United Nations ESCAP
HRD Section
 
  Report of the

Asia-Pacific Meeting of Youth Organizations in Preparation for the Third Session of the World Youth Forum
27-29 May 1998, Bangkok

TEXT-ONLY VERSION


  I. ORGANIZATION OF THE MEETING

A. Background

1. The Asia-Pacific Meeting of Youth Organizations in Preparation for the Third Session of the World Youth Forum was held at Bangkok from 27 to 29 May 1998. The Meeting was jointly organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the United Nations Scientific, Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in cooperation with the Regional Collective Consultation of Youth NGOs for Asia and the Pacific (RCCAP). Technical and financial support for the Meeting were provided by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

B. Objectives

2. The objectives of the Meeting were to: (I) review the situation of youth as well as the status of national youth policies in the Asia-Pacific region; (ii) promote youth NGO cooperation; and (iii) prepare a consolidated regional input for the third session of the World Youth Forum, to be convened by the United Nations in cooperation with the Government of Portugal in August 1998.

C. Attendance

3. The Meeting was attended by 46 representatives of the following organizations: Sri Lanka Youth Council (SLYC) (Sri Lanka); UNEP-Global Youth Forum '97 (Philippines); Assumption University (Thailand); All-China Youth Federation (ACYF), (China); Khmer Youth Development Organization (KYDO) (Cambodia); National Federation of Youth Organizations in Bangladesh (NFYOB) (Bangladesh); Asian Students Association (ASA) (Hong Kong, China); Regional Collective Consultation of Youth NGOs for Asia and the Pacific (RCCAP) Delhi Public School (India); Bhutan Youth Development Association (BYDA) (Bhutan); Indian Assembly of Youth (IAY) (India); Asian Youth Council (AYC) Korea UNESCO Youth Centre (Korea); World Youth Festival Secretariat (Portugal); National Youth Council of Pakistan (NYCOP) (Pakistan); Youth Challenge (Singapore); Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) (Union of Myanmar); World Organization of Scout Movement (WOSM) (Philippines); Vietnam Youth Federation/CYDECO (Vietnam); Federation of Family Planning Association of Malaysia (FFPAM)(Malaysia); Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Asia Alliance (Malaysia); Mongolian Youth Federation (MYF) (Mongolia); Mahidol University (Thailand); Chulalongkorn University (Thailand); Aide a Toute Detresse / Fourth World (Thailand).

4. Representatives of the following United Nations Secretariat, bodies and specialized agencies were present:

Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) World Health Organization (WHO) International Labour Organization (ILO)

5. The list of participants is contained in Annex II of this report.

D. Opening of the Meeting

6. The Meeting was opened by the Deputy Executive Secretary of ESCAP and the Director, Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, UNESCO. Opening statements were also delivered by the Officer-in-Charge, Youth Unit, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the Chairman of RCCAP. Ms Shradha Chowdhury, India, made a statement on behalf of youth of the region.

E. Election of officers

7. The Meeting elected Mr Tran Dac Loi, Director-General, International Youth Cooperation Development Center of the Viet Nam Youth Federation, and Chairman, RCCAP as Chairperson of the Meeting. It elected Mr Tserenchimed Zorigtbaatar, Secretary-General, Mongolian Youth Federation, and Vice-President, Asian Youth Council, as Vice-Chairman; Mr Visan Kulvaraporn, President, Student Council, Assumption University, Bangkok, as Second Vice-Chairman; and Mr Vincent Lam, Executive President, Youth Challenge, Singapore, as Rapporteur.

8. The following participants served as chairpersons and rapporteurs of the respective working groups:

Working group on youth policies:

Chairperson: Mr Tserenchimed Zorigtbaatar Rapporteur: Mr Anthony T. Ambahan

Working group on education and employment:

Chairperson: Mr Norman Uy Carnay Rapporteur: Lt Col Hla Min

Working group on youth, health and development:

Chairperson: Mr Goembo Dorji Rapporteur: Mr Yee Thiam Sun

Working group on youth and human rights:

Chairperson: Mr Jutaporn Suralertrungsun Rapporteur: Ms Wanvisa Demake

Youth working group:

Chairperson: Ms Shradha Chowdhury Rapporteur: Ms Meiling Chueng

F. Adoption of agenda

9. The Meeting adopted the following agenda:

1. Opening of the Meeting.

2. Election of officers.

3. Adoption of the agenda.

4. Youth policies:

(a) Integrated cross-sectoral youth policies: - Formulation strategies; - Implementation strategies; - Inter-sectoral cooperation;

(b) Youth-NGO cooperation; - Networking of youth; - Empowering youth in organizations

5. Youth participation:

(a) Education for the twenty-first century - Access to education; - Quality of education; - Non-formal education; - Education for life skills;

(b) Youth employment;

(c) Youth health and development: - Adolescent health; - Youth as a force for change (HIV/AIDS, STDs); - Listening to young people: rethinking drug abuse prevention; - Adolescent reproductive health;

6. Youth and human rights:

(a) Youth and the promotion of human rights; - Rights and responsibilities of youth; - Conventions on the Rights of the Child; - The role of youth in democracy, good governance and citizenship

(b) Youth Rights Charter;

7. Recommendations for the third session of the World Youth Forum.

8. Adoption of the report.

II. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE THIRD SESSION OF THE WORLD YOUTH FORUM

10. The Meeting adopted the following recommendations for submission to the Third Session of the World Youth Forum, to be held at Braga, Portugal, in August 1998:

A. Youth policies:

(I) Integrated cross-sectoral youth policies:

Accelerate the formulation and implementation of youth policies through:

- Formulating general guidelines outlining the principles of youth policies to be adopted at the international level. Form a drafting committee for formulation of such guidelines. These guideline should include issues such as the definition of youth, promotion of youth associations and youth participation; subgroups of youth who should be given special considerations; and the establishment of coordination mechanisms among concerned Ministries.

- Enhancing technical support by the United Nations agencies for national bodies responsible for formulation and implementation of national youth policies. There should be a youth desk at United Nations agencies both at the country- level as well as at the regional level to provide such support.

- Conducting studies to identify the constraints faced by countries which have not yet formulated their youth policies.

- Determining the target year for formulation of youth policies (e.g. by year 2000).

- Strengthening mechanisms for monitoring of the implementation of youth policies, including mechanisms at the international and regional levels.

- Disseminating information on youth policies widely and ensuring transparent formulation processes.

Enhance participation of young people in formulation and implementation of youth policies by:

Creating a formal national level consultative mechanism for high-level policy makers and the national youth organizations.

Encouraging youth volunteerism.

- Strengthening the role of youth NGOs in formulation and implementation of youth policies and partnership between Government and youth NGOs.

- Identifying different roles of young people, NGOs, governments and United Nations and other international organizations in the formulation and implementation process.

- Reflecting young people's assessment of their own situation as well as priorities expressed by them in the formulation of youth policies.

- Using appropriate language/wording in youth-related documents.

Promoting the participation of youth in the programmes of sectoral/line Ministries.

(ii) Youth-NGO Cooperation:

- Strengthen a regional platform of youth NGOs, such as RCCAP and other existing sub-regional and regional youth organizations, with support of the United Nations, for improved solidarity and networking among youth NGOs in Asia and the Pacific. To support such a network, information exchange of lists of youth programmes in the region and publications on youth should be promoted. Establish community centers for youth and families to come together in a supportive, alcohol and drug free environment. Sports, arts, and cultural activities should be provided on an on-going basis. Community Centers should also provide educational programmes for youth and for parents on topics such as sex education, and drug prevention.

B. Youth participation:

(I) Education for the twenty-first century:

The formal education system has not always been successful in achieving job security for all. Non-formal education should therefore be providing additional opportunities for training of young people, not only for the world of work, but also for imparting life skills. Non-formal education can be provided particularly through youth NGOs, however a standard on the quality of the education offered needs to be maintained.

- In many countries of the region, additional resources for infrastructure, human resources, and teaching materials for education are required to promote literacy and strengthen the efforts to achieve education for all.

- Measures need to be devised to minimize the negative effects of highly-skilled labour migration, commonly known as "brain-drain". Governments, and regional agencies, are encouraged to develop incentive schemes to ensure that highly-skilled youth are motivated to stay and work in their own country.

The formal education system needs to provide the basic literacy and numeracy requirements. Nevertheless, many young people remain unreached, specially those living in remote areas. Therefore, in order to ensure equity in access to education, training of trainers who service disadvantaged youth needs to be expanded. Regional experience in this field needs to be shared.

In the area of higher education, copyright and intellectual ownership of educational materials needs to be reviewed, with a view to reduce the cost of education.

- Promotion of sex education for youth and parents. - Sex education for youth should be promoted through means such as classroom courses, anonymous phone hotlines, and anonymous clinics. - Sex education for parents should be promoted through seminars provided by schools and youth organizations, as well as at the workplace.

- Promotion of educational programmes on drug abuse prevention for youth. - Drug abuse prevention and education for youth should be promoted through classroom courses and workshops, and anonymous hotlines. - The media is encouraged to take an active role in promoting drug education through television and radio campaigns.

(ii) Youth employment:

As a means to overcome youth unemployment, micro credit and other initiatives for self-employment, taken in many countries of the region, should be expanded and encouraged.

International training and internship exchanges need to be sponsored by the developed countries. More intercultural exchange of young people would enhance their experience and exposure to other societies would support the goals of education for the twenty-first century.

In the area of volunteerism, young people have proven to be valuable assets to society, as they assist and learn from disadvantaged communities. Their work needs to be recognized, facilitated and further supported by governments, the private sector and regional intergovernmental agencies, particularly with regard to financial and legal difficulties.

There are a number of youth NGOs in the region with an exemplary record of providing employment-related services to youth. These include career guidance counseling, leadership and professional training, networking and partnerships with the private and public sector, "in-plant attachment" job orientation internships, and other schemes. There should be resources to share these valuable skills among the youth NGO community of Asia and the Pacific.

(iii) Youth, health, and development:

- Strong advocacy for planning and implementation of an integrated health programme for young people at the national level (if such a programme is not in place), with active participation of government ministries and departments, intergovernmental organisations, including UN agencies, youth and youth- related organisations.

- The national integrated health programme for young people should address health concerns related to early pregnancies, substance abuse, sexual abuse and exploitation, violence, STDs including HIV/Aids and others.

- Such a programme should include at least the formulation of policy framework based on research and needs assessment; collection, analysis and dissemination of reliable and accurate information on health and behaviour for young people, parents and those who are charged with the responsibility of taking care of young people; provision of accessible, confidential and youth friendly services for prevention, care, treatment and rehabilitation, provision of easily accessible counselling, training for young people and youth leaders; and monitoring and evaluation of ongoing national health programmes for young people.

- An effective coordination mechanism should also be established.

C. Youth and human rights:

All youth and youth services should explicitly incorporate and promote awareness and observance of human rights as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other instruments by undertaking the following actions:

- Develop and/or adapt and translate training materials (including audio-visual and Internet compatible materials) and disseminate them widely; possibly through regional, sub-regional and national "clearing house(s)," with a particular view to the development and practical implementation of youth legislation.

- Develop curricula in human rights in general and youth rights in particular for schools, the military, government civil service, youth organizations and the private sector.

- Implement training for youth in human rights advocacy through practical, inter- active and innovative means, including the use of the electronic media.

- Appoint human rights "correspondents" within youth organization and agencies (including UN agencies) to monitor and report on the implementation of standards and instruments pertaining to youth rights to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, through regional rapporteurs attached to the regional inter-governmental ECOSOC commissions.

III. PROPOSALS FOR ACTION

11. The meeting adopted proposals for inter-agency/inter-organizational cooperation, as annexed to this report.

IV. ADOPTION OF REPORT

12. The Meeting adopted its report on 29 May 1998.

* * * * * *

 

  Annex I. List of proposals for inter-agency/inter-organizational cooperation for youth

Project Proposal 1 ACCELERATING FORMULATION OF YOUTH POLICIES THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING OF YOUTH NGOS

Objectives - To accelerate the formulation of youth policies in Asia and the Pacific region. - To formulate general guidelines outlining the principles of youth policies to be adopted at the international level. - To build-up the capacity of indigenous youth organizations. - To improve the collaborative linkage between youth organizations and policy makers.

Problem addressed - Some countries still do not have established youth policies after more than a decade since the International Youth Year. - Lack of guidelines for the development of youth policies. - Weak leadership in solving problems of youth in countries of Asia and the Pacific. - Lack of methodologies in involving youth for social development. - Insufficiency of existing national youth policies in addressing socio-economic changes affecting youth.

Activities Year One - Formulate general guidelines outlining the principles of youth policies in Asia and the Pacific region through compilation of experience in the region. (Drafting committee comprised of experienced personnel from around the region). - Conduct research in the participating countries to identify the constraints of the countries which have not yet formulated their youth policies. - Conduct training needs assessment among youth leaders in representative youth organizations in each of the participating countries. (Need for a coordinating structure/advocacy on behalf of youth). - Develop/adapt training curriculum/training materials and other materials needed to accomplish the program the identified training needs. - Identify a resource persons to facilitate the training process. Year Two - Translate/adapt the training materials for national needs. - Convene training courses in each of the participating countries. - Initiate dialogue with the government for formulation of youth policies. Year Three - Initiate the process of youth policy development in each country. - Continue convening of training courses for members of youth organizations. - Evaluate of the training and revisions of training curriculum as well the project in general. - Publish the output of the training or the training manual.

Role of UN agencies - Technical, financial and logistical support.

Role of youth organizations - Youth organizations and youth leaders can support in the full implementation of the project, from the planning stage up to the evaluation stage. - Youth organizations will ensure the full participation of real youth leaders/youth groups in the community at every level of the decision making process. - Youth organizations can improve the communication channels between youth leaders, youth organization, international organizations and institutions. - Youth organizations can ensure participation of actors at every level of the country, especially the grassroots level, in formulation, implementation as well as monitoring and evaluation of youth policies.

Expected Governmental involvement - The government is willing to formulate national youth policies. - Positive attitude in collaborating with the youth organizations in formulation and endorsement of youth policy at the highest level of the Government.

Expected output: - Model training curriculum for staff development in the field of youth policy. - Training manual for the formulation implementation and evaluation of youth policy. - Training of competent and innovative policy makers for youth. - Regional guideline for youth policy development reflecting the definition of youth the identification of the needs and expectation of youth, formulation of youth policy, implementation and evaluation, and mobilization of national resources and youth participation. - Promotion of awareness on the importance of youth policy.


Project Proposal 2 IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Objectives: - To enhance the participation of youth in schools and in society. - To increase the capacity of youth to be decision-makers in schools and in society. - To allow students their right to freedom of expression and diversity of opinion. - To improve the analytical ability of students to better prepare them for employment after school. - To equip youth to meet the demands of society in a healthy, productive manner.

Problem Addressed: - Inability of students to express their own viewpoints without fear of repercussions by teachers/school authorities. - Lack of environment conducive to promoting diversity of opinion of students in the educational process. - Lack of preparation for students in becoming productive participants in decision- making and society. - Lack of knowledge, or unwillingness, of teachers on the benefits of student participation and free expression.

Activities: (Time Frame: 2 years) - Situation analysis based on discussion with teachers, students, and school administrators on the issue of student participation and expression in schools. - Review and development of curriculum for new teachers in order to make it more student-friendly. - Conduct training and workshops for current teachers on how to provide a more student-friendly environment in the classroom, such as through increased student participation and increased extra-curricular activities. - Convene regional workshops with students, youth organizations, teachers' organizations, and school administrations to dialogue on the promotion of student expression, participation, and decision-making in schools. - Publicize on local TV and radio the need for students to take a more active role in their school education, and the projects currently being undertaken. - Convening workshops and seminars for parents, in conjunction with the other activities, in order to demonstrate to parents the importance of youth expression and diversity of opinion.

Role of UN agencies: - UNESCO should take the lead role, in cooperation with other UN agencies such as ESCAP. - In particular, the UNESCO sponsored international Associated Schools Programme should take a leading role in implementing the above activities.

Role of Youth organizations: - Youth organizations should take an active role in working with UN agencies to promote the above activities. - In particular, youth organizations should publicize their activities to students and encourage students to join their activities. - Youth organizations should take a lead in acting as a liaison between students and parents, teachers, and school administrators in formulating ideas for increased student participation and expression.

Expected Output: - Students will stay in school longer, as they will feel more a part of the educational process. - Youth will develop more analytical and independent thinking skills, thus allowing for an improved contribution to society through their participation and decision- making. - The overall quality of education will be improved.


Project proposal 3 REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND ACTION CAMP

Objectives: - To learn from local communities. - To harness indigenous knowledge on sustainable environmental practices. - To involve young people in strengthening their knowledge and skills in the environment. - To enhance the skills of young people.

Problem addressed: - Formal education systems have bypassed indigenous knowledge on sustaining the environment. - No mechanism exists whereby education can tap into indigenous knowledge and technology.

Activities: - Conduct a needs assessment survey and identify local communities with recommendable practices - Hold a regional youth training camp for youth leaders, including the sharing of local knowledge, technology and culture - Initiate national follow-up camps.

Role of UN agencies (UNEP, UNESCO, ESCAP, UNICEF) - Seek funding. -  Assist youth organizations in the identification of human and material resources for training. Provide technical and material assistance. Disseminate the training curriculum.

Role of youth organizations: - Host a regional youth camp. - Identify local human and material resources for training. - Organize national follow-up camps.

Expected output: - A group of young leaders from Asia and Pacific enhanced with indigenous knowledge on environmental practices and with better cultural understanding.


Project Proposal 4 INNOVATIVE SCHEMES FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT

Objective: - To enable youth NGOs to share hands-on experience on job placement schemes by youth NGOs such as Youth Challenge. - To enable youth NGOs to learn and implement these practices and schemes in their respective countries. - To involve the private sector and other actors in civil society.

Problem addressed: - Young people often lack information when deciding on their career paths. Innovative schemes, such as career guidance counselling, leadership training, networking with the private and public sector, "in-plant attachment" job orientation internships, and others, have been developed by youth NGOs. However, they have not been sufficiently disseminated in the Asia-Pacific region.

Activities: - Conduct a seminar and study tour to selected countries, including Singapore, to share initiatives by youth NGOs and young people themselves, in promoting youth employment, and to learn from their initiatives being implemented. The tour will also include visits to government and private enterprises, and to visit training schools. - Publish a booklet on the integrated experience of youth NGOs in promoting youth employment. - Establish a "mobile training team" to assist in the establishment of similar schemes in other countries.

Role of UN agencies (ESCAP, ILO, UNESCO): - Coordinate the project. - Identify youth NGOs which have a similar track record in providing innovative schemes for youth employment in the region. - Produce and disseminate the booklet. - Support national follow-up.

Role of youth organizations: - Share their experience. - Host the regional and national seminars and study tours. - Take part in the mobile training teams.

Expected output: - Replication of successful employment schemes developed by youth NGOs in different countries of Asia and the Pacific.


Project proposal 5 INTEGRATED APPROACHES TO ADDRESS HEALTH-RELATED PROBLEMS OF YOUNG PEOPLE INCLUDING THOSE UNDER ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES

Subject area: - Health and development of young people (health concerns related to early pregnancies, substance abuse, sexual abuse and exploitation, violence, STDs, HIV/Aids and others).

Objective: - To determine the health needs and problems of young people including those in especially difficult circumstances. - To sensitize and promote awareness among policy makers and leaders of youth organizations about the need to adopt appropriate policies and actions to prevent substance abuse and sexual and reproductive health problems among young people, including in especially difficult circumstances. - To raise awareness of the general public, young people, parents and those charged with the responsibility of taking care of young people on substance abuse, sexual and reproductive health, including STDs/HIV. - To develop appropriate IEC materials for young people. - To exchange experiences on successful approaches to meeting the needs of health and development of young people. - To strengthen the capacity of youth organizations, health and social workers in addressing the health problems of young people through the development of an effective methodology and training curriculum.

Problem addressed: - General lack of knowledge and skills on substance abuse and sexual and reproductive health including STDs/HIV among the general public, parents, those charged with the responsibility of taking care of young people and young people themselves, especially those in difficult circumstances. - Lack of access to appropriate services and counseling. - Lack of training opportunities, effective methodologies and a comprehensive approach for youth organizations, health and social workers in addressing health issues of young people. - Lack of relevant research data on health-related problems and needs of young people including those in especially difficult circumstances.

Activities: - Conduct documentary as well as primary research to assess the health problems and needs of young people in especially difficult circumstances. - Convene a regional workshop on advocacy for senior policy makers and officials from relevant ministries and youth organizations. - Document and disseminate successful methodologies and approaches on family life education, prevention of substance abuse, sexual and reproductive health problems including STDs/HIV. - Exchange visits and study tours. - Develop and produce curriculum and training materials for training of youth organizations and health and social professionals to meet the health needs of young persons in especially difficult circumstances. This will include new materials as well as adaptation of existing materials developed for similar purposes by other organizations, which will be identified during the research phase of the project. - Develop and produce IC materials. - Conduct sub-/regional training courses.

Role of UN and other agencies: - ESCAP, UNDCP, UNFPA, WHO, UNAIDS, UNICEF, and other interested agencies will be responsible for funding, technical support, coordination, monitoring and evaluation.

Role of youth organizations: - Involvement of as many youth organizations as possible from diverse fields. Identification of youth NGOs at the national level can be carried out through RCCAP. - The national focal points will be responsible for the implementation of the project in the respective countries.

Expected output: - Research report to promote awareness of the health problems and needs of young people including those in especially difficult circumstances. This would also serve as a basis for the development of IC materials and training materials. - Curriculum and training materials. - Sub/regional training courses and workshops. - Youth organizations trained in methodologies to enhance the delivery of services to the target group. - IC materials in printed form in English and the local languages of the participating countries. - Documentation of successful approaches.


Project Proposal 6 EMPOWERMENT AND ADVOCACY FOR THE SPECIAL RIGHTS OF YOUTH

Objective: - To empower youth and youth organizations in the promotion and protection of human rights, especially youth rights, by explicitly incorporating into all youth services, activities which promote the awareness and observance of the human rights of youth, as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international standard-setting instruments, especially the International Youth Rights Charter to be adopted by the World Youth Forum.

Problem addressed: - Youth as a sector of the population lack formal recognition and protection of their human rights. - Most youth often lack the tools, skills and structures required for the self- advocacy and demand for the respect of their human rights, especially their special and specific rights as youth.

Activities

1. Development of Training and Promotional Materials. - Information and advocacy materials about youth rights, youth rights legislation and the protection of the rights of youth will be adapted and translated, or developed if necessary, with a view to ensuring that all youth, as well as all sectors of society dealing with or having a responsibility for youth, have available, in technically appropriate and culturally understandable forms, information about the special needs and specific rights of youth as well as of human rights in general. - Regional, sub-regional and national "clearing houses" will be reinforced or established to guarantee universal access and to disseminate this information as widely as possible, including through the use of the electronic media and the Internet wherever this may be culturally appropriate, technically feasible and economically realistic.

2. Specialized-Use Curriculum Development - Specially-adapted curricula for the teaching of youth rights will be developed, pursuant to the UN Decade for Human Rights Education, in multiple languages as necessary, for use in youth-training institutions such as universities and secondary schools, the military, government civil service, youth organizations, as well as the private sector.

3. Advocacy Training - Youth will be trained in human rights advocacy through practical, inter-active and innovative workshops and other means, including through the use of television, video and the electronic mass media.

4. Structured Monitoring from the Grass Roots to the Highest Policy Levels. - Youth organizations and agencies dealing with youth issues will be encouraged to appoint "youth rights correspondents" to monitor and report on the implementation and violation of instruments, standards and practices pertaining to human and youth rights to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights through an appointed "regional rapporteur" attached to ESCAP, as the representative intergovernmental agency for the Asia-Pacific region.

Role of UN Agencies

Activity 1: - UNESCO in cooperation with UNCHR, UNICEF and other agencies will support activities. Activity 2 - UNESCO will support activities. Activity 3 - UNICEF lead in cooperation with UNCHR, UNESCO, UNCHR and other agencies will support activities. Activity 4 - ESCAP Social Development Division lead in cooperation with UN/DESA (UN Youth Unit) and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights will support activities.

Role of Youth Organizations:

Activity 1: - Advise on the selection, development, translation and adaptation of the training materials to culturally appropriate forms and circumstances. - Function as clearing houses at the national level.

Activity 2 - Adapt, translate, test and evaluate the curricula.

Activity 3 - Implement the advocacy training within their organizations and networks.

Activity 4 - Appoint, within their organizations, "youth rights correspondents" and report regularly to the Regional Rapporteur.

Expected Outcome:

Activity 1 - Training materials produced, including a multi-lingual manual and visual training aids. - Regional (and sub-regional) clearing house(s) established for the dissemination of information and training materials.

Activity 2 - Formal curricula and instructional manuals produced and their use in the youth training institutions tested and evaluated.

Activity 3 - Advocacy training guide produced and "advocacy trainers" trained at the national level.

Activity 4 - Youth organization correspondents appointed, structure and procedures for monitoring/reporting established, and a Regional Youth Rights Rapporteur for the Asia-Pacific region appointed.

Time Frame

Two years, to be reviewed by the next session of the Asia-Pacific Meeting of Youth Organizations in the year 2000.

Expected output:

- Youth rights in the region will have gained in recognition, respect and enforcement as evidenced by: (a) the national adoption of international standard- setting instruments; (b) the enactment of national enabling legislation to protect the rights of youth; and (c) a monitored decrease in violation of youth rights by a regional rapporteur.

- In addition, youth themselves will be empowered to demand and receive respect for their rights, as evidenced by: (a) the adoption and use of human and youth rights curricula by youth training institutions, including the military; (b) the appointment of youth rights correspondents, from among youth themselves; (c) a decrease in student/youth detainees; (d) participation by youth in the decision making organs of national and local government and in international agencies.



Back to overview of both meetings

Asia-Pacific Meeting of Youth Organizations in Preparation for the Third Session of the World Youth Forum, 27-29 May 1998
Report of the Meeting    (TEXT-ONLY VERSION)
List of Participants    (TEXT-ONLY VERSION)

Second Asia-Pacific Intergovernmental Meeting on HRD
for Youth, 1-5 June 1998

Keynote Speech | Panel Discussion
Report of the Meeting    (TEXT-ONLY VERSION)
List of Participants  (TEXT-ONLY VERSION)
Asia-Pacific Position    (TEXT-ONLY VERSION)
Proposals for Action  (TEXT-ONLY VERSION)
Proposal No 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

 

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