The UN Secretary General's Envoy on Youth, Jayathma Wickramanayake has said that the UN will work towards eliminating the challenges faced in the development of youth in the Maldives.

Her statement came during a ceremony held to mark the International Youth Day in N. Velidhoo, last night.

Jayathma, who is currently in the Maldives on an invitation extended by Youth Minister Ahmed Mahloof, noted that upon speaking to the Minister and other officials, it was clear that there were many challenges faced by the youth. She stressed that we can fully count on the support of the UN to overcome these challenges.

She had also highlighted the literacy rate of the Maldives being almost a 100% and went on to assure that the Maldives can count on the UN to help in overcoming the challenges that the youth of the nation faces.

Highlighting that the right to education is a birth right, Jayathma asserted that the Maldives gives great priority to child education, proven by the fact that the Maldives was one of the first signatories in the UN convention on the rights of the child.

The theme set by the UN for this year's youth day is 'Transforming Education'.