Creating a Sustainable Future: Empowering Youth with Better Job Opportunities
WFUNA Youth Seminar: Focus on the MDGs
What should be indicators for youth?
What should be indicators for the World Programme of Action on Youth?
The Division for Social Policy and Development (UN-DESA) organized a side event at the Population Commission on Youth Indicators on 23 April, 2012, where it focused on the World Programme of Action for Youth and reflected on the importance of youth contribution to social and political changes. Currently, the international community identified ten priority areas including education, employment, hunger and poverty, health, environment, drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, leisure-time activities, girls and young women, full and effective participation of youth in life of society and in decision-making, globalization, information and communications technology, HIV/AIDS, armed conflict and intergenerational issues.
Free Webinar for Nonprofits Using Social Media
This 90-minute social media how-to webinar is ideal for communications for our UNAs and UNA Youth Associations and youth sections. Check it out for ideas on how to improve your social footprint!
Why do you need to be trained in human rights?
Åse Karen Westad Fjeld, The UN-students of Oslo (FNSF). If you are interested in human rights youth training, send us an email.
When did you first become interested in human rights?
Working at the Oslo Women’s Shelter and studying women’s law made me realize how all this is connected. Reading about the complaints the CEDAW committee has made about Norway every time we have been evaluated has been an eye opener, and made me interested in women’s rights both in the Norwegian and the global context.
How did you hear about the Human Rights Training for Youth?
I heard about the training from our national UN association FN-sambandet, through the UN-students of Oslo, where I held the position as the information officer. I am still very happy that I decided to apply, and grateful that I got accepted. I had no idea how useful the training would be for me. With the training as an addition to my sociology studies, I now feel I have a tool to work within the field of human rights.
#UN4Youth - April Newsletter Youth Flash
There a number of different opportunities to get involved with the UN and youth. Check out their youth flash here.
Twitter #undpchat - Road to Rio: How Can We Achieve a Sustainable Future We Want?
- Have you ever done a Twitter chat? Helen Clark from UNDP held one this week live from Cambridge University in London on 17 April 2012 on the "Road to Rio - How Can We Achieve a Sustainable Future We Want?"
- @UNYouthVic: @HelenClarkUNDP What are some ways that young people from outside civil society can contribute to #rioplus20? #dev21 #undpchat
- @HelenClarkUNDP: @unyouthvic Help raise awareness through social media. #youth are very engaged on #sustainabledevelopment. #undpchat #rioplus20 #dev21
- @YouthonClimate: @UNICEF @HelenClarkUNDP @undp #undpchat we want to know how young people can be involved in decision making beyond tokenistic consultation??
- @HelenClarkUNDP: @YouthOnClimate @UNICEF #Rioplus20 needs to hear the voices of #youth. Get involved in national consultations & use social media @undpchat
- @Yaznaia: #undpchat Do you think that youth is important for the acomplishment of #2015GOALS ?
- @HelenClarkUNDP: @Yaznaia World has largest ever #youth generation. Their involvement is critical 4 #sustainabledevelopment. #undpchat #dev21
- Check out Storify.com/undp and #undpchat for more tweets on the conversation!
WFUNA is hosting a Earth Day photo challenge! Submit your original photo with the caption, “What does Earth Day mean to you?” by this Sunday, 22 April.
Details on the contest can be found here.
United Nations uses live Google+ Hangout with Ban Ki-moon to talk to youth
The UN made good use of technology today when it went live with a Google+ Hangout with 6 selected youth from around the world. Read the story here.
During the hangout, each of the six youth were able to ask Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon his thoughts on a number of topics, ranging from his 5-year action plan to how the UN was going to address terrorism and disaster relief. Seeing as how the 5-year action plan includes focusing on youth and appointing a Special Representative on Youth, one youth even asked how the UN planned on including the voices of underprivileged youth at the UN, when they may not have access to internet connectivity.
When asked about the “Future We Want” and how youth can play a part, the Secretary-General said, “You are the leaders of today, not the leaders of tomorrow.” He continued, “Even though we are connected like this through the computer, I still welcome you to come to the United Nations so we can talk in person.”
The Hangout was moderated by David Drummond of Google, who later closed the hangout by saying, “[This is] one of the many platforms that can be used [for youth] as global citizens, and just the beginning of what we can do with technology.”
“R2P does not actually give more power to the Security Council…”
Five of our youth representatives from UNAs in Latin America joined our R2P Program Officer in Caracas, Venezuela, to not only participate in, but host and facilitate the Third Dag Hammarskjold Symposium. The symposium was held in collaboration with the UN Association of Venezuela and the Embassy of Sweden in Bogota, Colombia, responsible for Venezuela and Colombia.
We asked these youth representatives from UNA-Venezuela, UNA-Colombia, and UNA-Mexico to share their experiences and thoughts on R2P.
What did you learn about R2P that you did not know before going to the symposium?
Before the Symposium, I can now say, I had a superficial comprehension of the R2P norm. I knew it existed, I had discussed it and understood it, but I did not know about some details and its profound implications. For example, Laura Spano, the R2P Program Officer, stated that the R2P norm does not actually give more power to the Security Council and that even countries like Argentina were huge promoters of the norm. Moreover, R2P is not a new idea on the prevention of mass atrocities. It is just a new framework to implement prevention in a more effective way.
Read more of what Pablo had to say about the Symposium.
Are you wondering what R2P is? Read more here.
