Jamaica's youth minister calls for more UN aid

Youth Minister Olivia Grange has urged the United Nations (UN) to intensify their efforts to help youth in the Caribbean region.



Grange spoke at the United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on Youth 2011, on July 27, under the theme of “Youth: dialogue and mutual understanding”.



The minister of youth, sports and culture asserted that although Jamaica fully supports the UN’s youth developments, the Jamaican Government is concerned about the impact of violence, crime and drugs on the country’s youth.



Minister Grange placed emphasis the important role the youth play, but also declared that there is much more to be done:



“There is a need to further develop the international framework by reviewing and updating the (World Programme of Action for Youth) to take into account the current global realities and I urge the UN to redouble its collaboration with the Caribbean sub-region.”



In 1995, the World Programme of Action for Youth – a major UN initiative aimed at improving youth’s opportunities and at addressing problems specific to youth more effectively – was developed.



According the the UN website, the youth programme outlines ten priorities, which include education, employment and hunger and poverty.