Statement by UNFPA Deputy Executive Director Diene Keita at the Summit of the Future Plenary

Mr. President of the General Assembly,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,

I greet you in peace, so desperately needed in our turbulent world.

The United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, stands with you to forge the path to a better, more sustainable future of peace and prosperity for all. 

Demographic shifts - population growth, ageing, migration - are reshaping our world and our future. 

In an ever-changing world of over 8 billion, our focus must be on people. 

This means ensuring that population dynamics are factored into development plans, with an emphasis on rights, choices, dignity and equality.

It means investing in human capital – in health, education, and the empowerment of women and young people. We know this yields significant returns with ripple effects across generations. 

Our commitment to individual dignity, rights, and choices is the foundation for a resilient and sustainable future.

Our 1.9 billion young people have the power to transform our world. Let’s invest in their potential and support their leadership. 

I participated in the Action Days preceding this Summit, where young people brought forward their unique perspectives, experiences, and innovative approaches to policies, programmes, and decision-making. 

The energy was palpable. Our investments in the social and economic development of young people must be palpable as well. They have a fundamental right to participate in sustainable development, humanitarian action, and in sustaining peace.

By leveraging science, data, and statistics, combined with strategic foresight, we can ensure that we are thinking about the present – and preparing for the future. 

Let’s embrace and shape the technology that is transforming our world and our work.

The digital gender divide is driven not just by a lack of technological availability and affordability, but also by harmful social and gender norms that restrict women’s and girls’ autonomy. 

Technology-facilitated gender-based violence disproportionately affects women, girls, and young people, and occurs both online and off. 

As we work to bridge the digital divide, our task is to ensure technology fosters empowerment and gender equality rather than perpetuating violence. 

Excellencies,

Three decades on from the groundbreaking International Conference on Population and Development and as the end of our ICPD30 review process draws near, UNFPA remains laser focused on the future of every 10-year-old girl today. As she stands on the cusp of adolescence, how can we ensure that she is prepared to navigate that adolescence with anticipation, and without fear? 

This requires rallying new allies and partners, harnessing innovation, exploring new forms of financing and embracing the power of technology to advance rights and choices for her and for everyone, in line with the objectives of this Summit.

We congratulate Member States for their consensus on the Pact of the Future, the Declaration on Future Generations and the Global Digital Compact. 

These important outcomes offer some solutions. Yet, we know much more remains to be done to translate commitments into action.

By focusing our efforts and strengthening our partnerships and investments, we can overcome our common challenges and build a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable future for all.

Thank you.