August 13th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in attendance of government officials and youth groups, marked the world’s International Youth Day in the nation’s capital, Juba on Monday.
International Youth Day (IYD) is an international day for awareness raising campaigns designated by the United Nations to make education systems inclusive and equitable for all young people around the world.
The UN IYD-2019 theme is “Transforming Education”, which highlights the importance of transforming the education sector and making it accessible to all young people around the globe.
In her opening remarks, Mary Otienoma, the country’s representative for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), said that the UN agency, UNFPA, is determined to empower South Sudan’s youth and turn them into ambassadors for change.
“We collectively need to intensify efforts to ensure that South Sudan harnesses the potentials of its youth as critical change agents,” Otienoma said, noting that this goal can only be achieved if young people are healthy and well educated.
“That potential can only be realized if they are healthy, educated and have control over their bodies,” she said.
South Sudan has the highest illiteracy rate ever in the world. In 2017, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) estimated that the number of people, mostly adults, who have gone without basic education skills is on the rise, currently accounting for more than 70 percent of the country’s population.
