International Youth Policy

The significance of youth issues has always been noted, perhaps more so on paper where lip service was paid in a number of resolutions that went from asking states to consider that young people should be adequately represented at the United Nations to emphasizing that young people should be a part of policy making and governance on all levels.

Young people face a paradox - whether to seek integration into existing frameworks of society or be a force of transformation within it, and only the adequate allocation of resources to this will enable young people to take up a role in society and not fall into a spiral of silence.

In many areas of the world young people face challenges such as lack of economic and social capital, inadequate opportunities for education, inequities in society, gender-based discrimination, unemployment, armed conflict, ethnic prejudice, deterioration of the global environment, disease, hunger and malnutrition.

First of all, we ask that more governments become directly involved in the drafting of International Youth Policy, as this is an area that affects the population of ALL countries in the world. Moreover, we ask for accountability, specifically when it comes to the creation of national policy based on the international policy framework.

Moreover, we ask that leaders provide scientifically-collected data that may be utilized in national and international policy making - data disaggregated by age, gender and other important factors such as educational level, citizenship, employment status etc.

The following are some more recommendations:

- Development indicators that include participatory monitoring which adequately measure progress, program strengths and weaknesses, as well as overall effectiveness

- Accountability of all stakeholders involved within society; public or private

- Empowerment which ensures that young people can face life’s challenges with tools which will make them more likely to succeed as active citizens

- Youth participation in all levels of decision-making (including regional and international), especially within areas which are of direct concern to young people, and where long-term sustainability is sought

- Special attention to vulnerable, underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, specifically migrant and disabled youth

2007 - General Assembly Resolution on Policies and Programmes Involving Youth (A/RES/62/126)

2007 - Commission for Social Development Report on the Forty-Fifth Session (E/2007/26 - E/CN.5/2007/8)

2007 - World Youth Report 2007: Report of the Secretary-General (A/60/61 & E/2005/7)

2006 - Commission for Social Development Resolution on Youth Employment (E/CN.5/2006/L.3)

2005 - World Youth Report 2005: Report of the Secretary-General (A/60/61 & E/2005/7)

2005 - General Assembly Resolution on tenth anniversary of WPAY (A/RES/60/2)

2005 - Making commitments matter - Report of the Secretary-General (A/60/156)

2005 - Global analysis and evaluation of national action plans on youth employment - Report of the Secretary-General (A/60/133)

2004 - General Assembly Resolution on tenth anniversary of WPAY (A/RES/59/148)

2003 - General Assembly resolution on Policies and Programmes Involving Youth (A/RES/58/133)

2003 - Promoting Youth Employment - Report of the Secretary-General (A/58/229)

2003 - World Youth Report 2003: Report of the Secretary-General (A/58/79 & E/CN.5/2003/4)

2001 - General Assembly Resolution Promoting Youth Employment (A/RES/57/165)

2001 - General Assembly Resolution on Youth (A/RES/56/117)

2001 - Secretary-General's Report on the Global Situation of Youth (A/56/180)

1999 - General Assembly resolution on Policies and Programmes Involving Youth (A/RES/54/120)

1997 - General Assembly resolution on Policies and Programmes Involving Youth (A/RES/52/83)

1995 - General Assembly Resolution on the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond (A/RES/50/81)

1985 - General Assembly Resolution on the International Youth Year (A/RES/40/14)

2007 - World Development Report - Development and the Next Generation - World Bank

2006 - Moving Young - Youth Supplement to the State of the World Population Report - UNFPA

2006 - Youth Participation in Poverty Reduction Strategies - UNFPA

Convencion Iberoamericana de los Derechos de los Jovenes

European Youth Pact

Commonwealth Youth Forum 6 - Communique - 2007

Commonwealth Communique - 2005

Commonwealth Communique - 2003

2005 - Youth and the Millennium Development Goals - Ad Hoc Working Group on Youth

World Youth Congress 2 - Casablanca Declaration

World Youth Congress 3 - Stirling

World Youth Congress 4 - Quebec

Tofamamao Declaration

Dakar Youth Empowerment Strategy

Providing a Global Platform for Africa’s Next Generation of Leaders in Achieving the Millennium Development Goals