7 March 2014: The President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), John Ashe, hosted a High-level Event on the Post-2015 Development Agenda addressing the contributions of women, youth and civil society to development. Speakers discussed how these groups can contribute to and have an impact on the next development goals. The two-day event took place from 6-7 March 2014, at UN Headquarters in New York, US.

Opening the event, Ashe welcomed the contributions of all stakeholders to the creation of a shared post-2015 development agenda. He introduced three cross-cutting themes for discussion: equality, inclusiveness, and participation, and said, “As we include and empower more people and groups in this movement, even more people around the world become caretakers of its sustainability. Inclusion and participation mean our global community grows even stronger.” Ashe encouraged the audience to grapple with how to better empower women, youth and civil society, and address the inequalities faced by each of them.

Ahmad Alhendawi, the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, focused on the important contributions that young people can make. “By prioritizing young people,” he said, “we are prioritizing the future.” Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN-Women, said “we in the UN, and in civil society, must increase our efforts to amplify the voices of women, girls and youth,” and emphasized their role in the success of the post-2015 development agenda.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon highlighted that gender equality is essential for sustainable development and poverty eradication, and will “fuel progress” across the entire post-2015 development agenda. He also stressed that “we need the participation, perspectives, and passion of young people,” and called upon Member States to include women and youth in their deliberations for the development agenda.

In closing remarks, Ashe highlighted as key points from the discussion: gender must have a stand-alone development goal, and be mainstreamed throughout the agenda; women and girls must be provided affordable education and reproductive healthcare, while ending violence against them; youth must be provided more employment opportunities, with some proposals made for a specific goal on youth; women and youth must have a greater role in decision-making; good governance and rule of law are important for the realization of human rights; the central challenges of climate change and other environmental issues; and the need for capacity-building to support the participation of women, the young and civil society. [UN Press Release] [UNGA President’s Opening Remarks] [UNGA President’s Closing Remarks] [Statement of UN Secretary-General] [Statement of Special Envoy for Youth] [Statement from UN Women] [Publication: Summary of the President of the General Assembly]