Youth delegates at the 45th CSocD session

Youth delegates at the 45th CSD session

EVENTS

6 February

7 February

  • Orientation for NGOs and Briefing of youth delegates
    1 to 3.00 p.m., Conf. Rm 9 (Agenda)

8 February

  • Panel discussion on Labour mobility, youth and families followed by interactive discussion on the panel. The panel will be moderated by Jomo Kwame Sundaram ASG/DESA, and feature Ndidi Nwuneli, Founder/CEO of LEAP Africa, Bagher Asadi, Senior Expert, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Iran, Magatte Wade, member of the High-level Panel on Youth Employment and Bharat Wakhlu, President, Tata Inc., U.S.; 3 to 6 p.m., Conf. Rm. 4.
  • Education: Key to Youth Empowerment – Side-event sponsored by the Bahá’í International Community, Christian Children’s Fund and Global Youth Action Network to be held at 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 120 from 1.15 to 2.45 p.m.

12 February

  • Presentation of the World Youth Report 2007 (see background note) followed by interactive discussion on the panel
  • General discussion on agenda item 3 (b): Review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups (including the World Programme of Action for Youth); 3 to 6 p.m., Conf. Rm. 4.

13 February

DOCUMENTS

The advance unedited versions of the resolutions, adopted by the Commission as revised, are unedited and in English only. The final versions will be published in the Report of the Commission on its 45th session in document E/2007/26 at a later date in all languages.

Follow-up to the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond – Report of the Secretary-General (A/62/61 & E/2007/7)
English | Français | Español | Русский | عربي | 汉语

Provisional annotated agenda and proposed organization of work
English | Français | Español | Русский | عربي | 汉语

Emerging Issues
Youth Employment: Impact, Challenges and Opportunities for Social Development
English | Français | Español | Русский | عربي | 汉语

 

YOUTH DELEGATES

BULGARIA: (Intern/Observer)

Youth Delegate from Bulgaria Boryana Atanassova : (21); Student at the American University in Bulgaria (AUBG); Double Major in Business and European Union Studies; Working with the UN Youth Association in Bulgaria (UNYA) to develop an official UN youth delegate programme for Bulgaria. Currently, completing a one-year fellowship with the Open Society Institute at New York University. Upon returning to Bulgaria, I will continue to work to increase youth participation at national and international levels, including less developed countries and underrepresented regions. As a founding member of UNYA-Bulgaria, which aims at raising awareness of UN issues among the youth, I have also established a UN club at my home university, as part of an expanding UNYA university network all around the country. Earlier, I was also a part of UNDP’s initiative on the First National Youth Report on the Millennium Development Goals, which deepened my interests in the work of the UN and the impact of youth participation in decision-making. In addition, I am also interested in corporate social responsibility and public-private partnerships. I am also a fervent believer in the power of dialogue and empowerment of youth as a means of conflict prevention and development, especially in historically troubled regions such as the Balkans. It is an honour to experience the UN international mechanism first-hand, and I look forward to bringing new ideas back to Bulgaria. Email: boryana_atanassova@yahoo.com.

GERMANY: Jan Munz/Christina Apel
(See 61st Session of the General Assembly)

NETHERLANDS:

Youth Delegate from the Netherlands Sandra van Beest: (21), I am a student of International Law and will be the Dutch youth delegate at the United Nations for 2007 and 2008. Our Queen was the first youth delegate ever at the United Nations. For the past three years, we have held democratic elections to select youth delegates. Prior to the elections, I had worked on a child labour project in India and met young girls that had worked from the age of five, and never had the chance for an education or to play like normal children. This had a great impact on me, which is why I campaign for issues related to education for all and equal rights for women and men. Since the elections, I have visited many schools and talked with youth about these issues and what concerns them. I hope to be of service to youth specially for HIV/AIDS and reproductive rights and hope to learn more. But no matter what issues are addressed, the voice of youth should be heard, and that is always worth fighting for.

Youth Delegate from the Netherlands Wilco Otte: (24) from Utrecht; student of human geography and urban planning; co-worker at the foundation Corporate Social Responsibility Netherlands; Hobbies: Travelling, international politics, soccer and playing the saxophone. For the past year, I have been working as the Youth Representative of the Netherlands to the General Assembly at the United Nations. I have worked to reach as many youth as possible by organising debates, a youth trip to India and a festival to create awareness about the United Nations among the Dutch youth. The latter came into action by visiting several schools and by giving lectures at various locations, lobbying for more youth delegates as well. I am passionate about our world, and always try to remind myself that this world should be without injustice and based on equality. This is a fantastic opportunity to work for improved youth participation in political decision-making, both in the Netherlands and within the UN system. (see also 61st Session of the General Assembly)

NORWAY: Gry Sagvolden

ROMANIA

Youth Delegate from Romania Corina Murafa: Having gained great experience as a youth representative to the General Assembly, I am very excited to be able to voice once again the concerns of young people at the Commission for Social Development. As part of my preparation for this task, I took part in a very important high level youth summit organized in Romania by my youth organization (www.youthsummit.ro). Following up on that, my main focus at the Commission will be to address the urgent need to reform educational systems and youth migration in a more responsible way to help alleviate youth unemployment. I plan to go back to Romania and continue to promote programmes to send youth delegates to the UN. I hope to transform youth participation in decision-making in a sustainable and effective permanent process, by establishing lasting partnerships between Romanian youth and their Government.

SWEDEN: Adam Axelsson/Per Olsson
(See 59th Session of the General Assembly)

SWITZERLAND:

Youth Delegate from Switzerland Claudia Meier: (23), growing up in a remote mountainous area of Switzerland didn’t prevent me from becoming particularly interested in international issues, which is why three years ago I started studying International Relations in Geneva. I’ve been working in the executive board of a youth NGO for many years and I’m a volunteer of the Red Cross Youth Geneva. Since 2005, I’m in the team of Swiss youth delegates, working on the project that has a two-year mandate in Switzerland. Switzerland has been sending youth delegates to the UN General Assembly since 2003, and this year for the first time Swiss youth will be represented at the CsocD! Apart from participation at UN conferences, our main goal is to educate Swiss youth on the work of the United Nations. I am also co-organizing a committee at the International Model United Nations in Geneva (GIMUN). At the CsocD, I’m particularly looking forward to the discussions on youth employment. Swiss youth have discussed this issue at the Youth Parliament in 2006 and I’m taking their ideas and resolutions along to the CsocD. Furthermore, I would like to further the discussion on under-representation of young people from the global south at the UN and try to find ways to address this situation along with my fellow youth delegates. Read more about Swiss youth delegates at www.youthrep.ch and more about opportunities for Swiss youth at the UN in general on www.un4youth.educa.ch.

UNITED KINGDOM:
Natalie Wease
(23), I live in Glasgow and am a postgraduate Law student. It was the initiative of UNA-UK in partnership with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that gave me the opportunity to represent the UK at the UN Commission for Social Development. Before coming to New York I consulted with UK youth organisations to get the broadest picture possible from young people from all regions of the UK and from different backgrounds on issues relating to education and employment, particularly considering this year’s theme of “promoting full employment and decent work for all”. After the event, I will report back to them and share my experiences. While at the Commission I am keen to take part in all events concerning youth. I will work with the UK Mission in New York on responses to the supplement and resolution on youth. I will contribute the views of British young people in these discussions as they are of utmost importance to them. I am also looking forward to meeting the other youth delegates and NGO youth representatives at the Commission and exchange ideas. True development is impossible without the participation of all those concerned. Development is about creating an environment that allows young people to flourish, where they have a real chance to create a better life for themselves and those around them. With enthusiasm and innovation, young people can be a driving force for change for the future. It is therefore essential they are represented at this meeting, and I care strongly about these issues.

 

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOs)

Association pour la Formation et l’Insertion Sociale de l’Adolescent et de la Femme (AFISAF)
Christian Children’s Fund
Collectif des organisations des jeunes solidaires du Congo – Kinshasa
European Youth Forum/Pax Romana (statement made at CSocD)
Franciscans International
Global Youth Action Network (GYAN)
International Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE)
International Save the Children Alliance
World Youth Alliance