Entitled ‘The power of 1.8 billion: adolescent, youth and the transformation of the future’, the report was launched by the Minister of Youth and Sports Alieu K. Jammeh on behalf of the Vice President at the Kairaba Beach Hotel in Kololi.
Speaking on the occasion, the director of National Population Commission Secretariat, Saikou Trawally, said the report explores various thematic issues relating to population challenges, opportunities and threats, among other things.
The report aims to widen the horizon on global demographic scenarios and issues affecting people’s livelihood, he said.
The report states that the earth is home to 1.8 billion young people who are seen as a powerful force, individually and collectively.
“This segment of the world’s population is considered to be shaping social and economic realities, challenging norms and values and building the foundation of the world’s future,” Mr Trawally said.
Despite the number, globally, youths are excluded from decision-making on how to best meet their needs.Statistics in the report have it that in two out of every three countries in the world, the youths are entirely left out of the preparation of national poverty reduction strategies and development plans.
The world population report has it that every day 39,000 girls under 18 become child brides.
According to Mr Trawally, for millions of youths, full enjoyment of all human rights remains a distant dream, while gross violations of their rights are the norm.
The UNFPA assistant representative, Momodou Mboge, in his summary of the report, said that over 500 million youths struggle to survive on less than $2 per day, a level of impoverishment from which many never emerge.
