Buhari to address Global Youth Forum in Abuja today
By Ukpono Ukpong, Abuja
In a bid to tackle the menace of youth unemployment globally, Nigeria is set to host over 200 young people from around the world in Abuja, to discuss ways to ensure more and better quality jobs for young people.
The Global Youth Employment Forum, organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in collaboration with the federal government is billed to take place from August 1 – 3 in Abuja.
President Muhammadu Buhari and ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder are expected to address the opening ceremony.
According to ILO, youth participants at the forum are expected to discuss and agree on recommendations that will advance the ILO’s resolution on “the youth employment crisis: A call for action,” which was adopted in June 2012.
The resolution calls for immediate, targeted and renewed action to tackle the youth employment crisis.
“The Global Youth Employment Forum with the theme: “Today and tomorrow with decent jobs for youth” aims to engage youth to share their employment experiences and their visions for the future of work.
“With 59 million young people unemployed worldwide and 136 million in poverty, youth employment is one of the most pressing issues facing the world of work.
“Participants will also discuss how to accelerate progress on youth employment-related targets and youth-related Sustainable Development Goals. Other topics for discussion are gender equality, rights, the rural economy, youth representation and the opportunities and challenges facing young people in their search for decent work.
“Fifteen young entrepreneurs will present their solutions to some of these issues in an exhibition showcasing their projects. Government, employers’ and workers’ representatives, academics and members of multilateral organizations, regional institutions, foundations, civil society and the private sector will also take part in the forum,” said ILO
It could be recalled that the last visit of a sitting ILO Director-General to Nigeria was in 1960 during the first African Regional Conference of ILO held in Lagos.
