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BRAGA YOUTH ACTION PLAN
Written at the Third World Youth Forum of
the United Nations System
(Excerpts referring to youth participation)
INTRODUCTION
We, the
representatives of youth and youth-serving organisations, indigenous peoples,
the United Nations System and inter-governmental organisations have met from 2
to 7 August 1998 in Braga, Portugal at the third World Youth Forum of the
United Nations System.
We have gathered
here to promote Youth Participation for Human Development, convinced that the
participation of youth is a prerequisite for the development of humankind as a
whole.
On the threshold
of a new millennium, young people are full of hope and commitment. We are
convinced that in partnership between youth and youth-serving organisations,
national governments and mass media, the United Nations System and other
inter-governmental organisations, we can shape our world for the creation of a
better future for all.
Young people face
the challenges of injustice and exclusion resulting mainly from the enormous
inequities in income, wealth and power dominating today's world. Because trade
and investment agreements and relations contribute to a growing gap between the
rich and the poor.
Young people are
burdened by the financial and debt crisis, and as a result of Structural
Adjustment Programmes they experience the consequences of on-going cuts in
government expenditure in human services. There is a decline of educational
systems, young peoples' access to health services is restricted and youth
unemployment is growing.
Young people
suffer from xenophobia and racism, homophobia and exclusion from democratic
participation. Young people lack access to information despite new
possibilities to communicate across borders that should promote tolerance in
multiethnic societies, increased respect for Human Rights and greater
participation.
Real and
sustainable solutions to these problems can only be found at the global level
through the development of new partnerships between all the parties involved.
Such solutions include the promotion of social spending through the
cancellation of external debt of the highly indebted poor countries; trade
agreements respecting the right to work and decent working conditions;
fulfilment of the agreed 0.7% target of GNP for Official Development
Assistance; the full payment of UN dues on time without conditions; and further
reform of the United Nations System.
Young people can
and should be a part of the solution to the problems in the world. Everywhere,
young people and youth organisations show that they are not obstacles, but
invaluable resources for development. Youth are building democratic leadership,
civil society and social capital for the 21st century.
With the Braga Youth
Action Plan we want to empower young people to participate in human
development. Youth Participation for Human Development requires that:
-the international
community, the private sector and especially governments provide young people
with adequate financial resources in order to realise their full potential;
-young people are
recognised not only as future leaders, but as actors of society today, with a
direct stake in the development process;
-young women and
men should be enabled to participate on equal terms: sexism is an obstacle that
must be overcome and the empowerment of women a prerequisite for development;
-ALL young people
should be enabled to participate as both creators and beneficiaries of
development: unemployment, illiteracy, the discrimination against indigenous
young people and other forms of social exclusion
are threats to
development.
-justice between
present and future generations is recognised as a fundamental base for sustainable
development: young people should participate in the decisions taken today about
the resources of tomorrow;
--youth should
participate in political decision making on all levels, and young people must
be enabled to organise themselves in youth NGOs, students, unions, trade
unions, political parties, etc. in order to fully participate in political,
economic, social and cultural life; and
-youth issues are
not treated in isolation, but mainstreamed into all policy making. The third
World Youth Forum is an example of how a cross-sectoral approach can be used
successfully;
The Braga Youth
Action Plan is a joint commitment to Youth Participation for Human Development
made by youth NGOs, the United Nations System and other inter-governmental
organisations in partnership.
As participants at
the third World Youth Forum of the United Nations System, we pledge our
personal and unwavering commitment towards Youth Participation for Human
Development.
We now call upon
all youth, governments of the world and the international community to work
together with us to carry out these commitments and make our vision of Youth
Participation in Human Development a reality.
The World Youth
Forum recommends:
YOUTH
PARTICIPATION
Participation of ALL Young People
10. it be recognised that youth who
are disabled have greater difficulties participating in society due to a lack
of equal opportunities. To improve their independent access to the
physical environment, disabled people need information, devices of assistance and
equipment awareness, campaigns and fundraising. This should be promoted and
enhanced at all levels through co-operation among NGOs concerned with
disabilities, as well as United Nations agencies, governments and IGOs.
11. governments, NGOs, IGOs and the
United Nations System promote inter-cultural understanding among different
cultures through workshops, seminars, exchange programmes and youth camps, with
an adequate evaluation process to ensure that all cultures, and specifically
Indigenous young people, are fully recognised, respected and valued in society.
We also propose that the United Nations sponsor a World Indigenous Youth
Conference and for any future United Nations sponsored youth activities,
processes be established to ensure specific Indigenous participants are
included as delegates in their own right.
12. that NGOs take the initiative,
in co-operation with United Nations specialised agencies, programmes and funds
as well as national youth platforms, to establish conferences that enable an exchange
of experiences
and information about working with young people living in extreme
poverty and those requiring protection from violence, in particular young
women. Priority should be given to reaching young people living in extreme
poverty and in working in partnership with them in the design and
implementation of youth policies and concrete projects in the areas of health,
education, training and unemployment. We also propose the creation of national
monitoring centres to submit an annual report to the United Nations on young
people victimised by violence should be widely disseminated by all forms of
media and used as a reference in evaluating the implementation of national
youth policies.
Youth
Organisations and the United Nations System:
13. the United Nations support broad
involvement of youth NGOs in the decision making process, in a democratic
manner, throughout the United Nations System. We ask for greater consultation
and the full and effective participation of youth NGOs in United Nations System
conferences, commissions, specialised agencies, programmes and funds- which
should meet in different regions to ensure equitable geographic representation.
We encourage Member States to include representatives of youth NGOs in national
delegations to the General Assembly, and other United Nations System
conferences and commissions. This must allow for a wide, inclusive and gender
balanced representation of all youths, including groups such as Indigenous
people, the disabled, immigrants, refugees and all minorities.
14. the recognition of the
responsibility of youth to take it upon themselves to help implement the Braga
Youth Action Plan and other United Nations initiatives- thus we offer to the
United Nations System services of youth at the national, regional and
international levels. In order for this to be successful, there must be
increased co-ordination of such implementation at the national and regional
levels; information should be made easily accessible to all young people (which
may be facilitated by United Nations Systems offices); the question of national
funding to broaden the effectiveness of youth NGOs, with the aim of using such
funds to eventually set up self reliant organisations should be addressed; and
non-associated youth must be involved in order to ensure effective
implementation of all programmes.
15. that youth issues be given
higher priority in the United Nations System. We recommend the strengthening of
the United Nations Youth Unit and its counterparts in other funds, programmes
and specialised agencies and the provision to it of greater resources and more
staff-notably young people. We recommend the expansion of their mandate to
include the co-ordination of policies and programmes between youth NGOs and the
various specialised agencies, funds and programmes and the dissemination of
information. We must also ensure the continuation of the World Youth Forum
process, including the convening of regional youth fora/consultations both in
the preparation and follow-up of the Forum and the strengthening of its links
with future high-level, inter-governmental conferences on youth (such as the
Minister's Conference on Youth), through joint preparation, meetings and
follow-up.
Education for the 21st Century
16. that education shall be free of
charge at all levels and equally accessible to everyone. Access to all levels
of education shall not be on the basis of economic status. We call on
governments to increase resource allocation to education and for UNESCO and the
international community to establish a world education fund to provide housing,
transport, materials and financial assistance to ensure free and equal access.
17. that the empowerment of young
people via full and active participation and representation in all types of
education be recognised as a right, and calls upon governments to do the same.
We call on governments to recognise and promote non-formal education, it being
integral to the full development of individuals and societies and as therefore
being complementary to formal education. We recommend the establishment of
Departments of Non-Formal Education within Ministries of Education, which would
work in partnership with NGOs responsible for non-formal education through a
democratic forum.
18. that while recognising that education
should be relevant to employment opportunities, we call on the governments to
analyse and review their formal education policies to incorporate the teaching
of languages, including local and indigenous languages, and global citizenship
education, emphasising universal concepts such as peace, human rights,
intercultural understanding, environmental protection, sustainable development
and gender equality. We call for the development of regional and international
teaching materials through UNESCO, the adequate training of all educators and
the establishment of national co-ordination units.
The Role of Youth in the Promotion of Human
Rights:
25. that human rights education be
recognised as a basic human right. This right includes access to, and exchange
of, information on universally accepted civil, cultural, economic, political
and social rights, and their violations. It aims at advocating the implementation
of basic human rights. ALL young people must become involved in human rights
education as key recipients and providers.
26. institutions, including
governments, the United Nations System, intergovernmental organisations and
educational authorities, responsible for human rights education at the
community, national, regional and international levels, must ensure an enabling
environment for youth involvement in human rights education. This includes the
opportunity for active participation of youth organisations in the decision
making process, in the implementation, as well as in existing monitoring and
reporting procedures which are linked to human education.
27. that youth organisations commit
themselves to develop and implement effective strategies on human rights
education. We recommend a human rights focal point to be designated in each
youth organisation. Partnerships between the Unite Nations System and such
focal points should be established within the framework of the United Nations
Decade on Human Rights Education (1995-2004). Human rights education
methodologies shall take into account the need for cultural sensitivity and
should include lobbying, networking, the exchange of best practices,
capacity-building and preparation of material in local languages.
Youth Rights Charter and a Special
Rapporteur on Youth Rights:
28. the United Nations Youth Unit
produce and assist youth NGOs disseminate at international, regional and local
levels a compendium on existing youth rights which consists of the
compilation of the existing rights regarding young people already included in
the reports adopted by the General Assembly and United Nations Human Rights
instruments. The compendium should be made into a youth friendly publication
available and accessible to all youth around the world.
29. a United Nations Special
Rapporteur on Youth Rights should be appointed by the United Nations
Secretary General before the end of 1999 based on nominations through regional
consultations of NGOs to be made before August 1999. He or she should be
mandated for three years (renewable for a maximum of two terms). He or she
should be a young, independent expert (no older than 35 years of age at the
time of appointment), experienced with human rights issues, recently and
directly involved with youth organisations. Efforts must be made to ensure the
elimination of discrimination with every appointment to ensure fair and equal
opportunity in the position over time. He or she must submit an annual report
to the United Nations General Assembly and other relevant bodies, including
recommendations for better implementation of youth rights.
He or she should be actively
supported by all United Nations structures.
30. that we urge the Secretary General
of the United Nations to take the initiative, with the help of specialised
agencies, relevant regional organisations and youth NGOs, for the organisation
of an ad hoc event on Youth Rights, in order to bring together
representatives of states and all interested national, regional and
international youth NGOs. This world event (being either a special session of
United Nations General Assembly or a United Nations World Conference on Youth
Rights) should be prepared at the national and regional levels through
campaigning to promote the largest possible involvement of young people.
To see the whole
document go to, www.un.org/events/youth98/yforum98/bragayap.htm
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