ECOSOC Youth Forum: Education and skills for a sustainable future

Education and skill building for lasting change was the subject of a dynamic panel discussion hosted by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited (GenU) on the sidelines of the 2023 ECOSOC Youth Forum. The hybrid session began with a statement from Girls Not Brides CEO Dr. Faith Mwangi-Powell on the importance of girls’ education and skilling as a mechanism for combatting child marriage and promoting women and girls’ empowerment for sustainable growth and development. 

The roundtable included Emily Friedman from the Global Business Coalition for Education; Dr. Dana Burde, Director of the International Education Program at New York University’s Steinhardt School; GPE Youth Leaders Alice Mukashyaka and Votey Hok; Richa Gupta, a member of the GenU Young People’s Action Team and an SDG Youth Leader; and SDG Youth Leaders Vee Kativhu, Ronelle King and Paul Ndhlovu.The first question posed to panelists asked about the role of various stakeholders across sectors to ensure that a just economic shift towards green jobs and sustainable industries includes and centers young people. Panelists discussed the importance of education in equipping young people with the skills they need for the future of work. They delved into the role of the private sector to ensure that public sector stakeholders are in lockstep with the realities of the changing job market. Young people at the table noted the importance of ensuring that youth are meaningfully engaged in decision-making processes that affect their futures, their education, and their jobs. 

The second question investigated some of the challenges in ensuring young people are job-ready and can fully participate in greener, more sustainable economies. Furthermore, what are creative and collaborative ways to address these challenges? Panelists discussed the need for cross-sector collaboration and a universal modus operandi. Young people mentioned the importance of funding youth-led initiatives and pointed out the fact that historically, young people have been on the forefront of green innovations and entrepreneurship. The private sector must recognize young people’s contributions as beneficial to the job market, and the public sector should equip young people with resources to fully develop their initiatives and ideas, they reiterated.

The session concluded with a summary of key discussion points and a call to action for all stakeholders in the room to be intentional about unlocking opportunities for young people to access the skills and education they need to succeed in the future.