Human rights
Children and youth at UNGA 81
Raised by 102 of 223 speakers. Read verbatim UN transcript quotes and select a time to hear the speech.
Speeches that raised children and youth
Papua New Guinea · Day 4James MarapeWhat value is freedom if a child has no water to drink?
What value is development if we destroy the environment that sustains life?
And what inheritance are we leaving behind for our children if the forest disappears, our oceans become polluted, and our climate becomes increasingly unstable?
5passages
Kiribati · Day 4Taneti MaamauHealthy An educated population is the foundation upon which every other national priority rests.
Mr. President, we cannot speak about development without speaking about women and youth.
Kiribati remains committed to gender equality and empowering women and girls.
3passages
North Macedonia · Day 4Hristijan MickoskiMore than 100 million people have been displaced by force.
More than 270 million children and young people are not in the school.
This is the paradox of our time.
3passages
Pakistan · Day 4Muhammad Shehbaz SharifLast year, Mr. President, I had shared with you the heart-wrenching story of Hind Rajab, an innocent Palestinian girl who was brutally shot by Israeli soldiers.
This year, another tragedy weighs heavy on our hearts, your hearts, and the world's heart.
This time, it is the deafening cries of the sobbing mother of eight-year-old Mafa Akeela, who embraced martyrdom in this senseless aggression.
3passages
Haiti · Day 4Alix Didier Fils-AiméIt will spring back from the roots, for they are numerous and deep."
The tree did grow back.
It got larger and it has gone through the centuries and is continuing.
3passages
Samoa · Day 4Mulipola Anarosa Ale MoliooThe answer lies in the first words of our UN Charter, "We, the peoples."
We must always put people at the center of our decisions.
For us, this is underpinned by the core values of our Samoan culture, the fa'asamoa, and our faith, such as respect, dignity, love, protection, and service.
3passages
Saint Kitts and Nevis · Day 4Geoffrey HanleyMr. President, no generation has a greater stake in our decisions than young people.
Half of the world's population is under 30, yet 67 million young people were unemployed last year.
and more than a quarter of a billion were neither in employment, education, nor training.
3passages
Togo · Day 4Robert Komlan Edo DusseyChildren, for example, discover the world through the digital maps.
The businessmen make decision using cartographic data.
The government also rely on special information and artificial intelligence system increasingly interpret our planet through digital data and cartographic representation.
3passages
Solomon Islands · Day 4Matthew Cooper WaleMr. President, our people are our greatest asset.
With more than half of our population under the age of 25, my government is prioritizing legal frameworks that empower young people, advance gender equality, and strengthen the protection of women and children against domestic violence.
We welcome global progress in advancing the rights and full participation of women and persons with disabilities in the economy, and Solomon Islands is committed to accelerating that progress at home.
1passages
Niger · Day 4Lamine Zeine Ali MahamanThe assisted birth rate went from 36% in 2022 to 42.5% in 2025, and the rate of prenatal consultations went from 38% to, it went from 32% to 38.2%.
Education is free and mandatory for all children in public schools.
What's more, a 20% reduction in school fees in private schools was decided upon in July 2025.
1passages
Tonga · Day 4Lord FakafanuaBut connectivity alone is not enough.
Digital skills and secure, resilient systems must support it.
And we will protect our children online and retain sovereignty over our national data.
1passages
Kazakhstan · Day 4Mukhtar TileuberdiReaffirming our commitment advancing primary health care as the cornerstone of universal health coverage, we call upon the UN member states to join the Global Coalition on Primary Health Care. 2026 has been designated by this body as the International Year of Volunteers.
for sustainable development.
This initiative, originally at President Tokayev's suggestion, has given new impetus to volunteerism as a force for stronger communities, youth engagement, and environmental action.
1passages
Guatemala · Day 4Carlos Ramiro Martínez AlvaradoWe must also work together on prevention.
Lasting security cannot be achieved through law enforcement alone.
It requires education, decent work, resilient communities, accessible institutions and opportunities for young people.
1passages