Omani youth make a difference at UN meet

Muscat: Youth in Oman has been represented for the first time in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Report, published recently by the United Nations Conferences on Trade and Development.
The ECOSOC Youth Forum Report 2019 summarised the forum, which brought together youth from around the world to give them “the opportunity to engage with government representatives, youth delegates, policymakers, and other relevant stakeholders in civil society and the private sector.”
In April, Ali Al Rahma and Alena Dique were invited by the UN body President Inga Rhonda King to represent Oman and its youth communities at the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2019, which was titled, “Engaged, Included, and Equal”.
Alena Dique, a speaker for UNCTAD Youth who shared panel for Sustainable Development Goal 8: Beyond GDP, told Times of Oman: “I consider it a great honour to represent Oman and contribute to this UN report. It’s a great milestone and a first for the youth of Oman.
“For youth like me it means that millennials are at the forefront of global change. Terms like inclusive, diverse and sustainable are not just buzz words. Representing Oman in this report also means bringing international focus to our country and creating opportunities for this generation of youth to achieve success, through my experience, for their future,” she added.
Ali Al Rahma, who was a breakout session facilitator at the forum, exclusively told Times of Oman about what youth in the Sultanate can do to make a difference, “You need to start at a small level, your house, your school, your work and create changes you wish to see.
“Youth can contribute by starting to participate in local volunteer opportunities,” he added.
The report on Sustainable Goal 8: Beyond GDP, for which Alena Dique was a speaker at a shared panel, read: “The key stakeholders of young people, governments, employers, workers, volunteer groups, and educational institutions need to work homogeneously towards establishing an ecologically sustainable economic system.”
During the forum, speakers addressed the importance of “Decent work that pays a living wage...Work that is meaningful and imparts skills which are transferable between sectors...Development that builds critical and transferable skill sets.”
The importance of giving young people meaningful work, as Oman does, is a vital concern in the global community.
The report added: “Job quality remains a significant concern among young workers. In 2018, 145 million young workers in emerging and developing countries were estimated to live in moderate or extreme poverty, especially in rural areas; that is on less than $3.10 a day.