanent Representative of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago; Masud Bin Momen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh; Ahmed Sareer, Permanent Representative of the Maldives; Maria Angela A. Ponce, Career Minister of Philippines; Ina Hagniningtyas Krisnamurthi, Ambassador/Deputy Permanent Representative of Indonesia; Ashish Kumar Sinha, First Secretary of India; Michael Ronen, Ambassador of Israel; Roman V Lopyrev, Delegate of Russian Federation; Dr. Amrith Rohan Perera, Ambassador & Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka; Abdullah Mohammed A Alghunaim, Ambassador of Afghanistan; Ana Silvia Rodríguez Abascal, Deputy Permanent Representative of Cuba; William José Calvo Calvo, Minister-Counselor of Costa Rica; Ye Yongfeng, Permanent Representative of Singapore; Carlos Sergio Sobral Duarte Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Embassy of Brazil; Raja Reza Raja Zaib Shah, Deputy Permanent Minister of Malaysia;  Nirmal Raj Kafle Deputy Head of Nepal; Ali Alnuaimi, Delegate of United Arab Emirates; Salvador De Lara Rangel, Counsellor of Mexico; Mounkaila Yacouba, Delegate of Niger; Tamara Kharashun, Counsellor of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus; Anthony Andanje, Ambassador/ Deputy Permanent Representative of Kenya; Liu Jun, Ambassador of China; Tekeda Alemu, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia; Ilkin Hajiyev, Third Secretary of Azerbaijan; Bankole Adeoye, Director of Second United Nations Division of Nigeria; Mr. Biljeek, Ambassador of Bahrain; Kadiatou Sall-Beye, International Telecommunication Union

Written By: Donna Sunny, WIT Representative

 

Reactions and Suggestions to the Sustainable Development Goals

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An informal meeting convened by the Co-chairs of the Open Working Group on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was held this morning. Representatives of major groups and other stakeholders gathered to discuss their viewpoints on the Zero Draft of the SDGs.

Mr. Harris called for more ambitious targets under Goal 7 in a bid to provide all people with access to renewable energy, increase energy efficiency and ensure that new energy production is renewable. He used biomass as an example to illustrate the need to define qualifiers such as “clean”, “sustainable” or “modern” energy within targets under Goal 7, since biomass is renewable yet its potential negative social and environmental impacts can impede sustainability itself. He further made suImageggestions on the reformulation of targets under Goal 7, with more attention to women, indigenous people, farmers and entrepreneurs.

Ms. Hansen reiterated the necessity of the stand-alone goal on climate change towards a climate-resilient future and to drive urgent international action. She asked for more concrete and ambitious targets under goal 13 by taking into account the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR), and setting a target of a less than1.5°C increase in global average temperature. She also suggested one additional target related to financing, since financing is one of the most critical means of implementing the SDGs.

Ms. Wright spoke about goal 9, industrialization, and raised concern in which the language and focus of goal 9 would counteract the real essence of sustainable development. She, on behalf of her group, proposed merging the “production related” target of goal 12, with some of the targets in goal 9. Melany Grout emphasized the need to address the multidimensional face of poverty and the target under goal 1, poverty eradication, should focus on the measure of well-being rather than on income alone. Furthermore, social protection should be universalized.

 

Meeting Title: Reaction to Zero Draft: Joint Statements
Speakers: Grove Harris, speaking on behalf of Women’s, Children and Youth, Indigenous Peoples, NGO Major Groups, Mining Working Group, Beyond 2015; Mette Bloch Hansen. speaking on behalf of the Major Groups of NGOs, Children & Youth and Women, Beyond 2015, Climate Action Network International; Nozipho Wright, speaking on behalf of Women’s Major Group, NGO Major Group, the youth Major and other stakeholders; Melany Grout, speaking on behalf of Plan International, Psychology Coalition at the UN, Commons Cluster, ATD Fourth World, Oxfam, Christian Aid, Islamic Relief, GNDR, Plan International, World Animal Protection, World Vision International, Major Group Children and Youth, Landesa.
Date: 19 June 2014
Location: United Nations, Economic and Social Council Chamber, New York
Written by WIT Representative: Tracy Lau
Edited by WIT Representative: Marli Kasdan

Promoting Youth Employment

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Creating decent jobs for a more sustainable future

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The speakers today are confident that the youth population should be at the epicenter for vision and transformation. Ms. Agbarakwe discussed the awareness of youth power and international influence to pressure governments and ensure their voices are heard. However the world is lacking an action plan, locally, nationally and globally, to prevent the exclusion of youth from the workforce and to connect them with important training particularly in entrepreneurship and agriculture. 

Mr. Nik Hartley, Chief Executive Officer of Restless Development, drew statistics on Tanzania where 50% of the population is under 15, fertility rates are 5 children per mother, 800,000 young will need to entre the job market every year, and as 8% of young people turn to criminal offenses, there is a clear need for high youth employment and inclusion.  

Ms. Goldin expressed concerns that youth make up 40% of the world’s unemployed, as they can be vulnerable to long term unemployment, with little opportunity for advancement and skill enhancement. Governments operate inefficiently as they face monetary losses from missed taxation opportunities, and high benefits payments. Ms. Ollivierre and Ms. Trettebergstuen emphasized the importance of training young people in entrepreneurship, as current education systems don’t always facilitate students with skills necessary for employment and sustainable business.

Mr. Landi explained that 9/10 jobs are created in the private sector and agreed with Mr. Dino Corell that not just quantity but the quality of employment must be monitored to ensure that young people are respected and given equal and fair employment standards. The discussion expressed a need for the youth civil society and governments to work alongside employers in a collaborative training experience acting as a stepping-stone into the work environment.

Ms. Taylor declared there is no single solution but there must be an unwavering commitment to the inclusion and engagement of the youth population in the current agenda setting, which paves the way for development into their future.

 

Meeting Title: Promoting Youth Employment – Creating Decent Jobs for a more Sustainable Future
Speakers: Ms. Nicole Goldin – Director of Youth Prosperity and Security Initiative at Center for Strategic and International Studies, Ms. Alian Ollivierre – Barbados Youth Development Council (iVolunteer Barbados) and SIDS Caribbean Focal Point, Mr. Dino Corell – Programme Analyst, International Labour Organization, Mr. Matteo Landi – Industrial Development Officer and Youth Employment Expert, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Ms. Esther Agbarakwe – Co-founder, Youth Climate Coalition of Nigeria, Ms. Anette Trettebergstuen – Member of the Labour and Social Affairs Committee of Norway,  Ms. Andrea Taylor – Director of North America, Citizenship and Public Affairs, Microsoft Corporation
Location: United Nations HQ, New York
Date: 2 June 2014
Written by WIT representative: Sophia Griffiths-Mark