A new global initiative to bring all young generation under employment by 2030 was launched in Bangladesh on Tuesday aiming to provide necessary education, training and skills.
The United Nations (UN) initiative titled 'Generation Unlimited' has been launched in partnership with the government, United Nations agencies and private sectors at an event in the city. State Minister for Labour and Employement Begum Munnujan Sufiyan was present in the launching ceremony.
Among others, visiting Executive Director of UNICEF Henrietta Fore, Country Director of International Labour Organisation (ILO) Tuomo Poutiainen and UN General Humanitarian Envoy Dr Ahmed Al Meraikhi and President of Bangladesh Employers' Federation (BEF) Kamran Ahmed were present.
While briefing a group of economic reporters after the event, the UNICEF Executive Director said eight out of 10 young people in low and middle income countries have entrepreneurial capacity and under the global initiative a target of 7.3 million young people has been set in Bangladesh to provide necessary supports for skill development.
"In Bangladesh we set the goal 7.3 million young people. It is absolutely essential to look after and open up opportunities for young people," she said calling upon business community, government, civil society to work together with both funds and opportunities.
Ms Fore said Generation Unlimited launched as global a initiative targeting every young person between age 10 and 24 be in school learning, training and get age appropriate employment by the year 2030.
Admitting the target is ambitious, she, however, said support on work based study programme, apprentice, internship and mentorship may help young people make their own lives.
She said entrepreneurship is spirit in a nation for which right policy and approaches can create scopes of proper training, financing supports and establishing equal system for all.
Generation Unlimited was launched during the UN General Assembly in September last year aiming at every young person is in education, learning, training or employment by 2030 when around two billion young women and men would be seeking opportunities for a bright future throughout the world.
The Executive Director said the UNICEF and ILO are supporting in the global initiative to make Bangladeshi youth including girls competitive both in the country and in the world.
The ILO Country Director emphasised on immediate action on young generation ACT on it now calling upon the private sector to play role in modernising skill and let creativity flowing. "Listen to young people, they are the one who have innovation and passion," he said.
Generation Unlimited is to unlock young people and women's entrepreneurial capability through mentoring on the job type of programme and unleashing the innovation capacity. "Money is available in Bangladesh, money is not problem," the ILO country director added.
He underlined on the investment of private sectors with consistency with the government's five years plan and employment policy and said the target to focus on the youth to go forward keeping no one behind.
The UN General Humanitarian Envoy talked about crucial role of private sector not only creation of employment but also on humanitarian ground by providing funds on the job and is the way of using knowhow.
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