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By Busayo Onijala
By involving young people in decision making processes, societies can cultivate a generation equipped to tackle tomorrow’s challenges, an official of International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has said.
Ali Ibrahim, Head of IOM Office in Lagos, said that every individual, regardless of his or her background, had the potential to contribute significantly to societal development.
He made this known at a public lecture in commemoration of the 79th anniversary of United Nations Day, on Thursday in Lagos.
The lecture was organised by IOM, in collaboration with the Center for Housing and Sustainable Development (CHSD) and the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies (IADS), University of Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2024 United Nations Day is significant as member states recently concluded negotiations culminating in the adoption of the ‘Compact for the Future.’
According to Ibrahim, this landmark commitment is designed to reinvigorate collective efforts to secure the future the world aspires to attain.
He said it highlighted key actions, including eradicating poverty, combating climate change, achieving gender equality and ensuring access to health, education and social protection.
“Most importantly, it underscores the necessity of building peaceful, just and inclusive societies with a strong emphasis on youth involvement,” Ibrahim said.
He noted that IOM was committed to raising awareness and visibility of UN initiatives through public lectures in universities across Nigeria.
These sessions, Ibrahim said, were not just lectures but platforms for preparation, innovation and empowerment.
“At IOM, we work with the Nigerian Government to promote migration management and promote regular pathways for migration.
“We also work with youths as they are affected in many ways including climate change, irregular migration and lack of resources for development.
“Youths are one key sector of our engagement, and even the pact for the future has a dedicated chapter on them,” he said.
Prof. Muyiwa Falaiye, Director of IADS, said that the public lecture was part of the institute’s advocacy efforts.
“Its exciting that young people are being enlightened and made aware of opportunities available for them to join the UN,” he said.
Falaiye said that it was important in developing the entire fabric of humankind.
“The UN is about humankind and humankind is about all we do at IADS,” Falaiye said. (NAN)
Edited by Ijeoma Popoola
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