IYD (AUG 12): Young migrants, between opportunities and risks

Young migrants, between opportunities and risks

 

International Youth Day is commemorated every year on 12 August 2013. This year the theme of the International Youth Day is Youth Migration: Moving Development Forward. To better understand this issue, watch the interview with Daniela Bas, Director of Division for Social Policy and Development.

Let your Voice be heard! International Youth Day is less than 3 weeks away!

In 2010, there was a staggering 27 million international migrants aged 15 to 24 in the world. Young people compose a significant share of overall international migrant numbers. While migration of young people can often offer valuable opportunities, it can also pose risks and lead to unacceptable situations, including exploitation and discrimination.

For young people, the decision to migrate is often related to their transition to adulthood. Internal or international migration can have a positive impact on young people by opening up new opportunities, a path to participate in higher education, a decent job, a chance to gain professional experience or to pursue personal development.
 

Vulnerabilities and livelihood struggles

However, for some young people, especially young women and those with unclear administrative situations, the migration process confronts them with particular challenges and confers to them certain vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities can include: discrimination based on gender, migration status, ethnicity or religion; poor working conditions; lack of access to basic social services; risks associated with sexual and reproductive health; and lack or loss of social protection once the migration status of the young migrant changes (from student to graduate, for example).

Despite the plethora of risks and challenges associated with migration, very little is known about the livelihood struggles and opportunities that migration presents for young migrants, leaving the policies and measures needed to address these opportunities and challenges often ill informed or lacking. As such, awareness-raising of the situations of young migrants is needed so that good practices, policies and measures can adequately address the specific needs of young migrants.

In our interview, Daniela Bas explains the different kinds of young migrants, what the UN is doing to help them, how the economic crisis affects them and what young migrants from developing and developed countries have in common.
 

Commemoration event of IYD 2013 in UN headquarters

The commemoration of the International Youth Day will be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 12 August 2013.

Similar to previous years, the United Nations Focal Point on Youth will celebrate the International Youth Day 2013 with activities that involve youth and youth-led organizations to dialogue on issues that affect their lives. This year the event is being co-organized with the International Labour Organization with support from the MDG Achievement Fund.

The International Labour Organization launched the Youth Employment Video Contest: Youth labour migration “Reaping the benefits, minimizing the risks” to promote decent work for young migrants. The contest invites videos from around the world to feature activities promoting decent work for young migrants. In the commemoration event, the winners of the contest will share their experiences on the contributions they make to their community.

To better highlight the situations youth migrants are facing, the official United Nations event will feature presentations from UN entities on latest research and experiences, screen videos on youth migration and organize an interactive panel discussion where experts, representatives from UN entities, and young people/migrants will discuss various aspects of youth migration.

International Youth Day (IYD) was established by the United Nations in 2000 as a mean of raising awareness on issues affecting young people around the world.

 
Related information

•  International Youth Day 2013 – events around the world
• Please send your ideas for International Youth Day to[email protected]