On 7 and 8 April 2021, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum celebrated its 10th anniversary in a historic event that welcomed over 20,000 young people around the world — marking a historic moment as the largest and most diverse gathering of young people at the UN ever.
The ECOSOC Youth Forum is a unique platform for young people, Member States and partners to dialogue on the issues most important to young people today and for youth to share their vision and actions on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
This year, 23 young people leading on resilient recovery in the Decade of Action and championing SDG implementation in their communities joined the conversation as part of the Forum’s plenary sessions. Let’s meet them and learn more about their work!
Ramisha Ijaz
— Youth disability rights advocate, Pakistan
“SDG16 talks about inclusive institutions and the need to ensure responsive and inclusive participation in decision-making at all levels. Inclusive participation and input from young people with disabilities will lead the UN to become a much stronger institution.”
Ramisha Ijaz is a youth disability rights advocate from Pakistan who currently works for Transforming Communities for Inclusion. In her past engagements, Ramisha has been associated with Aun Foundation and Aurat Foundation, that work towards gender equality and women’s empowerment. Her recent work emphasizes peace, justice, and inclusive institutions. Ramisha firmly believes that for institutions to become more inclusive, effective, and accessible, the participation of young people with disabilities is a must.
Ramisha advocates voices of youth with disabilities, particularly those from marginalized communities, such as youth with invisible disabilities, intersectional identities, and indigenous communities that tend to get more marginalized and lack representation across systems to present their voices in their true essence. She believes the use of mental health institutions across the world, particularly in Asia, to restrain people with psychosocial disabilities and deprive them of their basic human rights is an area of concern.
Ramisha’s advocacy focuses on ending abuse and violations against persons with psychosocial disabilities in mental health institutions and youth with disabilities; equality of law and justice; and responsive, inclusive, participatory, and representative decision-making at all levels, including youth with disabilities.
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