Positioning
Youth opportunity in the city:
our voice, our work, our impact
Mexico City, April 3, 2024
Today we are meeting to address a reality that we can no longer ignore: the structural challenges that we, young people, face, especially in the areas of employability, education, care and the social economy, as well as our participation in decision-making and the construction of equity, sustainability and inclusive progress in our Mexico City.
We are committed to addressing these structural challenges given their importance in improving economic inclusion, decent employment, sustainable entrepreneurship and equal opportunities for youth in the Metropolitan Zone of the Valley of Mexico (ZMVM).
Current public policies have limited scope and reduced budgets, which impacts their effectiveness. This widens inequality and hinders the economic, educational and social development of young people of opportunity in the country's capital.
To transform these structural imbalances, we propose:
- A multi-sector collaboration and co-responsibility between the government, civil society, private initiative and young people, an opportunity to improve economic inclusion.
- The promotion of a comprehensive universal care system that meets the needs of caregivers and those requiring care.
- Formulate effective employability policies that promote equal opportunities, inclusion and the elimination of workplace discrimination.
- Strengthen technical and vocational education, as well as the creation of second-chance upper secondary education options.
- Promoting entrepreneurship and the social economy as tools for economic development and equal opportunities.
It is imperative that as a society we recognize, name and confront these challenges. We cannot allow the lack of opportunities to continue limiting the potential of young people. It is time to act, to co-create and implement inclusive and effective public policies that not only address the numbers, but transform our lives.
Today we are starting from a collective construction within the framework of the Global Youth Opportunity Network of Mexico City (GOYN), the Youth Alliance for Decent Work, the JuventudES Platform, authentic spaces for collaboration and interaction between young people, institutions and people who make decisions in the employability ecosystem in Mexico City.
We invite each and every one of you, the authorities, companies and employers, the media, academia, foundations and civil society organisations to join in a collective effort to create a future where every young person has the opportunity to train and work in decent conditions, with access to a comprehensive care system and support to be able to start or promote social enterprises.
It is time to take bold and coordinated measures to overcome the challenges that we, the young people of opportunity, face in the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico. It is always said that “youth are the future of this country,” but youth already exist in the present time. We must not lose sight of the fact that our society will only prosper if we guarantee equal opportunities for all.
We reiterate our confidence that these proposals will be received with the openness and seriousness they deserve, and that their consideration will be a step forward in building a more just and resilient Mexico City for all young people.
Thank you for your attention and commitment!