Young people and adolescents (15-17 years of age) gathered in a focus group discussion to identify the achievements they would like to see in their country and in the world by 2030.
The objective of the Post-2015 Youth Consultations is to stimulate an inclusive debate on a Post-2015 development agenda among the youth, to amplify their voices, garner inputs and ideas for a shared global vision.
During the focus group discussion the participants were introduced to two mutually reinforcing development blueprints - the Programme of Action agreed to at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD, 1994), along with the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs, 2000). Young people then shared their own understanding of the concept of well-being and identified a number of priority issues, which in their view have an impact on a well-being of youth, namely health, education, peace and security, employment, environment, human rights, including gender equality, among others.
Addressing the issue of quality education, adolescents and youth expressed the need for increased access of young people to the merit-based education, which can further lead to and ensure effective and fulfilling socio-economic life. Here, the youth also mentioned the importance of inclusive education, where the youth with disabilities can attain equal rights and opportunities in receiving quality education on all levels, and the need for technology and necessary infrastructure to make school facilities accessible. In the area of health, young people noted the importance of increasing the access to information on reproductive health, family planning and prevention of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Gender equality and youth participation in decision making was also proposed by youth as one of the important issues to be addressed on the Post-2015 global development agenda.
Concluding the discussions, young people shared specific achievements they would like to see within the above mentioned areas by 2030, and what steps they can take individually to help achieve the well-being and prosperity in the country.
The priorities spelled out by the adolescents and young people through focus group discussions, essay contest and other consultations will be reflected in the national report, findings of which will feed into the UN Secretary General’s report to the 68th UN General Assembly in September 2013.
Turkmenistan has officially launched the process of national consultations to define the post-2015 global development framework. Adolescents and youth of 15-17 years were identified as one of the key focus groups in the country for the National Consultations, which will be led by the Government of Turkmenistan with support of UNFPA. This process is part of the global UN-led discussions, in which people of the world can express their views on the future they want after 2015, when the Millennium Development Goals are ending.
