International AIDS Conference Mexico City, 31 July 02 August

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International AIDS ConferenceMexico City, 31
July 02 August

• Addressing the Gap Commitments, funding and
  Youth Engagement Meaningfully engaging youth
  
• TAKE 1
• Norwell Hinds UNFPA Special Youth Fellow,
  Guyana
  

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Presentation Objectives

• Discuss the rationale for youth leadership and
  participation to ensure Universal Action NOW
  
• Present model of youth participation from the
  UNFPA experience
  
• Present considerations for meaningfully involving
  youth at different levels
  

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Presentation Outline

• Rationale for Youth Participation and
  Leadership
  
• As an element of Rights Rights-Based
  Perspective
  
• As a means of enhancing Programme Results
  Impact Perspective
  
• As means of building capacity Capacity
  Perspective
  
• Mechanisms for Youth Participation and Leadership
  (Examples from UNFPA)
  
• UNFPA and Youth Participation
• Global Youth Advisory Panel
• Special Youth Programme Fellowship
• Recommendations and Way Forward

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Rationale for Youth Leadership and Participation
Part 1.1

• As an element of Right( A human rights-based
  approach to SRH and HIV/AIDS programming demands
  the involvement of the most affected)
  
• Inclusiveness (active and meaningful
  participation of ALL is a Democratic Principle.
  
• Articles 12 and 13 of CRC affirms the right of
  children and adolescents to be heard and
  participate in decisions that affect their lives
  
• ICPD PoA aligns to a Human Rights perspective.
  Sets youth fullicipation (full and meaningful
  involvement) of youth as a pillar further, calls
  for the mentorship capacity development of
  youth

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Rationale for Youth Leadership and Participation
Part 1.2

• 10-24 age cohort largest population in human
  history, most affected by HIV/AIDS and SRH
  consequences. NOT REPRESENTED AT HIGHEST DECISION
  MAKING LEVELS ? a fair share modality requires
  more involvement of youth.
• Accountability TO youth implies shared decision
  making and scrutiny of public policy (A
  Democratic Principle)
  
• Accountability OF youth as partners in HIV/AIDS
  Actions require shared responsibility for
  (in)actions.
  

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Rationale for Youth Leadership and Participation
Part 2

• As a means of enhancing programme results (Youth
  involvement helps to achieve programme results
  where the most vulnerable take part in the
  planning, implementation, decision making and
  evaluation of SRH and HIV/AIDS Programmes)

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Rationale for Youth Leadership and Participation
Part 3

• As a means of building the capacity of young
  people (Meaningfully involving young people
  builds the promotes and sustains youth-adult
  partnerships which in turn sensitises adults to
  working with youth and builds the capacity of
  youth, including our technical capacity)

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Youth Participation Mechanisms Part 1
Examples from UNFPA

• Framework for Action (FFA) provides overall focus
  
  
• Based on 4 principles
• (keys) where young peoples
• Leadership and Participation
• is central.
• Two Mechanisms
• Global Youth Advisory Programme
• Special Youth Programme Fellowship

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Youth Participation Mechanisms Part 1 Examples
from UNFPA Global Youth Advisory Panel

• Initiated of Executive Director Mme. Thoraya
  Obaid
  
• Comprises youth aged 15 to 24 from youth
  (serving) networks and organizations
  
• Geographic and gender balance selected through
  internal nomination process
  
• Brings a youth issues to UNFPA ED

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Youth Participation Mechanisms Part 1 Examples
from UNFPA Global Youth Advisory Panel

• Gives advice on promoting the rights and needs of
  youth within and through UNFPA
  
• Makes comprehensive recommendations on planning,
  policymaking and programming
  
• Panel meets annually and continually interacts
  online
  
• Support to the establishment of country level
  UNFPA YAPs
  
• Strengthening and expanding UN YAPs eg.
  Cambodia, Pakistan, Nepal

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Youth Participation Mechanisms Part 1 Examples
from UNFPA Special Youth Programme Fellowship

• Outcome of Youth Advisory Panel Recommendation in
  2004
  
• Recruits outstanding young people aged 20 to 24
  from developing countries
  
• 9-month paid fellowship (6 months at UNFPA's New
  York HQ and 3 at Country Office in their home
  country)
  
• Aim to build youth adult partnerships, sensitize
  UNFPA and provide opportunities for young people

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Youth Participation Mechanisms Part 1 Examples
from UNFPA Special Youth Programme Fellowship

• Five groups, totaling 26 youth from 25 countries
  hosted since 2004.
  

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Youth Participation Mechanisms Part 1 Examples
from UNFPA Special Youth Programme Fellowship

• Participants including youth from vulnerable
  groups including MSM, Youth in Post-Conflict
  Settings.
  
• Built technical capacity of youth involved
• Evaluation ? programme highly successful many of
  the youth involved continued to work with UNFPA
  staff responded positively.
  
• Programme adapted by UNAIDS

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Youth Participation Mechanisms Part 1 Examples
from UNFPA Special Youth Programme Fellowship

• PERSPECTIVES on SYP

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Youth Participation Mechanisms Part 2 Other
Initiatives

• Examples from two Regions
• Sub-Saharan Africa AfriYAN
• Substantive contributions to the development and
  ratification of the Africa Youth Charter
  
• Capacity-building of Youth Leaders
• Contribute to Africa position on UNGASS
• Strengthening of Africa Youth Networks
• Support African youth participation in
  inter-govt fora and conferences (ie. IAC, ICASA,
  UNGASS, African Union Summits)
  
• Arab States, Eastern Europe, Central Asia
  YPEER
  
• An innovative youth-to-youth initiative in
  response the rapid spread of HIV in Central and
  Eastern Europe
  
• Now expanded to include parts of Central Asia,
  the Middle East, North and East Africa, and, most
  recently, Brazil.
  
• Includes 500 organizations and institutions and
  3000 youth members
  

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Recommendation and Way Forward
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The ENDwww.unfpa.orghinds_at_unfpa.org