Youth Flash Newsletter May 2013
In this issue of Youth Flash, you will find the following:
Feature Article:
- “ONE UN: Uniting for Youth” Hanging out with the Envoy on Youth
News from UN offices
News from UN Information Centers (UNIC)
Youth in Action
Publications
Featured Article
On 17 May, the UN Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth, Ahmad Alhendawi, hosted the first in a series of Google+ Hangouts being held to shine a spotlight on the United Nations’ work on youth issues.
The first Hangout, held under the theme “ONE UN: Uniting for Youth”, focused on the three initiatives of the Secretary-General’s five-year Action Agenda in making ”working with and for young people” a priority, namely: the appointment of an Envoy on Youth to the Secretary-General, the development of a UN System-wide Action Plan on Youth (Youth-SWAP), and the creation of a UN Volunteers Youth modality.
Why a Hangout?
As the Secretary-General’s newly appointed, not to mention first ever, Envoy on Youth, Mr. Alhendawi has spent his first few months on the job stressing the importance of bringing young people closer to the work of the United Nations and vice versa. The Hangout series is just one of the ways in which he hopes to not only inform young people about how the UN system is ‘working with and for’ them, but importantly, for young people to engage and have their say. With this in mind, throughout the discussion young people watching from around the globe were encouraged to Tweet and Facebook in their questions and comments. (Missed the hangout and want to have your say? Find out how at the end of the article.)
Uniting for YOUth
In true ‘Uniting for Youth’ spirit, the Hangout brought together both experts from within the UN and youth advocates. UN Volunteers (UNV) Executive Coordinator, Richard Dictus, and UNFPA’s Prateek Awasthi, representing the UN Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development, joined the discussion to talk about the UNV modality and the Youth-SWAP respectively. Meanwhile the discussion was deeply enriched by the participation of three youth leaders: Lloyd Russell-Moyle, vice-president of the European Youth Forum, Danae Espinoza, Project Manager at the Integrated Platform for Sustainable Development (PIDES) and Rime Asselman, youth advocate and consultant at UN Habitat.
In his presentation, Mr. Dictus of UNV highlighted the importance of youth volunteerism, recognised through the new UNV Youth Modality which was launched in late January 2013. He stressed that “The young people involved in the UNV Youth Modality are going to be catalysts in the way that the organisation shifts its mind and integrates the ideas of young people on how we work”.
Mr. Awasthi speaking on behalf of the Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development (IANYD) explained the importance of the UN System-wide Action Plan on Youth in bringing the different UN entities around the same table to see how they can cooperate and bring together their resources and expertise in engaging on youth development. Mr. Awasthi also announced that the IANYD will, for the first time ever, hold an open meeting with youth organisations in the latter half of the year, as a way of opening a forum for direct engagement with youth on the System-wide Action Plan on Youth. He noted that the Youth-SWAP itself, as well as a more ‘user friendly’ version of the document, will be available online in the near future.
Participants also discussed the importance of youth inclusion and participation in the current and future development processes and programmes. While the three youth participants all welcomed the new initiatives undertaken by the UN in working with youth, they also highlighted the importance of moving from planning to action, and in particular improving coordination and communication channels between the UN and youth organisations and networks throughout the world. The discussion also focused around the themes of youth empowerment through entrepreneurship and employment, as well as encouraging youth volunteerism and youth engagement in social, economic and political issues.
Lloyd Russell-Moyle, vice president of the European Youth Forum, noted that there is still need for increasing funding and support for a global youth movement that can raise the voice of youth and youth-led organisations in the UN as well as all other platforms working on youth development. On the other hand, Danae Espinoza highlighted the lack of concrete information when it comes to learning about the different ways in which youth can engage with the UN, adding that there is a need for more youth-friendly language so as to facilitate youth participation in the different events, programmes and processes spearheaded by the UN.
Envoy on Youth: Engaging with and for young people
The Hangout was of course an important occasion for youth and civil society around the world to hear directly from Mr. Alhendawi about his new role as Envoy, work plan and main aspirations for youth development nationally, regionally and globally. The Envoy stated that through his work, he is exploring possible mechanisms for youth participation and facilitating mutli-stakeholder partnerships which can promote youth participation in the UN system as well as in development processes. He described his role as an advocate for youth issues, a connector and harmoniser for the work of the UN to deliver as one on youth issues. He also announced that he has addressed a letter to the High Level Panel (HLP) of Prominent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, with recommendations reminding the HLP members of the importance of including youth in the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
The Google+ Hangout concluded with short messages from all the participants on their expectations from the work of the UN on youth issues, which highlighted a common vision for effective partnerships and increased investment from all stakeholders, to work on youth inclusion in all development processes. In his closing remarks, Mr. Alhendawi also renewed his commitment to open all communication channels with youth to engage them in all development processes.
More information:
Annoyed you missed the Hangout? Worry not; you can watch it here in full: http://bit.ly/12oVOcl
Have something to say? Why not tweet your feedback to the Envoy directly: @ahmadalhendawi
Still confused about how the UN is working with and for youth – then take a flick through our previous issues of youth flash:
April 2013: Feature Article: Youth-SWAP:
http://social.un.org/index/Youth/YouthFlashNewsletter/2013/April.aspx
July 2012: Feature Article: Youth a hot topic in the UN
http://social.un.org/index/Youth/YouthFlashNewsletter/2012/July.aspx
Youth Flash Newsletter
UNDESA
12 August 2013 – International Youth Day
Youth Migration and Development
A reminder that international Youth Day is commemorated on 12 August each year! This year, International Youth Day coincides with the launch of the United Nations 2013 World Youth Report, both of which will be on the theme Youth Migration and Development.
To commemorate the Day, we will be encouraging youth organizations, young people, and UN field and country offices to organize events and activities around this year’s theme. More information on what you can do and how you can get involved will follow in our next newsletter!
Advancing Social Integration and Intergenerational Solidarity
DSPD/DESA and DPI jointly organized a panel discussion on “Advancing Social Integration and Intergenerational Solidarity” on May 16, 2013 in commemoration of the 2013 International Day of Families. The day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 and reflects the importance the international community attaches to families. The Day provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting them. Advancing intergenerational solidarity involves promoting exchanges between generations, and is achieved by developing and encouraging programmes that facilitate increased interaction between younger and older generations. This Briefing brought together a diverse panel to discuss how making progress on both these fronts can enhance the role of the family in development.
15 July: Informal Interactive Hearings on Migration and Development
As part of the preparatory activities for the General Assembly High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development to be held 3 and 4 October 2013, the President of the General Assembly will hold one-day informal interactive hearings with representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations and the private sector at the United Nations headquarters in New York on 15 July 2013. The objective of the informal interactive hearings is to provide an opportunity for NGOs, civil society organizations including youth-led organizations and the private sector to interact with Member States and to provide inputs for the High-level Dialogue.
A website for the informal interactive hearings for the High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development is now available. Importantly, the website includes under ‘NGO Participation’ the link to the pre-registration both for representatives of NGOs with ECOSOC consultative status, as well as for representatives of civil society organizations and the private sector without ECOSOC consultative status for both the hearings and the High-level Dialogue.
http://www.un.org/esa/population/meetings/HLD2013/hld2013.html
Office of the Envoy of the Secretary-General on Youth
The Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth Responds to the HLP on Post 2015 Report
The Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth issued on 3 June 2013 a Press Statement in response the Report of the HLP on the Post 2015 Development Agenda, where he thanked the members of the Panel for the report which provides significant inputs and guidance for the further elaboration of the UN development agenda. He welcomed the efforts to include young people in the process, as well as the proposed five ‘transformative shifts’ identified in the report. He commended the fact that adolescents and young people and their issues are mentioned throughout the document and are recognized as a cross-cutting development priority. He also noted the importance of identifying youth specifically as key participants in the global partnership proposed in the report. The Envoy on Youth reiterated his commitment to work with all partners through youth creativity, meaningful participation, and leadership, particularly young women and marginalized youth are central in shaping the future.
To read the full statement, please click here.
UNESCO
Ecuadorian youth explore and learn about creativity
UNESCO organized a one-week Youth Forum on Creativity entitled ‘Experiment, learn, create’ in Ibarra, Ecuador from 1 to 5 April 2013. Students ranging in age from 14 to 16 years old, explored concepts of creativity, cultural expressions and the cultural cycle through participating in practical, hands-on workshops in audiovisual arts, spoken word and visual arts.
Aimed at encouraging participants to explore how to express what inspires and motivates them through art, they created, produced and distributed their own films, radio dramas and visual art works, while at the same time opening new opportunities for their creative development.
The UNESCO Youth Forum on Creativity is one of the many activities to implement the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions at the national level.
For more information about the Youth Forum visit the UNESCO Webpage.
Contact: f.gomez-duran@unesco.org
Youth: an engine for Creative Economy
In the framework of the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2013 on ‘Shaping tomorrow’s innovators: Leveraging science, technology, innovation and culture for today’s youth’, UNESCO organized a dialogue session entitled ‘Youth: an engine for creative economy’ in collaboration with DESA, ITU, UN-HABITAT and UNICEF. As a result, the participants of the Forum made key policy recommendations to encourage youth participation in creative industries and promote their engagement in policy-making processes.
For more information about the Youth Forum visit the ECOSOC Webpage.
Contact: f.gomez-duran@unesco.org
UNICEF
Youth Advocacy Group of the Global Education First Initiative
The UN Secretary-General created his five year initiative on education called the Global Education First Initiative (GEFI) in September 2012 which has three priorities: put every child in school; improve the quality of learning; develop global citizens (www.globaleducationfirst.org). In order to support GEFI’s Steering Committee and to engage a broader range of stakeholders, a Youth Advocacy Group (YAG) has been appointed with the task to provide expertise on youth education issues, encourage the mobilization of young people and facilitate the dissemination of information to networks and organizations around the world. Out of over 650 applications, 15 youth were chosen to be part of the YAG. Members come from every continent and their expertise cover various aspects of education such as girls’ education, education in rural areas, education for indigenous youth, education for youth with disabilities, and more.
For more information, contact Daria Ng, GEFI communications focal point at dng@unicef.org.
UN-HABITAT
Youth at the UN-Habitat Governing Council
Young people from around the world recently participated in the Twenty-fourth session of the UN-Habitat Governing Council (GC) in Nairobi, Kenya. Attendees were members of the UN-Habitat Youth Advisory Board and representatives of governments and non-governmental organizations. During the GC, youth members caucused daily to debate and strategize on how youth could engage in the GC. One areas in which they had input was on assuring that the resolutions passed supported youth engagement in sustainable urban development. The GC ended successfully with the passing of the resolution on Youth and Sustainable Urban Development. This resolution requests the Executive Director to cooperate closely with the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Youth, in the fulfillment of the Envoy’s work plan and to work with the Government of Sri Lanka for the preparation for the World Conference on Youth in 2014. In addition, the resolution on promoting sustainable urban development by creating improved economic opportunities for all, with special reference to youth and gender, was also adopted. These resolutions will impact positively on UN-Habitats work on youth.
The resolutions can be found at;
http://papersmart.unon.org/habitatgc24/?q=taxonomy/term/6
Urban Youth Fund 2013
For the Fifth consecutive year, the UN-Habitat Youth Fund will support youth-led initiatives around the globe. Applications for this year closed on April 15, 2013 and reached a new milestone with 8447 youth organizations registering for the Fund and a total of 1460 organizations submitting proposals. Through innovative partnerships, the Urban Youth Fund opened two separate geographic windows for Mauritius and India. The increased number of registered organizations indicates the growing interest by Youth-Led organizations on the Youth Fund. While the Fund does provide financial support to youth-led initiatives, it also provides training and capacity building to the project coordinators, as well as follow-ups and mentoring, and contributes to youth networking as other types of institutional support to successfully empower youth. The announcement for the beneficiaries of the 2013 round will be made on World Habitat Day on October 1st 2013. For more information on the Urban Youth Fund pleases visit:
http://www.unhabitat.org/categories.asp?catid=637
UNAOC
Young filmmakers: Submit your videos on migration, diversity and social inclusion
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the International Organization for Migration invite the world’s youth to submit original and creative videos to PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival.
Recognizing youth as powerful agents of social change in a world often characterized by intolerance, and cultural and religious divisions, PLURAL+ invites young people of up to 25 years of age to address key challenges related to migrant integration, inclusiveness, identity, diversity, human rights and social cohesiveness. Videos of up to five minutes in length must be submitted by June 30th.
A prestigious international jury will select three winners in each age category (9-12, 13-17, and 18-25). All winners will be invited to New York, all travel expenses paid, to present their work at the PLURAL+ 2013 Awards Ceremony on December 5th, 2013.
Find out more at http://pluralplus.unaoc.org/
or contact plural@unaoc.org
UNAOC-EF Summer School: call for applications
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is collaborating with Education First (EF) in the context of the first UNAOC-EF Summer School, which will take place in Tarrytown, NY, USA, from 24 to 31 of August 2013.
This UNAOC-EF Summer School will bring together 100 youth from all over the world for a week of discussions on pressing global challenges within the context of cultural and religious diversity. Several skills-building workshops will be offered with a view to strengthen participants’ ability on topics such as peacebuilding, human rights, advocacy, social entrepreneurship, etc.
Youth (between 18 and 35) who are interested in attending this year’s summer school can apply at www.UNAOCEFSummerSchool.org on or before 31 May 2013.
Selected participants will be provided with flight, accommodation, meals and full event access.
ILO
Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013 – A generation at risk
According to the new findings of the Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013, it is not a good time to be a young person in the labour market and prospects don’t look like they are getting better.
It is estimated that the global youth unemployment rate will reach 12.6 per cent by the end of 2013 which means that there will be more than 73 million unemployed young people around the world. There continues to be growing regional disparities between advanced and developing economies.
Behind this worsening figure is an even more worrying picture, revealing persistent unemployment, a proliferation of temporary jobs and growing youth discouragement in advanced economies; and poor quality, informal, subsistence jobs in developing countries.
What is special about the 2013 edition is the never before seen data and analysis of the school-to-work transition of young people in developing countries. Up to 2 out of 3 young people in some developing countries can’t go to school and can’t find a stable job and as many as 8 out of 10 young workers are in informal employment.
The report urges governments, employers’ organizations and trade unions to take immediate and targeted action. It provides examples of interventions, as well as policy options to address the youth employment crisis.
Read the full report: http://ilo.org/global/research/global-reports/global-employment-trends/youth/2013/lang–en/index.htm
Youth Employment Network (YEN)
Youth employment and entrepreneurship in Europe – workshop with international corporations (London, 26 April 2013)
The Youth Employment Network and Youth Business International convened a knowledge sharing workshop about youth employment and entrepreneurship in Europe. The workshop in London was hosted by J.P. Morgan. Representatives of international corporations attended the workshop to discuss youth employment trends and labour market barriers in Europe, highlight comprehensive entrepreneurship interventions and identify opportunities for the private sector to support youth entrepreneurship in Europe.
For more information: http://www.youthbusiness.org/workshop-opportunities-private-sector-europe/
Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum (Bonn, 17 June 2013)
The sixth Global Media Forum at the World Conference Center in Bonn from June 17-19, 2013 focuses on “The Future of Growth – Economics, Values and the Media”. YEN’s workshop on “Youth Employment – Translating Challenges into Opportunities” will present the global employment trends for young people in 2013, analyse the labour market situation with a specific focus on discouraged youth who are not in employment, education or training (NEET), and discuss policies and programmes that can address the youth employment challenge.
For more information: http://www.dw.de/youth-employment-translating-challenges-into-opportunities/a-16672763
UNRWA
Refugee barber pursues dream despite odds
More than 500.000 Palestine refugees are residing in Syria. Many of them live in one of UNRWA’s nine refugee camps. Thousands of Palestinian refugees fled al-Taddamun neighbourhood in Syria when fighting escalated there last December. A young barber, seventeen-year-old Mohammad, took refuge in UNRWA’s Tireh Girls’ School in Dummar, which has been converted into a shelter for internally displaced people (IDP). Mohammad said, “I know it will be difficult [to start a new life], but I am content. I have a barber apprenticeship, and will do my best to help my community.” Since taking shelter at the school, Mohammad has gained a regular and adoring customer base, and is grateful for the help that he has received from the Agency. UNRWA estimates that approximately 8,000 Palestinian refugees have found shelter in its facilities.
http://www.unrwa.org/etemplate.php?id=1720
UNCDF
YouthStart
YouthStart, a UNCDF programme funded by The MasterCard Foundation, has provided access to financial services to over 110,000 youth in sub-Saharan Africa and financial literacy training to over 65,000. In May 2013, YouthStart and its 10 partners participated in the annual Child and Youth Finance International (CYFI) summit, where more than 500 stakeholders from all over the world gathered to discuss on youth finance and financial capability. For this important event, the United Nation Secretary-General released a statement supporting programmes like YouthStart. The summit was honoured to have the Envoy of the Secretary-General’s on Youth in the opening of the ceremony.
UNCDF-YouthStart also released a new publication on Client protection for youth clients, establishing the principles for responsible finance for youth.
More information please visit our website at www.uncdf.org/en/youthstart
UNIC Colombo
UNIC Colombo raises student awareness
As youth today are the world leaders of tomorrow, on 30 April the UN Information Centre (UNIC) Colombo conducted a UN awareness programme for Middle school students at NICE International School, Negambo. UNIC described the history of the UN and highlighted the structure and the work of the Organization globally and locally. In the group, students discussed major world challenges, such as child labour, discrimination, health issues, terrorism, natural disasters, violence against women, poverty, ageing, environmental pollution and global warming.
http://unic.un.org/imu/recentActivities/post/2013/04/30/UNIC-Colombo-raises-student-awareness.aspx
UNO Baku
Azerbaijan celebrates UN English Language Day
To rediscover the beauty of the English language, which was spoken by only three tribes 1,500 years ago, but has today become the most flexible mode of intercommunication for nearly two billion people, UNO Baku brought together students, teachers and performers on 23 April, the date traditionally observed as the birthday of William Shakespeare. The Azerbaijani University of Languages hosted the event that overflowed with music, pageantry and drama, and participants enjoyed this vibrant UN-led celebration of multilingualism and cultural diversity along with the commemoration of the life and works of one of the greatest writers in the English literature.
UNIC Nairobi
Learning from experiences of yesteryear!
The UN Information Center Nairobi, in collaboration with the Rwanda High Commission, organized the observance of the 19th anniversary of the Rwanda genocide with students from various universities, secondary and primary schools in Kenya under the slogan “Healing, Reconciliation and Reconstruction”. Prior to the observance, the students participated in essay writing and art work on the topic “imagination of a country with no conflict”. With an audience of about 400 people, the initiative aimed to underline the responsibility of all, including students, on their role in preventing conflict.
UNIC Moscow
19th Commemoration of the Rwanda Genocide in Moscow
Two years ago, as part of its educational outreach programme, the UN Information Centre Moscow translated into Russian, a comic book produced by the UN Department of Public Information entitled “TUGIRE UBUMWE – Let’s Unite!”. In collaboration with Rwandan artist and genocide survivor Rupert Bazambanza, the comic on the Genocide in Rwanda, which was designed for a young audience, uses the example of Rwanda to promote respect for diversity and reconciliation.
http://unic.un.org/imu/recentActivities/post/2013/04/16/null.aspx
UNO Almaty
A Tree Grows for the UN Academic Impact
During a ceremonial opening of the New Academic Library of the al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU), the first member of the UN Academic Impact Initiative (UNAI) in Kazakhstan, the UN Office Almaty organized a special tree planting ceremony at the University’s Almaty campus. The tree not only endorses the long-standing excellent relations between UNO and the University, but also underlines the importance of successful mutual cooperation.
UNIC Brazzaville
Tour of the ancient port of slaves in Loango
Marking the International Day of Remembrance of the victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the UN Information Centre (UNIC) Brazzaville led 50 students from Marwitse Private High School on a tour of the site of the ancient port of slaves in Loango, a coastal city located close to Pointe Noire, around 600 Km from the capital. The students visited the ancient port area on the seafront where stands a stele of the “Trip of no return”. They were briefed on the origin of the transatlantic slave trade and the role of Loango as a slave boat departure site to America. They also walked along “the road of caravans” where slaves were forcibly marched from the countryside.
UNIC Buenos Aires
The UN in Latin America
On 17 April, the UN Information Centre Buenos Aires gave a special lecture to the students of political science and international relations at Universidad de Palermo, one of the leading private universities in Argentina. UNIC Director David Smith presented a general overview of the UN work in Latin America, with a special focus on the Organization´s role in the reconstruction of Haiti. A Questions and Answers session followed the lecture with students asking questions that ranged from human trafficking to world peace.
http://unic.un.org/imu/recentActivities/post/2013/04/17/The-UN-in-Latin-America.aspx
UNIC Lima
School for Tolerance
The UN Information Centre Lima organized an introductory workshop a “Youth for Tolerance” project launched by the Friends of the UN Club. The idea was born on 14 November 2012, during and event organized by UNIC Lima to mark the International Day for Tolerance. During the commemoration, participants from 54 schools proposed a project for the 2013 school year in which a series of activities promoting tolerance be undertaken by upper grade high school students.
With a special focus on racism and homophobia, one of the activities was the creation of a blog to exchange ideas about tolerance, racism and homophobia. Others involve training school correspondents to cover the topics and songwriting and producing audiovisual material (photographs, videos, cartoons) for a school-wide campaign promoting the value of tolerance and the rejecting racism and homophobia.
http://unic.un.org/imu/recentActivities/category/Lima-.aspx
UNIC Yerevan
French Language Day at the UN in Armenia
On 25 April, students, school children and journalists learned more about use of the French Language during French Language Day organized today at he UN Office in Yerevan. The goal of the event was to advancing multilingualism and cultural diversity. More than 100 youth from three different schools participated in performances and presentations, promoting the French language and its role in spreading UN values globally.
UNRIC
University Cattolica of Milan: International Relations Masters
For the second year in a row, the Italy Desk of the UN Regional Information Centre was invited to meet and brief students of the Master’s programme at the Postgraduate School of Economics and International Relations on UN public information activities, UN peacekeeping and UN job opportunities.
The working relationship – Established in May 2012, the working relations with the Master’s branch of the Milan-based prestigious University Cattolica – has proved fruitful, featuring two interventions of the Desk Officer in Milan and a study visit by management and students to UNRIC premises.
Institute for Peace and Dialogue, IPD
International Summer Academy on Peacebuilding & Intercultural Dialogue
The Institute for Peace and Dialogue, IPD is glad to announce their next International Summer Academy on Peacebuilding & Intercultural Dialogue which will take place in Vienna, Austria during the 1-11 September.
If you wish to get academic knowledge by experienced experts and spend fruitful summer time in Vienna then fill the application form available at: http://www.ipdinstitute.at/International-Summer-Academy/ and email with CV, Passport Page (only photo page) to fhuseynli@ipdinstitute.at.
The deadline for application is 25 May 2013. When you send your application Please, name the filled documents as “NAME” “SURNAME” “COUNTRY”.
For more information please visit our web page http://www.ipdinstitute.at/International-Summer-Academy/
World Youth Foundation
International Conference on Trafficking of Young Women and Children,
The World Youth Foundation is pleased to invite you to participate in the International Conference on Trafficking of Young Women and Children to be held from 3rd – 7th September 2013 at Melaka, Malaysia. The five day International Conference aims to operate primarily in an interactive mode to provide an opportunity for young people to discuss, understand, share, find solutions and develop strategies on issues pertaining to young women and human trafficking that can be implemented at country level. The International Conference will seek to educate and empower youth about issues on human trafficking and to serve as a resource by providing valuable information about other initiatives working to address human trafficking. The Call of Participation, Provisional programme, Application form, FAQ and Payment Details can be found at www.wyf.org.my or email WYF at wyf@po.jaring.my / wrdyth@gmail.com for further information.
UN-HABITAT
The State of the Urban Youth Report
UN-Habitat launched the State of the Urban Youth Report 2012/2013 which focuses on Youth and the Prosperity of Cities. The report builds on the 2010/2011 edition, “Levelling the Playing Field – Inequality of Youth Opportunity” and it’s insights into the state of urban youth. This latest Report takes a closer look at the condition of youth in major urban centres in four developing nations – Accra (Ghana), São Paulo (Brazil), Bangalore (India) and Cairo (Egypt). It puts forth youth perceptions and opinions regarding the quality of life and access to resources, including education, medical care, urban services, employment, and municipal institutions. Much like the findings of the last report, the 2012/2013 report continues to demonstrate the fundamental importance of education to the development of urban youth. The report recommends a better match between skills and labour markets through vocational training and the participation of the private sector. The report suggests that ‘soft’ skills matter more in service-oriented economies, and that young people in informal settlements need entrepreneurial abilities, and their capacities must be better geared to knowledge-intensive business services.
You can read the full report on the web link below;
http://www.unhabitat.org/pmss/listItemDetails.aspx?publicationID=3455
State of the Urban Youth India 2012: Employment, Livelihoods, Skills
The State of the Urban Youth India 2012: Employment, Livelihoods, Skills is joint publication by IRIS Knowledge Foundation Mumbai India and the UN-Habitat Global Urban Youth Research Network. The report is a first attempt to pull together data and knowledge base on urban youth in India. The focus of the Report is youth employment and youth livelihoods in urban India. The findings from the report also suggest that educational and training systems must be better aligned with the current and future needs of young people. The findings amply demonstrate that youth can not only discern developmental issues but may even be capable of suggesting innovative solutions to deep problems of development and growth. Of paramount importance is access to education and opportunities for acquiring skills. Young people are also quite clear about what makes a city safe and secure for the pursuit of occupations and livelihoods and what kind of an urban space they need to achieve prosperity in the context of sustainable urban development. You can read the full report on the web link below;
http://www.esocialsciences.org/General/A201341118517_19.pdf
Global Youth Led Development Series
The Global Youth Led Development report series is a collection of themed papers created to expand the knowledge in the area of youth-led development (YLD). The reports highlights best practices in youth led development as experienced by different youth agencies. In 2005, UN-Habitat published a first report on YLD leading up to the World Urban Forum in Vancouver. Together, the Global YLD series of papers forms a mosaic that sheds light on how youth are positively impacting their community. This report series emphasizes how youth can be assets to their communities, and how local, national and international governments can both engage and support youth and youth-led initiatives. Research for each paper in the series draws on the most cutting edge research in this newly acknowledged area of youth development. The Series seeks to demonstrate the complexities of YLD, while at the same time inspiring people to action. In the end, this series aims to contribute new insights to the emerging global dialogue on YLD. You can Series can be downloaded from the links below:
The Challenge and the Promise of Youth-led Development
www.unhabitat.org/pmss/getElectronicVersion.aspx?nr=3398&alt=1
The State of the Field of Youth-Led Development
http://www.unhabitat.org/pmss/listItemDetails.aspx?publicationID=3398
ICT, Urban Governance and Youth;
http://www.unhabitat.org/pmss/listItemDetails.aspx?publicationID=3395
Lessons and Experiences from the Urban Youth Fund
http://www.unhabitat.org/pmss/listItemDetails.aspx?publicationID=3445
Experiences and Lessons from the Urban Youth Fund Grantees from Africa and the
http://www.unhabitat.org/pmss/listItemDetails.aspx?publicationID=3399
ILO
Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013: A generation at risk
The new study examines the continuing job crisis affecting young people in many parts of the world. It provides updated statistics on global and regional youth unemployment rates and presents ILO policy recommendations to curb the current trends. The report says the long-term impact of the youth employment crisis could be felt for decades, creating a generation at risk of suffering decent work deficits throughout their lives.
Read full report at http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—dgreports/—dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_212423.pdf
International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC)
Compendium of innovative practices in the prevention of youth crime
As part of the financing agreement between the Ministry of Public Security of the Government of Quebec and the International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), ICPC has produced a Compendium of innovative practices in the prevention of violence and crime youth. This report aims to “identify some approaches developed in Western countries with regard to the prevention of violence and crime among young people.” A particular focus has been placed on school-based approaches. Presented as a compendium of practices, the report looks at the involvement of the police, the education and health systems and local governments in the prevention of violence and crime among youth, in various environments where these phenomena occur. This report is available only in French.