Hello, dear readers!
I am Jaimin Parikh from New Delhi, the capital of the Republic of India. I am a fellow for SDG 11 at United Nations and a to-be alumnus of the University of Delhi (2021). As you read this, kindly ponder over the inequalities which exist in different forms around you.
If you observe closely, all forms of inequalities and discrimination, be it based on gender, religion, caste, ethnicity or any other aspect, have a ‘common link’ between them. This ‘link’ is the epicentre of injustice and various stereotypes and stigmas, which in turn are formed mainly due to the lack of proper education.
Be cautious – being literate is no proof of being educated! Thus, it becomes a necessity to have a society where the quality of education is numero uno. It plays an important role in bringing all the historically marginalised people into the mainstream as well as in countering the stereotypes which the ‘privileged sections’ of society have formed around marginalised individuals.
The status quo of the education system across the globe remains more or less similar, barring few regions which have excelled the ‘quality’ and the ‘type’ of education. It was the same in the past and if we turn a blind eye to what future really seeks from us, then it will still remain the same in upcoming years – leading us to a society unfit for a healthy social order.
The 5th Industrial revolution is bound to create an all-AI based world in the next 50 years. Our priorities, therefore, should be bridging the ‘digital divide’ which exists in the society. Since certainly the upcoming generations have to compete with artificial intelligence in terms of opportunities and behavioural standards, till the time this ‘digital divide’ between the privileged and marginalised sections isn’t bridged completely it will create yet another socially unequal section that will be ‘completely out of digital context’ further restricting their chances of having basic requirements of future living standards.
I believe that in next 50 years the world would have moved largely towards a knowledge-based economy having education as its core currency. The challenge then would be to inculcate Emotional Intelligence based education, along with bringing education on Sustainable Development into practice. The ‘type’ of future education must be emphasizing on soft skills for the youth and children, thereby complementing education based on Emotional Intelligence. This necessarily involves Comprehensive Sex Education integrating SDG 4 with SDG 5 and SDG 10.
It becomes vital that in future we provide considerable autonomy to the students to decide themselves what, how, and when they want to be a part of the education process thereby promoting an ‘age-neutral intellectual-emotional abilities’ based environment. Under my position as an ambassador of the World Literacy Foundation from India for 2020, I invite all to embrace these changes in our education systems.
Join me and 5 other youth finalists as we engage with senior decision makers and policy makers on the purpose of education. Register now as limited spots are available: https://delegatesfortage.paperform.co/
About #UnitedForHope
As part of the UN75 initiative, the United Nations in India launched the #UnitedForHope campaign in partnership with Youth Ki Awaaz with the aim to create meaningful conversations with as many people as possible: to listen to their hopes and fears; learn from their experiences; and empower them to think and act globally.
With the spirit of “We The Peoples” at its core, the campaign provides an opportunity for the global public, especially young people, to share their ideas on how to tackle the developmental challenges of today, and build a better future for everyone, everywhere. For more information, see: in.one.un.org/un75