The Parliamentary Committee for Population and Development held its meeting on “Empowering Youth and Sustainable Development Goals” in Amman to discuss empowering youth and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The meeting was organized by the Arab Parliamentarians Forum for Population and Development (FAPPD) and the Asian Population Association (APDA) in Japan, with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Secretary-General of the Forum of Arab Parliamentarians on Population and Development Mohammed Al-Smadi underscored the importance of focusing on youth, as they represent the largest demographic group in Arab societies.
He stressed the need to empower and integrate youth into all aspects of life in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. “We are on the threshold of a new developmental phase globally, where demographic and youth issues are of particular significance, especially in the coming years, due to voluntary and involuntary demographic changes in the Arab region. Consequently, population, development, and their organic connection to sustainable development have now become a global concern, particularly issues related to youth, which are considered a comprehensive priority,” he pointed out.
For his part, Ibrahim Abu Bakr, the Chairperson of the Population and Development committee, highlighted the importance of this meeting and the significant role played by the Forum of Arab Parliamentarians on Population and Development in advocating for several important issues in Jordan and other Arab countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
He also thanked the international partners and supporters of the forum, including the Asian Population Association, the Japanese government, the Japan Parliamentarians Federation for Population and the United Nations Population Fund, for their continuous support to the forum in carrying out its responsibilities towards population and development issues in the Arab region.
“I do not prioritize economic development over political development or economic empowerment over political empowerment. It is an integrated matter, and the relationship between them is interdependent and parallel,” he added.
The meeting included four working sessions. The first session was titled “Social and Economic Empowerment of Youth in the Face of Challenges Hindering Their Participation in Development.” The second session was about “Economic Empowerment of Youth: Challenges and Opportunities.” The third session was titled “Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship,” and the fourth session was about “Empowerment Requirements.”
A total of 75 participants from various organizations concerned with youth and sustainable development attended the meeting.
Source: Jordan News Agency