Giving women a greater role in education and decision-making is central to sustainable development, speakers told a dialogue at the United Nations in Geneva that featured two leaders of Youth Revolution Clan (YRC).
The event, Empowering Women for Sustainable Future, was organised by Kinnaird College for Women in Lahore as a side event during the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights in December 2022.
Kinnaird was the only Pakistani institution selected to organise an event at the forum, according to Academia Magazine.
YRC chairman Rizwan Anwar and co-chair Maha Jamil were among the speakers.
Women at the centre of development
Kinnaird’s principal, Prof Dr Rukhsana David, said women, who make up half the world’s population, had played a growing part in economic and social development over the past three decades.
She argued that opening up opportunities for women, including in decision-making, and empowering them through education and participation could help the world reach its sustainable development goals by 2030 without leaving anyone behind.
Young people as agents of change
Mr Anwar, speaking as a Global Youth Ambassador, said Pakistan’s large youth population meant young people could play an important part in building sustainable societies at every level.
He described young people as both the leaders of tomorrow and catalysts for change today.
Governments, UN bodies, regional and multilateral organisations and researchers were paying growing attention to youth civic engagement, he said, adding that this engagement needed to begin at grassroots level.
Bringing young women into the UN agenda
Ms Jamil, who is also director of KCLCD, said the event aimed to raise awareness and draw young women into the UN’s sustainable development agenda, and to encourage a stronger commitment among young people to civic engagement.
She said it also sought to recognise innovative thinking, social entrepreneurship, women’s empowerment and young people’s contributions to sustainable development, and to draw attention to climate change, poverty and inequality.
The wider forum
The UN Forum on Business and Human Rights is described as the world’s largest annual gathering on the subject, drawing more than 2,000 participants from government, business, civil society, UN bodies, academia and the media.
Over three days it holds more than 60 panel discussions based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
At a glance
- Event: Empowering Women for Sustainable Future (side event)
- Forum: UN Forum on Business and Human Rights
- Venue: United Nations Office at Geneva, Switzerland
- Date: December 2022
- Organiser: Kinnaird College for Women
- YRC’s role: Speakers – Rizwan Anwar (Chairman) and Maha Jamil (Co-Chair)
Sources: Academia Magazine · Daily Times
Related: YRC delegation at the Geneva youth summit · Events & Engagements
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