EU Statement – UN General Assembly 3rd Committee: Social Development

Mr. Chair,

We have the honor to speak as the first EU Youth Delegates to the UN and represent EU youth in this debate.

The EU and its Member States stand firmly behind the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Its implementation is essential when it comes to securing a prosperous future for all while upholding human rights and gender equality. This is not an easy task, and partnerships should be built across countries and generations. We as young people are catalysts for action when it comes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and this should be recognized. Both globally and locally.

Unfortunately, we are not on track to meet the SDGs in 2030. Russia’s unjustifiable, unprovoked and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine is damaging the rules-based international order. Its impacts are global and affect the economy, food security, and the energy system, with particularly dramatic effects on people in the most vulnerable situations. Therefore, it is now more than ever the time to demonstrate solidarity and to show that multilateralism works in times of crisis.

The EU and its Member States have taken multiple initiatives aiming at mitigating the severe effects of the global food crisis and will continue to engage with all partners to address food insecurity and malnutrition as well as rising humanitarian needs. That said, more action on ensuring food for everyone is needed. We need to transform our food systems all over the world to secure sustainability and improve people’s health.​ According to the Our Common Agenda report, nearly 1 in three people does not have access to sufficient food. To tackle this, both investments and a cultural change are needed, and we need to rethink our approach to food.

The Russian aggression also threatens our energy system. The Repower EU Plan will rapidly reduce dependency on Russian fossil fuels by accelerating the needed energy transition. But in addition, we should phase out all fossil fuels and scale up renewables all over the world to ensure energy security, strengthen economies and combat climate change.

Even though the green transition is a no-brainer, some barriers still must be broken down. One such barrier is the limited access to vocational education, especially important in the global south. Therefore, we should support and educate people from local communities , especially in the global south, in developing green and energy-efficient solutions themselves. You may recall the slightly modernized phrase: don’t give a man an energy-efficient light bulb, teach him how to manufacture his own lightning bulb.

Only by enabling everyone to act, we can ensure to get on track to meet the 2030 Agenda. Our top priority as a European Union is to strengthen resilience against future shocks and ensure a sustainable and inclusive recovery - and the EU’s Global Gateway makes an important contribution to this by narrowing the investment gap worldwide.

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Mr. Chair,

The overlapping crises in recent years have exposed some significant gaps especially when it comes to education, employment, and gender equality.

The EU’s new initiative on digital agenda and education, launched at the UN Human Rights Council, will contribute to inclusive and equal access to new and emerging technologies for the realization of economic, social, and cultural rights. There is an urgent need to promote better education and lifelong learning opportunities for all learners - including girls and learners with disabilities - to advance learning and skills development for enhanced employability. We also recognize the need to invest in innovation in education and adequately rethink education that is fit for the future. Providing youth with quality, free, accessible, and adequate education is among the most crucial factors if we wish to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. We are thus welcoming the conclusions of the Transforming Education Summit and look forward to their implementation.

Young people also have employment prospects substantially weaker than adults, constituting the majority of workers in the informal sector and the platform economy. The EU and its Member States are promoting opportunities for young people and preparing them for the digital and green transitions. Particularly disadvantaged in the labor market are women, for which additional efforts to achieve gender equality in this field are still very much needed. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the gender inequalities in the care work, which represents a key element for the functioning of our societies and economies. Promoting equal rights, equal treatment and equal opportunities for all, emphasising equal pay for work of equal value, is one of the EU’s founding principles.

While promoting equal rights for all, we must also work to prevent and adequately condemn increased gender-based violence. We have witnessed a worrying increase in domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also worrying violence against girls and women by state authorities. There is no place for state control over women’s right to choose in any democratic society. Whether that’s women’s freedom to dress by their own choice, or women’s freedom and right to uninterrupted access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services. The EU and its Member States promote women and girls’ full enjoyment of all human rights, gender equality, and the empowerment of women and girls as a priority across all areas of action.

Let us finish by saying that we also take very seriously the global challenges ahead, and much remains to be done. A strong social contract is essential for people to live a decent life, and enable all to participate in society, as promised in the 2030 Agenda. The EU supports the UN Secretary-General’s proposal for a renewed social contract that encompasses a strong social and economic dimension. Rebuilding the social contract through a comprehensive approach based on human rights is key to overcome mistrust between States, citizens, and other stakeholders, build social cohesion and renew solidarity. Now it is not the time to favor short-term and status quo solutions with immediate gains, but it is time to think long term and deliver more for young people and succeeding generations.

Thank you.