Ireland is presenting its Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the UN in July 2023. A VNR is a progress report on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - how we are achieving them, and what we can be doing better. The Department of the Environment, Climate, and Communications & the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth have asked this year's Irish UN Youth Delegates to write Europe's first ever Youth Chapter, to be included within the official VNR.
In order to best represent a diverse range of young voices, David Giles and Jessica Gill - Ireland's UN Youth Delegates for 2022-2023, hosted a youth consultation with young people from across the island of Ireland. This consultation was based on the theme of 'Building Back Better while Leaving No One Behind'. The consultation focused on how to Build Back Better after the pandemic; how to ensure that no one is left behind as we strive to be a more sustainable country; and what the challenges and strengths are with relation to Ireland's progress on the SDGs from a youth perspective.
STATISTICS:
This consultation was held with 85 young people from 10-24 years old.
49% of participants identified as female, 47% as male, 4% as non-binary.
24% of participants were part of an ethnic minority group.
10% were persons with disabilities.
10% were refugees or asylum seekers.
35% experienced socio-economic disadvantage.
Many thanks to DECC and DCEDIY for their inclusion of young people's voices in Ireland's official VNR; the Young Voices - EU Youth Dialogue Programme for giving us the space for this consultation; the Youth Advisory Group in partnership with NYCI and Comhairle na nÓg, which ensured that the questions and methodologies of data collection during this consultation were relevant and meaningful; and a final thanks to the young people who turned out to have your voices heard on the day of the consultation. Your opinions, lived experiences, and expertise will enable this Youth Chapter to be representative and strong.
Check back here close to July 2023, when we will include a link to Ireland's VNR, which will include the Youth Chapter.
Video captured & edited by Rana Sawalha: ranasawalha.com/