Priority Areas
To expedite the objectives of the Y20 meeting, several issues have been set for discussion which has consistently become fixed issues for Y20. This year, the Y20 delegation discussed and recommends these four priority issues:
First, Youth employment. According to the Y20’s white paper, the COVID-19 epidemic has destroyed young employees in the G20. Young people, who were either unemployed or underemployed before to the epidemic, bore the burden of decreased labor demand. Not only has the pandemic reduced employment prospects and driven young employees into lower-paying positions, but it has also created entrance obstacles for first-time job searchers. The transition of young people from school to employment is fraught with challenges and is characterised by low-paying, low-status, and precarious jobs.
When confronted with these issues, youngsters deserve protection and assistance in securing future jobs. Enabling social safety nets, particularly for those working in informal and non-standard types of employment, can help protect young people from the hazards of insecure employment and growing inequality. Promoting social entrepreneurship among youngsters would also allow them to take control of their future, contribute to employment creation, and solve societal concerns via innovative and meaningful solutions.
Second, Digital transformation. According to the Y20’s white paper, The growth of digital technology promotes change in a variety of cross-cutting industries. The COVID-19 epidemic has hastened such transition in both the business and governmental sectors, particularly in areas where legislative frameworks are still uncertain and immature. The sub-theme on young involvement in digital governance underscores the constraints for youth engagement in orchestrating digital solutions in the face of digital gap and lack of connectivity, a lack of digital literacy and skills, and the rise of security and privacy issues. If these challenges are solved properly, youngsters will have greater opportunity to play an important role in promoting digital activism and movements, engaging in decision-making, and beginning other digital-related initiatives.
The digital financial awareness sub-theme underlines supply and demand risk issues, a lack of financial literacy, and the introduction of digital currency and cryptocurrencies as difficulties, and relation to development, financial inclusion, and women involvement, as potential. Financial inclusion enabled by digital technology can help decrease income inequality, improve consumption, speed job creation, encourage human capital investments, and empower everyone, notably adolescents, to manage risk and deal with financial shocks.
Third, Sustainable and Livable Planet. According to the Y20’s white paper, Humans have been living on a largely stable and hardy planet for the millennials. However, our planetary systems are presently being pushed and stretched to their limits, culminating in the current environmental catastrophe. This problem has a disproportionately negative impact on young people. Youths are not only the current and future occupants of this planet; they are also particularly susceptible owing to their contact with their environment, dependency on adults, and accumulation of hazards and insults across their lifetimes. These include the physical health ramifications for young individuals, as well as the psychological and mental health consequences. Not to add the educational losses incurred by school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
They require immediate, extraordinary action to save the planet’s resources, restore them, and transform the present linear economy in order to ensure a safe and just future for mankind. Youth can contribute significantly to this change. Youths should be meaningfully included in discussions about the planet by taking into account the cumulative effects of the planetary crisis on them, how to involve youths in the solution (as implementers on the ground), resources to help them get ready for the changing environment (jobs, education, training), and being responsive to the changing demands from youths as more conscientious consumers.
Fourth, Diversity and Inclusion. Globally, the COVID-19 epidemic, quickly evolving job markets, the introduction of new technology, climatic issues, and wars are all influencing the destinies of young people. Growing inequality has made problems that young people face worse, including disruptions in education, shrinking job markets, and rising intolerance. This has left young people, particularly those who are marginalized and vulnerable, with few options and increased their vulnerability to exploitation.
According to the Y20’s white paper, There has never been a more crucial time for society to participate fully, especially young people, in creating a more open and fair world. Young people have substantial chances thanks to education and the creative economy to express and be acknowledged for their unique viewpoints, to become more resilient in the face of upcoming crises, and to contribute to the creation of a varied and inclusive society.
We think that Y20 can also reflect the variety of Indonesia’s young and bring solutions to global concerns that affect 7.9 million people. Can the communique’s existing policies, however, effect change at the forth coming G20?