The new Head of the United Nations Population Fund, Babatunde Osotimehin, called the Member States’ attention on the largest global youth generation, especially now that it is estimated that world population will exceed 7 billion people.
“Today, almost a third of the world’s population is composed by youth, with just below 90 per cent living in developing countries, a proportion that will enormously increase during the next 20 years”, he said. Hence, other important challenge is to face the situation of adolescents and youth living in developing countries.
The head of the agency draws attention to the need to invest in youth and claimed that, the Fund is ready to invest in young people, through a range of services. “Investing in youth, their reproductive health and gender equality can help put countries on a path to accelerated economic growth and equitable development”, he said.
In addition he claimed that: “UNFPA will place a special emphasis on today’s large generation of young people. Every person should enjoy human rights and human dignity, and have the opportunity to make the most of his or her potential”.
However, Mr. Babatunde Osotimehin, remarked that there are urgent matters that need to be addressed to improve the youth conditions, such as rapid urban growth in Africa and Asia, declining fertility with variance across regions, with Africa--home to the highest birth rates, unprecedented ageing, and the world’s largest youth population.
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