January 2018
Feature Article
Youth Commence 2018 with a Good Cause: “Building Sustainable and Resilient Urban and Rural Communities”
The 7th United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) youth forum is scheduled for the 30th and the 31st of January 2018. The annual event is one of the global platforms at the United Nations Headquarters that brings together scores of young peop
Highlights from UN Entities
Commission for Social Development 56th Session: “Strategies for Eradicating Poverty to Achieve Sustainable Development for All”
The 56th session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD56) will take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 29 January to 7 February 2018. Since the World Summit for Social Development held in Copenhagen in 1995, the commission has been the advisory body responsible for the social development pillar of global development. Youth delegates who are part of their country’s official delegation to the commission can participate in this intergovernmental meeting and meaningfully contribute to policy decisions and discussions relating to the youth development agenda. The commission is also an opportunity to engage with other youth representatives, civil society and NGOs and have constructive dialogue with Member States on global youth issues discussed in the various panels. The theme for this year is “Strategies for eradicating poverty to achieve sustainable development for all”. More.
How to Use Science, Technology and Innovation to Facilitate Youth Engagement, Development and Resilience
During the 7th Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum, which will take place on the 30 to 31 January 2018, International Labour Organization (ILO) will lead the IDEATHON, a breakout session which provides a platform for representatives of Member States, youth organizations, civil society and the UN system to come together and develop innovative ideas on how to appropriately use science, technology and innovation to advance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Under the aegis of the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth, the IDEATHON will look at the potential of science, technology and innovation to promote: youth engagement; youth development; and resilience. More.
M-Dorado: A Step Forward for Youth Empowerment
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is piloting innovative approaches that could be crucial to promote youth employment and inclusion in Least Developed Countries. In Senegal, UNCDF is partnering with mobile network operators and local partners to design, test, and manage a micro-franchising network to help young entrepreneurs seize economic opportunities in the digital financial services ecosystem. Through this model, UNCDF will support Access to Finance (A2F) to small and medium-sized enterprises with the potential to employ large number of youth, but also de-risking youth with financial service providers. More.
Dialogue Exchange between Youth Solidarity Fund Recipients and the Turkic Council Youth Network
A new cohort of recipients of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)’s Youth Solidarity Fund met in Istanbul with members of the Turkic Council’s youth network on 11 December 2017. Participants came from different countries including India, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, South Sudan, Turkey and Uganda. In commemoration of the second anniversary of United Nations Security Resolution 2250, participants discussed how they could build sustaining peace together. The dialogue exchange was part of a capacity building workshop held for recipients of the 2017 Youth Solidarity Fund. More.
Youth Consultations for the Progress Study on Youth, Peace and Security
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) and the UN Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) co-led a series of regional, national and online consultations on Youth, Peace and Security. The consultations provided an opportunity for young people to meaningfully engage in dialogue and share experiences and solutions on these issues. The dialogues have since gathered invaluable perspectives of young people from across the globe and are a key contribution to the UN Security Council Resolution 2250 mandated Progress Study. The purpose is to recognize the positive role that young people can play in conflict prevention, peacebuilding and preventing violent extremism (PVE). More.
Guiding Principles for Supporting Young People as Critical Agents of Change in the 2030 Agenda
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) developed the Guiding Principles to enable development actors to meet the ambition of the 2030 Agenda and to recognize the role of young people as agents of change in the process. Development actors should systematically promote and invest in meaningful youth participation in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) implementation by strengthening their involvement in global, regional, national and local level processes as well as enhancing their substantive engagement at programme or project level. To support this, UNDP Youth-GPS and Restless Development, on behalf of the Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development (IANYD) working group on Youth and SDGs, has developed the Guiding Principles. More.
Announcement of the Inaugural Class of the Six Young Champions of the Earth
On 5 December 2017, UN Environment recognized the first six Young Champions of the Earth, each selected for showing outstanding potential to create positive environmental impact. Adam Dixon (UK), Eritai Kateibwi (Kiribati), Kaya Dorey (Canada), Liliana Jaramillo (Ecuador), Mariama Mamane (Niger) and Omer Badokhon (Yemen) will each receive USD 15,000 in seed-funding, tailored training and expert mentoring to support their implementation journeys over the coming year. More.
Young People Analyze their Role in Promoting Values of Integrity and Honesty
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) partnered with the Ministry of Justice and Institutional Transparency in Bolivia to commemorate the International Anti-Corruption Day on the 9th of December 2017. The event brought together more than 120 young people to participate in the Meeting of Youth Networks for Transparency. Young people learned about national and international regulations on transparency and the fight against corruption. The event also gave them an opportunity to share experiences, good practices and lessons learned within the different networks. Workshops were also conducted to elaborate statements on the role of young people in the fight against corruption. More.
Publications
Promoting Youth Employment and Empowerment of Young Women in Jordan
The ILO Taqeem impact report entitled “Promoting Youth Employment and Empowerment of Young Women in Jordan” contributes to building consensus around the role of evidence-based active labour market policies (ALMPs) in promoting decent jobs for youth and empowerment of young women in Jordan. The report identifies key barriers faced by young people in Jordan in their efforts to enter the labour market. The report also compares the current landscape of ALMPs for young people with global good practices as well as barriers which are specific to Jordan. The report concludes with recommendations for policy-makers and programme implementers. Read it here.