Human Resources Development Section

Youth Policy Formulation Manual

INTRODUCTION

"Young people in all countries are both a major human resource for development and key agents for social change, economic development and technological innovation. Their imagination, ideals, considerable energies and vision are essential for the continuing development of the societies in which they live. The problems that young people face as well as their vision and aspirations are essential components of the challenges and prospects of today's societies and future generations."
(United Nations, 1995)

Mobilizing the creativity and passion of young men and women, and recognizing the unique perspective of youth on their current and future needs are quickly becoming national and international priorities. Today there is growing global acceptance of the value of committing time and resources to the formulation of national youth policies and action plans. At the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, held at Lisbon from 8 to 12 August 1998, participants from over 140 countries made the following commitment:

We commit ourselves to ensuring that national youth policy formulation, implementation and follow-up processes are, at appropriate level, accorded commitment from the highest political level, including the provision of adequate levels of resources.
(World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, 1998)

At the Third World Youth Forum, held at Braga, Portugal from 2 to 7 August 1998, a substantive timeline was established and the following recommendation adopted:

The World Youth Forum recommends … the formulation in all states of youth policies, by the year 2005, which are cross-sectoral, comprehensive and formulated with long-term vision coupled with Action Plans.
(Third World Youth Forum, 1998)

Within Asia and the Pacific a variety of countries have taken up the national youth policy formulation and action plan challenge. Many countries in the region are in the initial phases of the youth policy formulation process. Attempts are also being made to maximize youth participation in both the policy formulation arena and within civil society as a whole.

In the light of these initiatives, and based on a long-standing commitment to youth, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) has produced this Youth Policy Formulation Manual. Drawing upon the best practices of those countries within the region already engaged in the youth policy formulation process, this Manual provides guidelines for countries taking the first steps in the formation of a national youth policy. The Manual is also a useful resource for policy makers interested in reviewing and building upon their previous formulation initiatives, as the case studies included in the Manual provide a solid basis for comparing and evaluating existing structures.

The Manual is divided into five main sections, as follows.

Chapter 1: The concept, rationale and benefits of a national youth policy.
In chapter 1 the concept of a national youth policy is defined and the rationale for such a policy is discussed. In addition, the possible benefits of creating a national youth policy are considered.

Chapter 2: The formulation process of a national youth policy.
In chapter 2 the fundamental groundwork necessary for creating a national youth policy is presented. Policy-making steps are also discussed and several of the key strategies needed for starting policy formulation are described.

Chapter 3: The content of a national youth policy.
Chapter 3 provides a detailed, yet flexible outline for the content of a national youth policy document.

Chapter 4: Implementing a national youth policy.
Chapter 4 focuses on useful tactics to ensure that the policy formulation process materializes into concrete actions.

Chapter 5: Measuring the effectiveness of a national youth policy.
In chapter 5 ideas for the benchmarks necessary to assess the success of youth policy initiatives are explored.

Each chapter ends with a summary of the different themes and reviews the steps in the youth policy formulation process. In this way, the different components of the formulation process are mapped out in a clear and systematic manner.

By highlighting the different initiatives within Asia and the Pacific, this Manual attempts to contribute to a regional awareness and understanding of the national youth policy formulation process. Ideally, it will enable countries to learn and grow from each other's experiences. In addition, it is hoped that it will inspire creativity within the policy formulation process and foster an environment in which new best practices can be discovered. Finally, it is anticipated that this process of information sharing will allow policy makers to enhance youth opportunities through policy initiatives and eliminate some of the barriers that prevent the empowerment and growth of young women and men within society.

It must be noted that this Manual does not seek to provide a template that can be simply applied to any country in the Asian and Pacific region. Rather, it suggests a series of flexible departure points to stimulate youth development planners to begin or improve their efforts in the youth policy formulation process.