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On September 12, the Tenth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union began its work in Yerevan.

The annual Conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union for the young parliamentarians under the age of 45 is a unique platform for communicating, exchanging experience and supporting each other. The theme of this year Avoiding lost generations: Preserving education and employment in all Circumstances is focused on solutions to ensure continuous access to education and job opportunities for all young people.

The RA NA deputy, the Member of the Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Hasmik Hakobyan moderated the first session of the Conference. According to her, this meeting takes place during the time, when the world clashes with different crises – conflicts, consequences of pandemic, climate change – this greatly affects and often not in proportional way. As Hasmik Hakobyan has observed, the purpose of the Conference is to work with each other. She underscored with satisfaction that more than 150 young parliamentarians from more than 60 countries, 4 Speakers of parliaments, as well as the Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia, the youngest parliament of the world participate in the Conference.

The Prime Minister Mr. Nikol Pashinyan, the RA NA President Alen Simonyan, the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Tulia Ackson, the Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Martin Chungong made opening remarks in the Conference.

The President of the Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Dan Carden addressed the youth with video message.

Welcoming the participants of the Conference, the Educator of UWC Dilijan (International School), Former Refugee Nour Mussa, presented his career and spoke about his chievements in the sphere of education.

In the first session of the Conference the parliamentarians the theme Countdown to 2030: Where are we on youth education and employment?

The Speaker of Parliament of Tonga Lord Fakafanua chaired the session.

The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs Felipe Paullier highlighted the holding of such discussions, noting that the inequalities in the sphere of education continue remaining topical in the whole world. It was noted that many countries improved the level of engagement of their students, but the challenges – the gender disparity, the regional disparities and other inadequate infrastructure, do not allow to have relevant educational access. The rapporteur added that the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated this situation, many teenagers and children have lost their possibility to get education because of pandemic. One out five young people is behind or gets out of education, employment or training. At least two out of the mentioned five are women, which is not fair,” the rapporteur underscored. The strengthening education and reducing unemployment was emphasized.

“I challenge you not only listen, but also actively create situations, opportunities, where the youth can create better world for us,” the rapporteur said, addressing the participants of the Conference.

The participants of the Conference touched upon the global challenges of the youth employment.

As the Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Mikhail Pouchkin informed, the unemployment of the youth in the world has reached 13 percent low. About 65 million youth actively, but unsuccessfully look for job.

Giving a speech, the RA Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan thanked the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs Felipe Paullier for taking part in the Conference. “I am thankful to Mr Felipe Paullier for the efforts his office makes. The establishment of the new office within the United Nations reflects a global commitment to address the problems of the youth more integrated and complete. Armenia supports those efforts,” he said, underlining the right of every young individual to get qualified and inclusive education/ That is very important for the development of the human capital and ensuring equal opportunities.

The participants of the panel discussion presented the progress recorded in their countries, emphasized the fact of having qualified education and dignified work, spoke about challenges, the steps taken for their overcoming and the inclusive education.

Stressing a number of positive characteristics and range of interests of the new generation, the Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs Tsovinar Vardanyan noted that the education should be flexible, should focus on thinking critically and implementing the knowledge in the real life. She mentioned that the goal of the state programme of the Republic of Armenia regarding the education is to have effective, competitive educational system based on the international and universal human values. Tsovinar Vardanyan presented the participants information about the creation, construction Academic city as an environment guaranteeing modern research and innovative activity.

Afterwards, the debate titled Young lives disrupted: The impact of crisis on youth socio-economic rights and empowerment began chaired by the Member of the IPU Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians, the Member of Parliament of Algeria Mohamed Anouar Bouchouit.

The Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the by video message the participants of the Conference and wished them effective working discussions. According to him, the young parliamentarians have special role for addressing the existing challenges, supporting countries to build resilient systems, for creating healthy, secure environment for the youth.

The Regional Advisor of WHO Ignacio Ibarra noted that the young parliamentarians protecting the human rights should also be consistent with the term right to health and the regulations adopted by WHO.

As the External Relations Officer of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Kiri Atri presented, in 2023 40 percent out of 36.4 million refugees were young people or children, who fled persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations.

In 2022, 51 percent of the refugee children are excluded from basic education. Addressing the young parliamentarians, Kiri Atri noted that they should be informed in order to make decisions, to pass laws, which will protect the rights of the forcibly displaced young people, will ensure access and integration in social-economic issues.

Presenting the draft law on Youth Policy, the Deputy Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport Taguhi Ghazaryan noted that they had organized discussions with the young people in ten marzes of Armenia. According to her, the priorities of the youth policy will be stipulated by law. The deputy informed that at5 this moment 3 youth centres function in Armenia, 4 more are built in the communities of the marzes, until 2026, it is designed to create 25 youth centres in the Republic of Armenia. Speaking about the over 120.000 refugees forcibly displaced from Nagorno Karabakh, Taguhi Ghazaryan informed that about 30,000 out of them are schoolchildren. According to her, the RA educational system fully could meet all schoolchildren’s needs. They were integrated in the educational system of Armenia, and their right to education was restored.

Within the framework of the theme How youth rights are impacted by crisis ? The particpants of the Conference made reports, presented the examples of their countries how the diverse crises have an impact on the youth rights. They also presented the events being carried out for supporting the youth, the goal of which is to face the challenges.

In this context the RA NA deputy Hasmik Hakobyan informed that in recent years following the 2018 velvet revolution, the 2020 Karabakh war and coronavirus pandemic, the youth of Armenia faced unique challenges. To her observation, fortunately, after the mentioned displacements, the Armenian youth still keeps its demand high. regarding the displacement of the Armenians from Nagorno Karabakh, the MP underlined that Armenia could integrate them to the educational system. The displaced teachers found job at schools. The Government approved events, as a result of which the students’ education fees in the higher educational institutions are compensated. Territorial centres were created, where psychological support and counseling is provided to the displaced persons.

The Tenth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union will continue its work on September 13.