On Thursday 12 August 2010 the United Nations launched the International Year of Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding, aiming to generate attention for youth participation and youth development at local, national and international levels. The Year provides the opportunity to increase commitment to youth, promote youth participation and enhance inter-cultural dialogue and understanding among youth.
As part of this, a number of factsheets were published. The United Nations and UNICEF worked together to publish a factsheet on Youth Participation. The factsheet states that the UN have recognised the importance of youth participation the way forward in the next year to improve youth participation internationally.
The Youth Participation factsheet begins: "Participation is a fundamental right. It is one of the guiding principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that has been reiterated in many other Conventions and Declarations. Through active participation, young people are empowered to play a vital role in their own development as well as in that of their communities, helping them to learn vital life-skills, develop knowledge on human rights and citizenship and to promote positive civic action. To participate effectively, young people must be given the proper tools, such as education about and access to their civil rights."
In support of the International Year of Youth, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon added: "Youth should be given a chance to take an active part in the decision-making of local, national and global levels."
For more information on the Year of Youth visit the website.
Wed, 18/08/2010 - 09:41
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A new package to develop local staff to support and train young people to conduct objective assessments of local services and support recommendations for service improvements.
