Ghana's First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Ernestina Naadu Mills, has emphasised the need for global attention to be paid on the major issues affecting youth development worldwide.

She said youth unemployment is deepening the levels of poverty particularly in developing countries and called for effective measures that will provide jobs for young people worldwide.

The First lady, made the call at the on-going Youth Infusion Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), currently underway in Annapolis Maryland, USA. 

Dr. Mills stressed on the need for countries to empower their youth so they can positively impart on the socio-economic and sustainable development of their nations.

She stated that developing countries can learn from the skills development programmes introduced in the last three years in Ghana by Professor John E. A. Mills’ administration which provides skills and training for unemployed youth. 

This initiative, she added goes a long way to create more opportunities for the youth who hitherto had no hopes of being gainfully employed.

Some of them she said included Local Enterprise and Skills Development Programme (LESDEP), the National Youth Authority, distribution of Free Laptops, Youth in Agriculture Programme, Youth in Road Maintenance among others.

The conference is aimed at bringing together First Ladies and young leaders from different cultures, civilizations and people's to dialogue based upon respect for commonly shared values.

UNESCO believes it is through such dialogue that the world can achieve global visions of sustainable development encompassing observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty, all of which are at the heart of UNESCO’s missions and activities

Dr. Mills also stressed on the need for developments partners to ensure that governments deliver quality education to its people as means of reducing unemployment especially among the youth.

She said "it is important for every government to focus more on the quality of its human resource since the world has become competitive and everywhere people are competing for space and it is only the strongest who survives"

Source: Office of the President

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