Plan Indonesia & UN Foundation Hold Dialogue for the Future, Inviting Young People to Project the Future
30 July 2024
Jakarta, July 30, 2024 – Predictions show that by 2100, young people will have a significant influence in developing regions in shaping the global future. Including in Indonesia, which is expected to face a demographic bonus era with the number of productive age population dominatingDespite the enormous potential, there are still challenges for future development. One of them is to achieve the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs).
To support Indonesia’s efforts to achieve various national and global development goals and targets, Yayasan Plan International Indonesia (Plan Indonesia Foundation) together with the United Nations (UN) Foundation held Dialogue for the Future: Standing Strong with Girls and Youth in Indonesia Towards 2100 Vision on Tuesday (7/30) in Central Jakarta, in collaboration with Teens Go Green, Femalepreneur.id, 2030 Youth Force Indonesia, and Be With You Indonesia. The event, which was attended by more than 90 participants representing CSOs, government, entrepreneurs, media, and mostly young women, aimed to provide a dynamic discussion space for young people to project and shape their future.
Harshani Dharmadasa, Senior Director, Global Partnerships and Initiatives, United Nations Foundation said that the summit aims to spark important discussions on how the future will be shaped, in order to foster a more just and sustainable world.
“Roadmap 2100 is designed with a focus on countries like Indonesia with unlimited potential. So, we must invest, not only for the young generation but also the future of the whole world,” he said.
Dini Widiastuti, Executive Director of Plan Indonesia, said that when envisioning the year 2100, young people want equality, access to education and technology, freedom from violence, and involvement in policies that determine the future.
“However, based on the latest SDGs, Indonesia still faces challenges such as low literacy, stagnation of female leadership, and high rates of child marriage. Through this FGD, I hope that young people can identify the barriers they face, reflect on them to encourage their role, and determine how to achieve equality and Indonesia’s role in the regional and global spheres,” Dini added.
Young people voice their dreams for empowerment, environment and technology
The discussions were divided into three themes: Empowering Youth and the Next Generation, Strengthening Climate Action and Environmental Sustainability, and The Future of Digital and Technology Cooperation. These discussion themes were chosen for their relevance to today’s challenges and their urgency to reimagine the future.
From the discussions, the young people came up with some important challenges and recommendations such as the importance of ensuring access and safe health services without stigma and ensuring the participation of young people in the improvement of health services.
To prepare young people for the future, digital literacy programs and education on the responsible use of technology need to be promoted. It is also important to ensure transparency and accountability in climate crisis prevention efforts. All of these recommendations will become a report to contribute ideas to the Roadmap 2100 which will be discussed at the Summit for the Future by UNGA in September 2024. In addition, Plan Indonesia will organize a Girls Summit 2024 to more widely amplify the results of this discussion to stakeholders in Indonesia.
