Delegates pose for a group photo at a national youth dialogue in Beijing on June 15, 2024. Photo: Courtesy of the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) in China

 
A national youth dialogue held in Beijing on Sunday to celebrate the role of young people in advancing human-centered development stressed its mission to provide more support to fulfill every young person’s potential. 

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), the event was co-hosted by the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) in China, the China Family Planning Association (CFPA), and China Youth Network (CYN). 

The dialogue is the second in a series of national events on the topics of civil society, youth, and demographic trends that are being organized by UNFPA China in 2024 to mark the landmark ICPD event held in Cairo 30 years ago. 

“Young people are key drivers for sustainable development. As the custodian of ICPD, UNFPA is committed to working with and for youth for our common future – a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled,” said Ira Ovesen, officer-in-charge of UNFPA China. 

“ICPD calls for examining population issues from a broader perspective of reproductive health and rights. Its human-centered, service oriented, rights based and gender responsive approaches to population programs have become a global consensus. Young people are a key focus group for ICPD. CFPA will work with UNFPA to promote youth participation and leadership,” said Hong Ping, commissioner of the CFPA.

“The establishment of the China Youth Network and later 15 local Youth Networks showcases the power of youth participation – this is always what we advocate for. My experience attending the seventh Asia and Pacific Population Conference, the ICPD30 Global Youth Dialogue and supporting the ICPD National Youth Dialogue with UNFPA and CFPA are also proof of youth participation – the attractive part of ICPD,” commented Zhang Qingfang, a core member of CYN.

Zhang told the Global Times that her involvement in CYN helped her shape some important concepts in her values. 

“For instance, I have learned a lot about leadership of the youth. Being a core member of CYN, I have realized that for each one of us, you do not necessarily have to take a role as a leader or get a title like youth leader of an organization, however, each one of us can be a leader. That said, everyone can become a driving force to advance the development of the [CYN] organization and the ICPD Programme of Action,” she said. 

The ICPD launched a global program of action to place people’s rights at the heart of sustainable development, and these events will be crucial moments to bring along different partners in reviewing the progress China has made in fulfilling the ICPD promise since 1994.

The dialogue involved various discussions on problems related to youth health, including sex education, climate change, technology innovation, demographic transition, and the sexual and reproductive health of young people with disabilities. It echoed the ICPD principles such as calling for increased investment in young people’s health and development and ensuring young people’s potential is fulfilled.