UN YOUTH FLASH
Vol. 6, No.8, August 2009
WELCOME to the UN Youth Flash, a service of the United Nations Programme on Youth to keep you informed about the work of the UN on youth issues. You are encouraged to use and forward the information below to other networks. This update is prepared with input from UN offices, agencies, funds and programmes, and from youth organisations around the world.
In this issue:
Feature: Focusing the Youth Agenda: Girls and young women
News from UN Agencies
Youth in Action
Publications
Calendar of Events
FEATURE: Focusing the Youth Agenda: the World Programme of Action for Youth
The World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY) is a useful tool for local and national Governments, IGOs, and NGOs championing youth issues around the globe. To assist with its implementation, the United Nations has worked with its partners and Member States to develop a set of goals and targets that can help to shape youth-targeted interventions. This month’s feature is the fourth in a 10-part series that will familiarise our readers with the WPAY and its related goals and targets.
To read more about the WPAY and to access the full text, please visit http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/global.htm.
Focusing the Youth Agenda: Girls and Young Women
In many parts of the world, girls and young women continue to carry the double burden of being both young and female. They often face negative cultural attitudes and practices and gender-biased social and political processes that limit their opportunities and undermine their self-esteem. The World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY) recognizes this conundrum and suggests that a gender sensitive approach be taken in the design and implementation of social and economic programmes and policies to reduce gender discrimination and put boys, girls, women and men on equal footing.
Progress has been made in meeting the needs and aspirations of girls and young women. Girls’ education has expanded. The gender parity index for gross enrolment in primary education rose from an estimated 0.92 in 1999 to 0.96 in 2007 and the literacy rate for female youth increased from 79.2 per cent in the period 1985-1994 to 86.8 per cent for 2005-2007. Women’s participation in paid employment has also continued to increase slowly, particularly in those regions in which women have the least presence in the labour market. Yet girls’ transition rates to secondary education are still of major concern and in most regions of the world, young women experience more difficulties than young men in finding decent employment. Close to two thirds of all employed women have vulnerable jobs, either as contributing family workers or as own-account workers.
Governments need to fulfill their obligations under international human rights instruments, and implement the various programmes of action aimed at leveling the playing field. The first goal of the WPAY in relation to girls and young women is therefore to promote gender equality. It has three associated targets:
1. by 2015, ensure that girls and young women have the same opportunities as do boys and young men to enter education and employment and to progress across levels;
2. by 2015, ensure the availability of facilities and services that are required to enable the full engagement in society of young women and girls; and
3. ensure that by 2015, forums are established for males to contribute to the discussion of gender equality through civil society and other community organizations.
While the first two targets refer to the opportunities and access needed to achieve gender equality, the third highlights the importance of involving boys and men. In many countries, young women have limited decision-making power over even routine activities such as health care, daily purchases or visits to friends and family. Without a change in the perceptions and behaviours of males, any attempts at achieving gender equality will be futile.
In addition to having fewer opportunities than their male peers, girls and young women continue to experience various forms of violence, including female genital mutilation, forced marriages, trafficking and sexual abuse. Measures to protect girls and young women from these types of violence are frequently inadequate and policies often lack legal backing or enforcement. The urgent need to eliminate violence against girls and young women as a prerequisite to achieving gender equality is addressed through one of the goals of the WPAY. This goal has two targets:
1. by 2010, introduce into all basic education curricula, units that address gender-based violence in a relevant and comprehensive manner; and
2. by 2015, ensure that every case of violence against girls and young women is actively investigated and prosecuted.
To learn more about the goals and targets related to girls and young women please read the Report of the Secretary-General A/64/61 & E/2009/3 available at http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/library.htm#reports.
For more information, contact the United Nations Programme on Youth at youth@un.org, or visit http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/global.htm.
NEWS FROM UN OFFICES
(Find out more about the work of United Nations system organizations on youth issues at: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/agenda.htm).
Alliance of Civilizations: Launch of the 2009 Youth Solidarity Fund
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations is launching the second edition of its Youth Solidarity Fund. This programme provides seed funding to outstanding youth projects demonstrating innovative approaches to building cross-cultural understanding. The 2009 edition of the Youth Solidarity Fund offers a total envelope of up to US$300,000. There are two levels of funding available: small grants for community or local-level projects needing funding of up to US$20,000 each and large grants for national or regional-level projects needing funding of up to US$30,000 each. A Youth Selection Committee will identify the best projects under each level of funding.
Youth organizations from all over the world are invited to submit project proposals by September 30, 2009, 1:00 PM, New York time. The application guidelines and form are available at www.unaoc.org.
Alliance of Civilizations: Launch of Youth Website Contest
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations is calling on youth from all over the world to submit logos and vote on possible taglines for the upcoming AoC Youth Website! The website will include information on youth-led and youth-serving organizations involved in cross-cultural understanding; opportunities available to youth interested in AoC-related issues (e.g. training, conferences or exchange programs); and tools developed by or for youth wanting to learn more about cultural and religious diversity.
While the AoC has developed the basic structure for this website, it will be up to youth organizations around the world to populate it with information, share thoughts on the discussion forum and to draft quotes and news. For more information on the contest, see http://www.unaoc.org/content/view/397/200/lang,english/. The deadline for submitting your vote and/or logo is 28 September 2009, 5PM, EST.
ESCWA- Proposed Project on “Strengthening national capacities to formulate national youth policies and plans of action: Responding to the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY)”
In March 2009, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) organized an Expert Group Meeting on “Reinforcing Social Equity: Integrating Youth into the Development Process”, in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Participants urged ESCWA to initiate a regional project to strengthen national capacities to formulate national youth policies and plans of action, in the context of countries’ responses to the WPAY.
The proposed Project focuses on four main expected accomplishments: (1) Enhanced awareness of the importance of adopting national youth policies, (2) Endorsed list of national youth priorities, (3) Strengthened national capacity in formulating national youth policies and plans of action, (4) Strengthened national capacity in developing a national list of youth indicators and monitoring progress achieved. ESCWA is currently exploring opportunities for collaboration with interested partners (such as regional agencies, Ministries and national institutions).
For more information, please email Shakoori@un.org.
UNESCO: Online youth consultation on the draft UNESCO SHS Global Strategy on Youth
The UNESCO Social and Human Sciences' Sector (UNESCO SHS) is currently developing a Global Strategy on Youth to guide its action until 2013. The Strategy will be finalised through a participatory process involving a wide range of partners at all levels. Through a series of consultations at global and regional level, UNESCO is seeking to identify region-specific priorities and to build partnerships for the Strategy’s implementation.
An online youth consultation for the Arab-States' region will be organised in September and October 2009 and another one for the Asia-Pacific region is planned for October-November 2009. Moreover, an online African youth consultation is currently ongoing (until September 2009). This consultation will feed into the finalisation of the Strategy on African Youth that is developed in parallel to the Global Strategy as a response to the priority accorded to Africa. To find out more or participate in the online consultations, please contact: m.kypriotou@unesco.org
Youth Employment Network: Evaluation Clinic for Youth Employment Projects
In an effort to broaden the evidence base for “what works” in improving employment outcomes for youth, YEN brought together a team of evaluation specialists from its core partners at ILO, World Bank and UN with employment practitioners from the Middle East to share best practices in conducting rigorous evaluations. The concept for the Clinic was unique in that it allowed participants to apply impact evaluation methodologies to live case studies in the process of designing their evaluation plans. The case studies came from Shabab’s Business Clinic Programme (BCP) and the Jordan River Foundation’s Youth Career Initiative (YCI). The event provided unique insights into the constraints faced at the project level in conducting rigorous evaluations. These constraints include not only a lack of resources, time and data but also low levels of project beneficiaries meaning evaluation outcomes could lack statistical significance.
If you are interested in learning more about impact evaluations in youth http://yenclinic.groupsite.com
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YOUTH IN ACTION
Call for proposal: events under the international project “Be aware, NOT addicted!”
The organizers of the International Project Against Drugs "Be aware, NOT addicted!" invite interested institutions all over the world to promote the Competition "It's my life! It's my decision" through local, regional or national events under its aegis. The call of proposals is open until October 10th 2009. This project is included in the European Commission Agenda for the European Year of Creativity and Innovation.
Further details are available at http://antidrog.blogspot.com/2009/08/call-for-proposals-events-under-aegis.html
Children and young people "Unite for Climate"
Children and young people from across the world are joining forces to address climate change with the August 20th launch of a new initiative called "Unite for Climate" at the International Youth Conference in Daejeon, Republic of Korea. UNICEF, in coordination with NGOs, UN agencies, youth activists, and partners from academia and the private sector, has developed a space to enable young people and experts to collaborate on issues related to climate change using open-source technology.
Through networking opportunities and social tools offered on the site, young citizens can connect, share knowledge, engage in solutions and influence policy-making in the run-up to COP 15 in Copenhagen in December and beyond. The site is designed to ensure access in locations where internet connection is slow, allowing young people of diverse socio-economic backgrounds to join the discussion.
To learn more, visit www.uniteforclimate.org or contact us at info@uniteforclimate.org
Rome Symposium on Children and Armed Conflict: "Children and Young People Affected by War: Learn, Understand, Act"
On 23 June 2009 in Rome, two members of the Network of Young People Affected by War (NYPAW), former child soldiers, met ambassadors, government and United Nations officials and civil society partners, to recommend what must be done to ensure that children are fully protected even in the heat of war. Grace Akallo, originally from Uganda, and Kon Kelei, originally from Sudan, narrated their personal experiences of war. The young people highlighted that children who have been affected by conflict need extra support and attention in order to overcome their difficulties. "We founded this network, not to promote ourselves- explained Grace - but to communicate to the world that there is hope and children and young people who were once traumatized by war can recover and become important citizens of the world."
For more information, see http://www.un.org/children/conflict/english/june-2009-symposium-on-children-and-young-people-affe.html
2010 Grant Competition – Latin America and the Caribbean
The 2010 Development Marketplace is a competitive grant programme, administered by the World Bank and supported by partners, that identifies and funds innovative projects with high potential for development impact addressing one of the following topics:
- The commercialization of locally produced biodiversity and agricultural products without degrading source habitats;
- Income generating opportunities for young people living in poor urban areas that are “hot spots” of crime and violence; and
- Social and economic initiatives that contribute to the well-being of vulnerable groups.
The competition has two distinct funding windows: Concept Stage (US$5,000-US$15,000) and Scale-Up (US$20,000-US$35,000). Deadline for submissions: September 30, 2009 12:00 AM EST.
For more information, please visit www.lac-developmentmarketplace.org, www.ybiz.net or contact kwilson2@worldbank.org
PUBLICATIONS
(For UN documents on youth, visit: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/library.htm).
"Private Sector Demand for Youth Labour in Senegal and Ghana" (YEN and IYF)
The study identifies sectors with the highest employment potential, employers’ perceptions for hiring young people, minimum skills requirements, existing gender differentials in hiring practices, and existing interventions by businesses to promote youth employment. The publication thus provides labour market information to employment actors including youth, employers, education and training institutions, Government, financial and technical partners, etc. The study interviewed 300 private sector companies in both the formal and informal economy revealing that over 22,000 youth focussed jobs will be created in the 2 countries over the next 5 years. The study can be accessed at:
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/employment/yen/downloads/psi/psi_study.pdf
CALENDAR OF YOUTH EVENTS
(Please send us information on major international youth events that do not appear below)
31 August–4 September 2009: World Climate Conference-3 (Geneva, Switzerland)
Organized by the World Meteorological Organization, the World Climate Conference-3 (WCC-3) provides the world community with a unique opportunity to address the challenges associated with current climate variability so as to build societal resilience to the imminent effects of climate change.
For more information, please visit http://www.wmo.int/
29-30 September 2009: Global Youth Enterprise Conference (Washington D.C., USA)
Designed as a participatory learning event, this conference aims to support youth enterprise and entrepreneurship programmes and policies to achieve greater effectiveness around the world. Participants include practitioners, funding organizations, the private sector, academics and youth leaders from around the world who will share best practices, unique approaches, and groundbreaking ideas that help youth develop the necessary skills and opportunities to start their own businesses or seek quality employment. Prospective participants are being encouraged to share their 2020 Vision for the Youth Enterprise, Employment, and Livelihoods Development Field. A call for proposals has been issued. For more information visit: http://www.youthenterpriseconference.org.
1-3 October 2009: 6th UNESCO Youth Forum (Paris, France)
The 6th UNESCO Youth Forum will take place from 1-3 October 2009 in Paris as an integral part of the 35th UNESCO General Conference. The Youth Forum will give its youth participants the vital opportunity to exchange views, share experiences, and identify common opportunities and challenges. The Forum’s main theme "Investing out of the crisis: towards a partnership between UNESCO and youth organizations” will be complemented by a cross-cutting theme on "Youth participation - UNESCO Youth Forum, a long term approach''. The Forum will result in a final report which will be presented at the General Conference.
Youth delegates will be nominated by UNESCO Member States as members of their official delegations. Youth organizations, international and national NGOs and UN agencies will be invited as observers. For more information please go to http://portal.unesco.org or email ucj@unesco.org.
28–30 October 2009: Young Commonwealth Climate Change Summit (London, United Kingdom)
The Young Commonwealth Climate Change Summit will take place in London, UK from 28 to 30 October. The summit's agenda will examine how young peoples' voices are represented and heard in climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction across the commonwealth policy and decision-making process, and how this process can best be facilitated and promoted. The Summit will include panel discussions, networking events, youth rooundtables and the launch of the Commonwealth Youth Network on Climate Change. More information is available on the Summit's website: http://youthclimate.org.uk/
24 October-2 November 2009: Indigenous Climate Connections: Indigenous Youth and Climate Change (Aotearoa, New Zealand)
Indigenous Climate Connections aims to help youth to understand and take action on climate change as an issue of Indigenous rights/self-determination. Indigenous Climate Connections will empower Indigenous youth to take action on their rights as indigenous peoples. This will involve trainings on UN mechanisms (e.g. the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues) and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Delegates will be able to use these trainings to apply the UNDRIP and UN mechanisms to their local, national situations. To know more on the ICC, or to register for the conference, follow this link http://climate.conscious.maori.nz/.
30 November - 4 December 2009: UNICEF Children’s Climate Forum (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Ahead of the UN conference on climate change in December, children and teenagers (aged 14-17), from 42 countries will meet in the Danish capital to agree on recommendations for the world leaders. For more information visit www.unicef.org.
2-6 December 2009: International Seminar on EuroMediterranean Voluntary Work (France)
This seminar aims to introduce the EuroMediterranean Voluntary service and its impacts and encourage new initiatives in the Euromed Region. The seminar targets promoters, members of NGOs, representatives of institutes and public bodies who are already experienced in the voluntary work and/or European Voluntary Service and wishing to share their experiences and to exchange practises on volunteering.
For more information and application please visit http://www.salto-youth.net/euromedevsfrance/
7-18 December 2009: United Nations Climate Change Conference COP15 (Copenhagen, Denmark)
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change entered into force on 21 March 1994. The Convention sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle climate change and recognizes that the climate system is a shared resource whose stability can be affected by industrial and other emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The Convention enjoys near universal membership and has been ratified by 192 countries. A number of nations had approved the Kyoto Protocol, as an addition to the treaty with more powerful (and legally binding) measures. The Protocol’s first commitment period ends in 2012. A strong multilateral framework needs to be in place by 2009 to ensure that there is no gap between the end of the Kyoto Protocol’s first commitment period in 2012 and the entry into force of a future regime. COP15 (Conference of Parties) in Copenhagen is a vital step in this process. For more information, visit: http://www.cop15.dk.
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