jobs

Devastating Floods Ravage Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Croatia

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This afternoon the Permanent Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina hosted a meeting to bring attention to the need for support and assessment in the flooded regions of Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The meeting also highlighted the increased levels of solidarity exemplified by the people and governments of the region in the aftermath of the floods. With over 56,000 objects damaged, the resulting losses were close to €1.3 billion – 10% of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s total slide_349676_3743600_freeGDP.

Mr. Eliasson opened the meeting by discussing both the devastating impact these floods have had on the region, and the importance of the next 60 days in assessing the damages and placing the region on a path back to normalcy. Heartened by the solidarity served, Mr. Eliasson enthusiastically commented on the high level of assistance shown by the region’s people, irrespective of the century old political and ethnic strife. To close, Mr. Eliasson commented on the ever-growing threat of natural disasters, which requires us to enhance our ability to work together, as well as strengthen our resilience in building safer conditions for living.

Dr. Lagumdžija continued the panel by focusing on landslides that destroyed almost 750 buildings, and buried landmines, the location of which are now unknown. He also discussed the need to refurbish agriculture, water, sanitation, and other basic necessities, Dr. Lagumdžija said the main priority is on restoring both housing and jobs.

Ms. Sultanoğlu reiterated points on solidarity, but focused mainly on the joint action required between private, regional, and international actors. With the assistance from the UN, these actors need a coordinated response for integrated flood and drought risk management. H.E. Mr. Drobnjak repeated points about housing and land mines, but brought attention to the need of 33 tons of chemicals to fight reemerging mosquito problems. H.E. Mr. Karadžić closed the meeting by reminding the group that while the emergency response was admirable, the upcoming months will test the region’s resilience.

 

Meeting title: Consequences of the Disastrous Floods and Presentation of Needs Assessment for the Affected Regions in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Speakers:  H.E. Ms. Mirsada Čolaković, Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the UN; Mr. Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary General; Dr. Zlatko Lagumdžija, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Chairman in the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Ms. Ayşe Cihan Sultanoğlu, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States at the UNDP; H.E Mr. Vladimir Drobnjak, Ambassador of Croatia to the UN; H.E. Mr. Radovan Karadžić, Ambassador of Serbia to the UN
Location: United Nations HQ, Conference Room 5, New York
Date: 9 June 2014
Written By WIT Representative: Zachary Halliday
Edited by WIT representative: Sophia Griffiths-Mark

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