The interactive dialogue brought together a wide range of stakeholders—including youth leaders, activists, civil society and government representatives, and the private sector—to highlight the importance of collective responsibility for enacting inclusive digital policies. With the rise of digital technologies, youth representatives emphasized the essential need to ensure that no one is left behind, particularly women and girls in rural and marginalized areas, gender minorities and persons with disabilities.
The event was moderated by Chimguundari Navaan-Yunden, the Commission Vice-Chair designate, who opened the dialogue by highlighting the unique opportunity offered by this year’s CSW priority theme for young people to contribute to the normative framework on gender equality, technology, innovation and education in the digital age. Other participants included Marija Vasileva-Blazev, Officer in Charge for the United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, as well as over 40 youth speakers and delegates.
The panel was made up of five remarkable youth activists, including Oscar Noel Fitzpatrick, a multidisciplinary activist from Ireland; Alison Adrian Berbetty Omiste, a systems engineer and lawyer from Bolivia; Hawa Yokie, an innovator and STEM enthusiast from Sierra Leone and co-founder and CEO of the Kamara Yokie Innovation Center; Aisha Mehmood, a technology and feminist activist from Pakistan and founder of Baithak-Challenging Taboos; and Milica Knežević, from Serbia, senior test developer for an international IT company and an activist for the rights of persons with disabilities from Serbia.
