March 2015

Feature Article


Spotlight

Building Bridges in Spain

Building Bridges in Spain

The Building Bridges Team is now in Spain and will shape the post-2015 agenda through the eyes of young people in the country. Among the most pressing issues are youth unemployment, the education system and an honest and responsive government. The team will have consultations in the north, central and south of Spain and you can follow their journey and see the results through their Facebook page. More


Inter-Agency Update

Inter-Agency Update

The Inter-agency Network on Youth Development (IANYD) will hold its annual meeting on 24-25th March in New York. The youth focal points of the 43 member entities will gather to jointly take stock of the IANYD’s work in 2014-2015 and discuss opportunities for collaboration for the coming year. At the meeting, UNIDO will hand-over the rotating co-chairmanship to UNDP who will head the network alongside the UN Focal point on Youth in UN DESA through 2016.


UN Entities Highlighted News

UNFPA: Gender Based Violence from a Youth Lens

UNFPA: Gender Based Violence from a Youth Lens

The theme of the 2014 Let’s Talk 72 Hour Film Challenge was preventing gender based violence. Some 150 young girls and boys participated to make a movie within 72 hours. The results of the challenge, organized by VAPA NGO and the Y-PEER network in Lebanon with UNFPA’s support, were announced during an award ceremony that was also attended by UNFPA Representatives. Three winning movies were selected by a renowned jury panel while two others were given special jury mention.

 

 

 

World Food Programme: Celebrating A Decade Of Students Committed To A World With Zero Hunger

WFP: Celebrating A Decade Of Students Committed To A World With Zero Hunger

The World Food Programme and Universities Fighting World Hunger (UFWH) marked a decade of mobilizing students in the fight against hunger with the 2015 UFWH Summit at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, on 20-22 February 2015. In 2004, WFP and Auburn University partnered to generate a university movement against hunger, and UFWH has grown to a network of nearly 300 campuses taking action worldwide. The 2015 Summit focused on pushing the movement forward into the next decade.

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UNDP Maldives: Theatre for Youth Participation

UNDP Maldives: Theatre for Youth Participation

To address the issues faced by the Maldivian youth, UNDP Maldives, under its Integrated Governance Programme (IGP), is using the innovative technique of community-based theatre (CBT) to promote greater social cohesion in vulnerable communities. These dialogues bring people from all walks of life together to openly discuss problems and promote the inclusion of multiple perspectives on critical social issues. This initiative builds upon the intellectual, emotional, and creative resources of participants to engage young people in constructive dialogue. More

 

UNDP Pacific Centre: Pacific youth advocate against corruption

UNDP Pacific Centre: Pacific Youth Advocate Against Corruption

The Pacific Youth Forum Against Corruption is an initiative that brings together youth leaders from 15 Pacific Island countries to discuss ways to address corruption in the region. The inaugural event was held on 22-24 February in Nadi, Fiji. The initiative aims to provide an opportunity to raise awareness on corruption and its negative impacts in their respective countries. The goal is to give a voice to the young and marginalised people in the region who are speaking out against corruption and its corrosive effects on society. A highlight of the forum was the Capturing Corruption photo contest, won by entries from the Cook Islands and the Solomon Islands. More

UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub:Asia and Pacific LGBTI advocates call for human rights for all

UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub: Asia and Pacific LGBTI Advocates Call for Human Rights for All

A landmark regional dialogue convened by UNDP this week in Bangkok provided a unique platform for advancing rights of young lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people. Some 200 participants from over 30 countries gathered for the three-day Regional Dialogue on LGBTI Human Rights and Health in Asia-Pacific, including civil society, people living with disabilities, government and human rights experts, the private sector, and development partners. Participants reflected on advances achieved in recent years and persistent challenges in regards to LGBTI rights and access to health, education, employment and social protection. More

 

UNFPA GCC Participated in Muscat Festival 2015

UNFPA GCC Participated in Muscat Festival 2015

UNFPA GCC participated in the annual Muscat Festival in January 2015 and supported the Youth Peer Education Network (Y-PEER), a network of young peers who specialize in raising awareness on substance abuse and health issues among the youth though “Edutainment” methodology. At the festival, a group of Y-PEER volunteers trained by the Ministry of Health experts on health & civic subjects conducted activities that attracted visitors through theatre performances, question and answer interactions, group discussions along with games & quizzes. Awareness materials were also distributed. More

IFAD: Rural Youth Economic Empowerment Programme

IFAD: Rural Youth Economic Empowerment Programme

IFAD's Near East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia Division hosted a knowledge sharing event on rural youth and economic empowerment in the Near East and North Africa. Through a regional grant, IFAD is partnering with Making Cents International and Silatech to increase employment and self-employment opportunities of more than 18,000 young people between 15 and 35 years old. Covering four countries, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen, the joint programme will test innovative financial and non-financial engagement tools for young rural people.

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UNDP: Tech for Citizen Engagement Challenge: Submissions are in!

UNDP: Tech for Citizen Engagement Challenge: Submissions are in!

Submissions are now in for the cross-regional Technology for Citizen Engagement Challenge, which will see the best selected proposals from the Arab States, Europe and the CIS region. Those selected will be supported with mentoring, funding, and an opportunity to attend and contribute to the Build Peace conference in Nicosia, Cyprus in April. The challenge is run on the Mahallae platform – check it out and leave your input and comments to the ideas that have been posted! More

ILO: Global Research Symposium: Innovative research from 28 School-to-Work Transition Surveys

ILO: Global Research Symposium: Innovative Research from 28 School-to-Work Transition Surveys

The ILO Global Research Symposium (Geneva, 3-4 March 2015) provided an opportunity for researchers and development practitioners to present and discuss innovative research on themes of youth employment and labour market transitions and applicability to policy and programme advice and implementation. In May 2014, the ILO issued a Call for Papers with the objective of offering researchers worldwide the opportunity to use the School-to-work Transition Survey (SWTS) as a primary tool for innovative analysis of youth employment. More

ILO: Promoting productive and decent work for youth in Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia

ILO: Promoting Productive and Decent Work for Youth in Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia

With support from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) this ILO programme aims to improve the effectiveness of youth employment policies and programmes in Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia, and to establish a regional cooperation framework for youth employment. Learn more about the labour market situation of young people and the results of this programme on the programme website.

 

 


Youth in Action

Novia Salcedo Foundation (NSF) at the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2015

Novia Salcedo Foundation (NSF) at the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2015

Representatives of the Novia Salcedo Foundation (NSF), Ms. Helena Orella and Ms. Maria Jesus Novo, attended the ECOSOC Youth Forum on 2-3 February 2015, held at the United Nations headquarters in New York. At the forum, NSF had the opportunity to present the "International Campaign for Youth Employment Decade”. The Campaign’s ultimate goal is that the General Assembly of the United Nations declares 2016-2025 as the "Youth employment Decade". A declaration that will encourage Member States to consider youth employment as a priority in their policies.

 

 

 

Green Hope UAE: Youth Workshop on Building Disaster Resilience

Green Hope UAE: Youth Workshop on Building Disaster Resilience

As a buildup to the 3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) in Sendai, Japan, Green Hope UAE conducted a youth workshop on disaster resilience for high school students in the United Arab Emirates. The objective was to build a culture of disaster resilience amongst the youth, who often are at the greatest risk. This awareness-raising workshop conveyed that each decision/action can makes us more vulnerable to disasters - or more resilient to them. Green Hope UAE also wanted to show their solidarity with the "Safe Schools" programme in our region.

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Green the Gene: A Youth-Run Environment Movement

Green the Gene: A Youth-Run Environment Movement

Green the Gene is a completely youth-run, non-profit global environmental movement, founded in 2004 by a group of passionate, determined, and concerned youth. Back in school, they were taught about environmental problems and how they affect us all. What started as a small school club, led by the 18 year old Founder & President MadhavDatt, has now successfully built a global grassroots movement for positive environmental action with 4500+ children and youth volunteers across 42 countries. More

 

SERAC-Bangladesh:Youth Fighting Gender Based Violence in Bangladesh

SERAC-Bangladesh: Youth Fighting Gender Based Violence in Bangladesh

SERAC-Bangladesh with the support from a leading women’s rights organization, Women Deliver, started a project named ‘Social rising for dowry and early marriage prevention, in short ‘Jagoroni’. The project has already trained 650 young people in the Mymensingh district in Bangladesh to advocate against child marriage by creating youth-led watchdog groups. The Jagoroni Project has received great responses from the community and has also won the top award at the C-Exchange Youth Initiative programme organised by Women Deliver.

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A Global Network of Youth-Run Organizations

A Global Network of Youth-Run Organizations

YouthCorp seeks to inspire youth to create change and empower underprivileged youth worldwide by connecting global organizations started by teens. It was founded by five teens from three different countries looking to make a change. Although YouthCorp only recently launched, they already have businesses, apps, nonprofits and publications on four continents. Teens will have a greater impact in their efforts to make a difference if they learn from and work with youth who are also creating change. More

 

Restless Development: Global agreements, Grassroots Advocacy

Restless Development: Global Agreements, Grassroots Advocacy

A new toolkit called ‘Global Agreements, Grassroots Advocacy: Youth and Governance in a Post-2015 world’ was recently launched by Restless Development and Plan UK. It equips young people with the knowledge and terminology they need to know, explains why and how young people can be involved in governance processes and supports them to build an advocacy plan so that they can influence key decision-making processes as we near September 2015 and the finalisation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

JVE: Clean Energy for all in Africa

JVE: Clean Energy for all in Africa

JVE is a non-profit organization focusing on energy, climate, and development. Currently, JVE is active in 27 countries in Africa thanks to the CLENA Project (Clean Energy for Africa). In 2015 a new initiative will be added: youth green entrepreneurship. JVE is working hard to take a leading role in the energy/climate field in Africa. A main focus will be to strengthen the administrative and organizational capacity of the national representation, mobilize and engage people through media and demonstrations, and most importantly, facilitate participation from local communities. More

 

Youth Protecting the Water

Youth Protecting the Water

Barranquilla+20 has been conducting training in water education with the children of the Mallorquin area in order to promote water conservation. The goal is to educate the community on the importance of not polluting and destroying the swamp and preserving the naturally growing mangrove forest. These educational activities are improving sanitary conditions and empowering the local communities to better care for their environment and, therefore, their rights and economic activities.

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Publications

ILO: What does NEETs mean and why is the concept so easily misinterpreted?

ILO: What does NEETs mean and why is the concept so easily misinterpreted?

This ILO technical brief, based on an analysis of the recent School-to-work transition surveys (SWTS) from 28 low- and middle-income countries, aims to contribute to a better understanding of the NEET rate, the share of youth which are neither in employment nor in education or training in the youth population.

 

ILO: Work4Youth report on labour market transitions of young women and men in Viet Nam

ILO: Work4Youth report on labour market transitions of young women and men in Viet Nam

This ILO report presents the highlights of the 2013 School-to-work Transition Survey (SWTS) and the Labour Demand Enterprise Survey (LDES) run together with the General Statistics Office of Viet Nam within the framework of the ILO Work4Youth Project. While unemployment may be higher among the better educated, the results clearly show that investing in education brings positive returns to youth in terms of wages and access to the “better” jobs.

WHO: Core competencies in adolescent health and development for primary care providers

WHO: Core competencies in adolescent health and development for primary care providers

At the heart of every health system, the workforce is central to improving health. A wide range of professionals are involved in health care for adolescents. The newly published WHO document “Core competencies in adolescent health and development for primary care providers” aims to help countries build an adolescent-competent workforce. The document provides guidance on how to assess and improve the structure, content and quality of the adolescent health component of pre-service curricula. 

 

 

Disclaimer

Reference herein to any organization, view, or event is intended for explicit description only and does not constitute or imply endorsement or recommendation by the United Nations, or anyone else.

© 2013 Copyright, DSPD Focal Point on Youth