Under-18 zone

Young people plead to be heard and taken seriously

2 May 2002, NEW YORK - As the United Nations Special Session on Children (SSoC) draws near, young people are making a strong plea for their voices to be heard and their ideas to be seriously considered.

Voices of Youth has received many messages on its SSoC web discussion board as well as on the young-delegates' networking board over the past few weeks. Many messages are about the need to work with adults, especially parents and families, on critical social issues. They show that young people are acutely aware of the responsibilities that face them as the world's "next generation." They are searching for ways to obtain the necessary skills and experience.

Dayo, 16, from Nigeria, writes, "Young people can really make a difference if they have a good vision and they can unite to meet the vision. In my country, young people have been making a difference. They have initiated ideas that have affected my country. I think it will benefit us to network when we get to New York City for the Special Session on Children so that we can share and learn from each others' experiences."

Hopes for the SSoC and Beyond

Young delegates to the SSoC have been introducing themselves on the boards. What is most striking about their messages is that they clearly are looking beyond the frontiers of their own country, choosing instead to represent the interests of all young people around the world. One participant from Eritrea writes, "There is one thing I would like to say, we all are there representing the world's children." Jeff, 17, from Suriname, hopes that "the circumstances of children over the whole world will become better after this Children's Forum and the Special Session on Children. And that everyone, including adults, children, teachers and governments world-wide, will listen to children."

Reality check

There are also messages reminding readers of the adversity and suffering inflicted on very many young people. Emilio from Argentina writes, "A third of our nation is below the poverty line. Inside our country the people and children are dying day after day without a solution. Priority is being given to debt payment, not to childhood hunger and education. We have no future." Hafiz, 22, of Malaysia, notes the stakes: "How you treat children will influence how he or she will treat their country in the future."

Yet the overriding sense is of young people convinced that they can improve the world. One young delegate writes, "I will leave you with a quote, which I think sums up the Special Session for me, because even though there will be lots of people when we all meet in New York, what we do individually, in our small groups in our own countries, makes a difference too: 'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world: indeed it's the only thing that ever has.'"