Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said that India’s G20 presidency will be a leap forward in ensuring that needs and rights of the world’s 1.8 billion young people are addressed, their voices heard, and they have access to resources and opportunities for their optimal development.

He was inaugurating ‘Health of Youth – Wealth of Nation’, a G20 co-branded event organized by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in collaboration with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, Child Health (PMNCH), here.

The global gathering aims to highlight the health and well-being needs of the 1.8 billion adolescents and youth worldwide, and foster increased attention and investment by G20 nations in their health needs.

The Health Minister said: “Our Prime Minister’s vision that India’s G20 presidency will be ‘inclusive, ambitious, decisive and action-oriented’ throws up hope as well as opportunities for India and the world. A prominent role in realizing his vision can be played by the youth of the country.”

“A country’s ability and potential for growth is determined by the size and strength of its youth population. Youth can be a dominant force for development when provided with the knowledge and opportunities they need to thrive,” he said.

Highlighting the Indian Government’s commitment towards youth empowerment, he stated that this co-branded event underlines the Government’s leadership in promoting investment in human capital of adolescents and young people and “we want to inspire other G20 nations to advance the development of the next generation to build stronger, greener economies and vibrant societies.”

He said being home to about one fourth of the world’s youth demographic which is capable of leading the country to its aspiration of becoming the world’s third largest economy, “it is necessary for India to reap this demographic dividend and invest in education, skill development and health of youth.”

Mandaviya said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India has continuously crafted and reinforced policies and programmes to suit the youth and address their health and development needs.

He highlighted that “Tele-Manas, a dedicated national tele-mental health program is ensuring that the mental health concerns of the young people of the country are being heard, accepted and managed by a team of experts and professionals at zero cost”.

He said “a comprehensive School Health and Wellness Programme has been launched by the PM which is envisaging to develop school students as health and wellness messengers, advocates and role models within their schools and communities at large.”

Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar said that “our government firmly believes in the transformative power and boundless potential of our youth. Their energy, ideas, and determination hold the key to shaping the future trajectory of our great nation.”

Ms Helen Clark, PMNCH Board Chair noted that young people today are facing a lot of challenges that are not of their making. She stated that many young girls aged 15 to 19 years are dying during child-birth while many people across the world are facing mental health challenges. Urging countries to address the challenges faced by the youth today, she said, “the call for action is urgent and time to act is now.”

Deputy Health Minister of South Africa Sibongiseni Dhlomo congratulated the Government of India for its G20 Presidency and stated that G20 priorities are shaping up well under India’s Presidency.