Youth Portal for the Latin America and the Caribbean - United Nations Youth Flash: Vol. 7, No. 1, January 2010

You are encouraged to use and forward the information below to other networks. This update is prepared with input from UN offices, agencies, funds and programmes as well as with contributions from youth organizations around the world. UN Youth Flash can also be read on-line at: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/flash.htm.
In this issue:

International Year of Youth

International Year of Youth: Dialogue amd Mutual Understanding

Feature: Focusing the Youth Agenda: HIV/AIDS and Health
News from UN Offices
Youth in Action
Publications
Calendar of Events

International Year of Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding
12 August 2010 – 11 August 2011

Ever since we informed you about the International Year of Youth in our last edition, we have received a large number of emails from youth around the world informing us of the activities that you are planning to celebrate the Year. We are thrilled about this enthusiastic response and encourage you to keep up the creativity!

Get involved!
This Year is about YOU(TH). The General Assembly proclaimed the Year in recognition of the need for dialogue between youth and other generations as well as among youth in different parts of the world. Now that it has been proclaimed, it is up to you to make use of this opportunity and make your voices heard. The International Year is a fantastic opportunity to advocate on behalf of youth in your country or community and to promote dialogue and mutual understanding among youth and the decision-makers in your community, region or country.

During most international years, countries tend to establish national committees to organize the country-level activities taking place throughout the Year. These Committees usually include representatives of relevant Government entities, civil society organizations and relevant UN offices operating in the country. Due to the limited lead-up time to the Year, we do not yet know which countries will establish national committees and will keep you updated as information becomes available through our website dedicated to the Year at http://social.un.org/youthyear/.

Even if your country does not (yet) have a national committee, do not let this discourage you from taking action and organizing events related to the Year and its theme. All successful International Years have had active grassroots involvement! So involve your friends, families, schools, universities, community groups and local Government entities and plan initiatives to commemorate the Year.

In recent weeks, we at the UN Programme on Youth have received a number of requests to partner on activities being organized for the Year. While we would love to be involved in all of these great ideas, we unfortunately do not have the capacity to do so. Even if we cannot partner with you, please continue to send us information about your events to be included in the calendar of events for the Year.

We want to hear from you!
In order to start the dialogue with youth from around the world, we have launched a facebook page “United Nations International Year of Youth”. We hope that many of you will become fans of the page and join in on the discussions. Through this page, we will launch one of our first activities for the Year: a youth consultation on a slogan for the International Year of Youth.

To spread the word about the International Year, we are looking for a powerful 1 to 5 word slogan that encapsulates the Year and its theme. From 25 January to 12 February 2010, you will have the chance to suggest a slogan for the International Year and to vote on your favourites through the “like” function. The final slogan will be selected by the UN Programme on Youth and will be used in communications for the International Year. For logistical reasons, we are unfortunately only able to accept suggestions in English. The winning slogan will, however, be translated into all official languages of the United Nations.

To suggest a slogan, visit our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/people/UnitedNations-ProgrammeonYouth/100000636643703 today!

Please continue to spread the word about the International Year and the consultation on the slogan to your friends and among your networks. And please continue to visit the website of the Year at
http://social.un.org/youthyear/ for regular updates.

Feature: Focusing the Youth Agenda: The World Programme of Action for Youth

The World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY) is a useful tool for local and national Governments, IGOs, and NGOs championing youth issues around the globe. To assist with its implementation, the United Nations has worked with its partners and Member States to develop a set of goals and targets that can help to shape youth-targeted interventions.

This month’s feature is the ninth in a 10-part series that will familiarize our readers with the WPAY and its related goals and targets.

Focusing the Youth Agenda: Health and HIV/AIDS

Worldwide, young people’s physical and mental health is threatened by many factors, including unhygienic living conditions, malnutrition, and infectious diseases. Young women may also face harmful traditional practices, including genital mutilation.

In addition, there are youth living amidst armed conflict, facing physical, mental and moral hazards. In many parts of the world, some young people live in unsafe and abusive environments, for example living in violence-prone families, communities, or on the street.

Moreover, the consumption of tobacco, alcohol and drugs put young people’s health at risk, and risk-taking and destructive activities often result in accidents and injuries.

Lack of information and health services for young people compound these problems. The first goal of the WPAY concerning health, therefore, is to ensure that youth have access to affordable and comprehensive health information and services, including on diseases related to lifestyle choices. This goal has the following two targets:

1. Between 2005 and 2015, halve the proportion of youth living more than an hour from a source of comprehensive, youth-friendly, primary health-care services.

2. By 2015, ensure that curricula for both formal and non-formal basic education include elements that address the impact of lifestyle choices on health, such as poor diets, lack of exercise and smoking.

In addition, young people’s needs for reproductive and sexual health are often not addressed. In many countries, there is a serious lack of information and services available to help adolescents understand their sexuality and to protect them from unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS.

The second goal of WPAY concerning health is to minimize the prevalence of reproductive health morbidities and mortality, including sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among youth. It has the following two targets:

1. By 2015, ensure that all those providing primary health care to youth receive training on the identification and treatment of common STIs, have the needed technical and material resources to provide care, and are able to counsel on prevention in a youth-friendly manner.

2. By 2015, ensure that cost-effective treatments for common STIs are available for young people.

Among the health concerns for young people mentioned above, HIV/AIDS deserves special attention. New HIV infections are heavily concentrated among youth, and in particular, young women.

Young women face higher risks of HIV infection than their male peers for many reasons. Physiologically, women are at least twice as likely as men to become infected with HIV during sex. Young women are more likely than young men to be illiterate and are often ill-informed about sexual and reproductive matters. They often lack negotiating power for insisting on safer sex or rejecting sexual advances. In addition, poverty may force young women into subsistence sex work or transactional relationships that preclude negotiating condom use. Often these women are unable for economic reasons to leave a relationship, even if they know their partner has been infected or exposed to HIV (UNFPA, State of World Population 2005). In 2006, women and girls made up 57 per cent of all people infected with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, where a striking 76 per cent of young people (aged 15 to 24) living with HIV are female.

It is imperative that young people have access to evidence- and skills-based youth-specific HIV education to enable them to avoid high-risk behaviour.

The first goal of the WPAY concerning youth and HIV/AIDS is to halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS among young people. It has the following three targets:

1. By 2015, ensure that all young people in both rural and urban areas can correctly identify the modes of transmission of HIV and how to prevent it.

2. Between 2005 and 2015, reduce by 50 per cent, the proportion of young people, especially young women, who live in poverty or other forms of social or economic vulnerability.

3. By 2015, ensure that all young people have access to voluntary HIV testing.

While it is crucial to prevent new infections, it is just as important to provide support to young people living with HIV/AIDS and to those affected by the disease.

The stigma attached to youth infected with HIV often results in denial of their access to education, inheritance, employment, health care, social and health services, prevention, support and treatment, information and legal protection. In order to ensure that young people living with HIV/AIDS can enjoy being who they are, contribute to and benefit from the society they live in, governments should enact laws to protect youth living with HIV/AIDS from all types of discrimination.

The second goal of the WPAY on HIV/AIDS is to eliminate all forms of discrimination and stigma against young people infected with HIV/AIDS. It has the following two targets:

1. By 2015, establish intervention strategies for young people (including information, counselling and coping skills) at the individual and community level to reduce stigma related to HIV/AIDS.

2. By 2015, enact and begin to enforce legislation to ensure the provision of care and treatment, on an equal basis with adults, and without discrimination or stigma, for all youth infected with HIV and AIDS.

For more information, contact the United Nations Programme on Youth at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or visit http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/global.htm.

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NEWS FROM UN OFFICES

(Find out more about the work of United Nations system organizations on youth issues at: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/agenda.htm).
DSD (UN DESA): Youth representatives to CSD-18
The Division for Sustainable Development (DSD) will be funding the participation of 2 youth representatives to the Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD)-18, taking place in May 2010. The nominations will be submitted by the CSD Youth Caucus by 15 February 2010.

For more information please visit the CSD Youth Caucus at: www.youen.org/

Germany will also be funding 2 African Youth. Applications need to be submitted by 15 February 2010.

For more information and instructions on how to apply, please visit: www.un.org/esa/dsd/dsd_aofw_mg/mg_index.shtml

FAO: Youth events at COP15
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supported youth activities in Copenhagen, including a Youth Arcade, side events, press conferences and actions during the two weeks. FAO and UNICEF organized a children’s side event with FAO and UNICEF goodwill ambassadors Anggun and Angélique Kidjo and the Director General of FAO, Dr. Jacques Diouf.

At a side event with jointly organized with World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS)- UPS Foundation announced that they would support WAGGGS climate change educational activities with US$2 million. The activities include a range of programmes, including creating platforms for girls and young women to learn, engage and have a voice on environmental issues that affect their communities, countries and the world.

For more information please visit: www.fao.org/climatechange/youth/en/

ILO: The Youth Employment Project (ILO/Japan)
The Youth Employment Network was invited to present its activities and outputs at the Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) annual refresher course for Master Trainers in Sri Lanka.

The project, with its key partners and stakeholders, provided a resource input on how the project works on youth entrepreneurship. This is done through SIYB training, mentorship training and awareness creation on the importance of youth entrepreneurship.

The SIYB Master Trainers are key in delivering and quality assuring ILO’s global SIYB and KAB products. The SIYB trainers from the Youth Employment Project (ILO/Japan) were trained by SIYB Master Trainers. The project's SIYB trainers were trained in April 2009 (Tamil medium) and October 2009 (Sinhalese medium). A training programme for a new batch is planned for early 2010.

Read more and see photos of this activity on:
http://ap-youthnet.ilobkk.or.th/photo-gallery/ilo-ye-initiatives-in-sri-lanka/youth-employment-and-siyb-master-trainers-july-2009

Read more about the Youth Employment Project (ILO/Japan) on:
http://ap-youthnet.ilobkk.or.th/resources/project-activities/ilo-sri-lanka-youth-employment-project

Secretariat of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues: International Expert Group Meeting on Indigenous Children and Youth in Detention, Custody, Foster Care and Adoption

The expert group meeting on Indigenous Children and Youth in Detention, Custody, Foster Care and Adoption will take place in North Vancouver, BC, Canada from 4 to 5 March 2010.

The EGM will be sponsored by the First Nations Summit (FNS) and the Interim First Nations Child and Family Wellness Council of Vancouver, Canada and co-sponsored by the Native Women’s Association of Canada and the Secretariat of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

Please contact Ms. Talei Cama at SPFII for more information at: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

UNDESA: Workshop on youth and armed conflict
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) in cooperation with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UNHABITAT) organized a workshop in order to address the vulnerability and exposure of youth to armed conflict in Africa. Violence, and especially armed violence, is an increasing concern in many countries, especially those affected by crisis or conflicts. Youth is particularly vulnerable and exposed to violence with devastating consequences, in economic, social, psychological and other ways. Youth who are exposed to violence are at severe risk of becoming perpetrators of violence; they may be victims and perpetrators at the same time.

The workshop focused on addressing the above priority concerns and to promote action with young people to reduce youth involvement in armed violence in Africa.

The Workshop took place on 15-17 December 2009 at the UN Headquarters in Nairobi.

Participants came from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Tanzania as well as from local youth NGOs and movements.

The report of the workshop will be available shortly through: www.un.org/esa/socdev/

UNFCCC: youth events at COP15
Since September 2008, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat has liaised with youth organizations around the world in an effort to facilitate participation by young people in the UNFCCC process. A year later, the UNFCCC secretariat granted probationary constituency status to youth, now recognized as the YOUNGO constituency.

With the financial support of the Government of the Netherlands and input from YOUNGO, the secretariat has designed and planned a series of events to support and enhance the COP preparatory activities of youth, to increase youth participation from developing countries and to support and enhance youth contributions to COP 15

In this context, the secretariat hosted a series of youth events during COP 15 to facilitate dialogue between youth and other influential actors in the intergovernmental process - notably negotiators and UN senior officials.

UNFCCC: Youth booth- Growing Together in a Changing Climate
In the heart of the “Youth Arcade,” comprised of 15 youth-related booths, the secretariat hosted a UNFCCC Youth booth, where participating United Nations agencies and youth organizations presented their initiatives on climate change and youth. This was a place for all actors to display their success stories, identify synergies and develop new partnerships.

The booth also featured the COP 15 Intergenerational Commitment Book, where Parties, United Nations agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and the private sector were invited to express their views on and commitments to improving the youth participation in addressing climate change. Some 60 signatures have been collected in the Book. Commitments will be monitored and the results will be presented at COP 16 in Mexico.

For more information please contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

UNFPA: Special youth programme fellowship
UNFPA will recruit six young people to be Special Youth Fellows from 1 April to 31 December 2010

The Special Youth Programme fellowship consists of an initial 4.5 months fellowship at UNFPA Headquarters, New York, followed by a continued fellowship of another 4.5 months in the UNFPA Office in the country of the fellow.

This programme is designed to give young people from developing countries opportunities to engage in policy development and programming; to help build the capacity of young people; and to sensitize both young people and UNFPA staff on partnering to address adolescent and youth issues.

Applications opened on 10 January 2010. The deadline for applications is 25 January 2010. Only those candidates that are short listed will be contacted. Interviews will take place tentatively in mid-February.

For more information, please visit: www.unfpa.org/employment/vacancy.htm

UN-HABITAT's watsan projects partner with IOC in Laos
UN-HABITAT in Laos has ongoing water and sanitation programmes under the aegis of Water for Asian Cities (WAC) and Mekong Region Water and Sanitation Initiative (MEK-WATSAN). Both programmes support pro-poor urban water governance through community-based water and sanitation services. One important cross cutting activity, involving youth and children, is the Human Values Based Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Education (HVWSHE), which focuses on developing positive behavioral change towards these issues.

UN-HABITAT is working with youth and children of around 40 schools in Laos, and current activities will be bolstered by International Olympic Committee's (IOC) contribution of sporting equipment to the 40 participating schools. This partnership is timely as currently in light of the 25th South East Asian Games in Vientiane in Laos. The SEA Games is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia.
For more information please contact Mr. Buahom Sengkhamyong, Chief Technical Advisor, UN-HABITAT Lao PDR This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

UNDESA, UN-Habitat and UNODA: Workshop on youth and armed conflict
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) in cooperation with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UNHABITAT) organized a workshop in order to address the vulnerability and exposure of youth to armed conflict in Africa. Violence, and especially armed violence, is an increasing concern in many countries, especially those affected by crisis or conflicts. Youth is particularly vulnerable and exposed to violence with devastating consequences, in economic, social, psychological and other ways. Youth who are exposed to violence are at severe risk of becoming perpetrators of violence; they may be victims and perpetrators at the same time.

The workshop focused on addressing the above priority concerns and to promote action with young people to reduce youth involvement in armed violence in Africa.

The Workshop took place on 15-17 December 2009 at the UN Headquarters in Nairobi.

Participants came from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Tanzania as well as from local youth NGOs and movements.

The report of the workshop will be available shortly through:
www.un.org/esa/socdev/

UN-HABITAT: The Dallas Integrated Basic Urban Services (DIBUS)
Working in partnership with UN Habitat, the Municipal Council of Embu in Kenya and Umande Trust, this initiative seeks to encourage youth to coalesce for the purpose of improving basic urban services, environment and incomes. Since July 2008, 50 members from 6 youth groups have been able to access credit amounting to 600,000 Kenya shillings (USD 8,000). In addition, the partnership has supported the following capacity development initiatives: Establishing front office services with internet facilities; Building skills on solid waste management (with a focus on reduction, re-use and recycling) and training the youths on incremental housing improvement initiative using eco-friendly interlocking soils blocks.
Currently, youth are actively involved in planting and maintaining bamboos and other trees to reduce carbon emission, control effects of flooding from nearby two dams I and develop the rehabilitated dam into a recreation centre.

For more information please contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

UNICEF: Online discussion on Girls and Gender Equality
Through Voices of Youth (VOY), UNICEF's website for children and young people, UNICEF would like to welcome you to an online discussion on Girls and Gender Equality. The discussion is part of a series of United Nations online discussions dedicated to the fifteen-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (1995) and the outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly (2000), and will be a contribution to the 54th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) on March 1-12, 2010.

Voices of Youth would like to extend an open invitation to children and young people who would like to discuss the questions posted on the forum.

For more information, please visit: www.unicef.org/voy

WHO: Development of a comprehensive cervical cancer control programme in the United Republic of Tanzania
From 15-17 December 2009, staff from the WHO's Department of Child and Adolescent Health and Development (CAH) participated in a meeting organized by WHO and the Ministry of Health of Tanzania to develop a comprehensive national cervical cancer control programme, stimulated by the offer of a significant donation of Human Papilloma Virus vaccine and HPV tests. The participants included persons responsible for planning and providing various components of the proposed comprehensive cervical cancer control programme, including the Ministry of Health, service providers, NGOs and research institutions.

WHO: Eastern Mediterranean regional meeting on adolescent health
A meeting on adolescent health was organized in Beirut, Lebanon from 15-17 December 2009 by the Department of Child and Adolescent Health and Development (CAH) in the World Health Organization (WHO's) Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office. The objectives of the meeting were as follows:
1. To discuss the adolescent health situation in the region;
2. To share the regional framework on adolescent health with WHO Member States in the Region; and
3. To develop country plans on adolescent health.

The meeting brought together a team from WHO with ministry of health staff from 17 countries in the region, and representatives of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), and UNICEF.

WHO: Supporting Tajikistan in finalizing national standards for health services for young people, and developing implementation and monitoring tools
A meeting jointly organized by World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Ministry of Health Tajikistan brought together outreach workers, service providers and managers (government and NGOs) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan from 15-17 December 2009 to review recent efforts to improve health service delivery to young people (aged 10 -24 years).

The achievement of the meeting includes a consensus on and confirmation of the value of the standards developed in 2008 to improve health service delivery to young people. The standards represent components of quality to assure the 'youth friendliness' of health service provision to young people. Each standard was reviewed and agreed to and revisions to the language were made when needed.

WHO: Participated in co-facilitate orientation meeting for Lusophone countries, 15-21 November 2009, Maputo, Mozambique
WHO in collaboration with Pathfinder and The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) organized an orientation workshop on the ADH 4S strategy for ministry of health, WHO and UNFPA staff for Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe and Mozambique. The workshop was hosted by Mozambique, a country that has developed an outstanding multi-sectoral adolescent health programme called Geraçao Biz (Second Generation) which includes nationwide coverage with youth friendly services. This systematic scaling up effort was documented in CAH's "good practices in scaling up" series along with South Africa and Estonia. With this workshop, all the countries in the Africa region have received orientations on the ADH 4S strategies which already have resulted in increased programme activities and WHO support in many countries in the region.

WHO: WHO participated in UNFPA's Regional Workshop on Programming for Young People
The workshops which were held in Rwanda, 24-28 August 2009 and in Thailand, 9-12 November 2009 were organized to take stock of experiences in the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) work with adolescents and youth in ten countries in each region; to increase understanding on UNFPA’s institutional strategy in working with adolescents and youth on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and HIV/AIDS; and to build Country Office capacities to operationalize UNFPA’s Framework for Action (F4A) on Adolescents and Youth. Department of Child and Adolescent Health and Development (CAH)/HQ staff members participated in both workshop to share information on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) approach and experiences in scaling up health service provision to adolescents and to strengthen UNFPA - WHO collaboration at the country level. The workshop in Rwanda has already resulted in several joint follow up activities in the AFRO region.

World Bank: International Essay Competition 2010
The World Bank together with its partners invite you to participate in the international essay competition 2010 on the topic of youth unemployment. How does youth unemployment affect you? How can you tackle youth unemployment through youth-led solutions?

The deadline for submission is March 16 2010. Everyone between 18 - 25 years is welcome to participate.

For more information please visit: www.essaycompetition.org

World Bank: Youthink! website- Be part of a global conversation!
Calling global citizens who want to share their thoughts: Join our bloggers on Youthink! The Youthink! blog is by and for youth who are interested in development issues like poverty and education. Read the ideas and experiences of other young people around the world, and join in with your thoughts and comments. This is about what we think!

For more information, please visit:
http://youthinkblog.worldbank.org/so-you-wanna-be-youthink-blogger
or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

World Bank Institute: Youth and Climate Change Programme
WBI is implementing a pilot program to involve youth on climate change issues in various countries. The program targets youth groups and aims at empowering youth to become actively involved and be champions for actions on climate change. As part of the scale-up effort, various approaches supported by the program include: “ training of master trainers” , a web platform with e-learning material, resources and tools for capacity development, e-discussions and peer-to-peer learning, support to youth networks and knowledge sharing on climate change issues. The first phases of the program focus on Africa, ECA and MENA.

For more information please contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

World Bank Institute: Global Youth Network Against Corruption
This program aims to mobilize youth groups around anti-corruption with the help of innovative approaches through which to inspire and engage them in the long term to tackle corruption. This program will combine face to face and interactive dialogue formats including web-based and video conferencing tools to foster the creation and work of this youth anti-corruption network. It will be using music as well as an awareness raising and outreach tool. Two videoconferencing events already took place. The Face to Face event will take place in Brussels in the spring.

For more information please contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

World Bank Insitute: Youth leadership and Innovation GFYI (Grant Fund for Youth Investment) in MENA
This activity is led by the World Bank MENA region and the WB GFYI and fosters youth social entrepreneurship in the MENA region with a grant competition.
The competition has been launched, submissions will be accepted till January 31, and the winners will be presented at an event in Marseilles, France, in April 28 to 30, 2010.

For more information on the MENA competition please visit: http://go.worldbank.org/XPZF7V4C80 or contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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YOUTH IN ACTION
The Community of Young Entrepreneurs website is launched
The Community of Young Entrepreneurs is a new online forum established by Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) to exchanges ideas and best practices for stimulating entrepreneurship, equipping youth to be entrepreneurs, and improving the business environment. Discussions in the community focus on policy advocacy, services for entrepreneurs, access to information, and networking.

By participating in the community, you can:
- Acquire new insights
- Attract attention to your efforts to promote entrepreneurship
- Publicize your organization
- Build your international network.

For more information, please contact Kim Bettcher ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ), or visit: www.reformsnetwork.org/youth

Oxfam International Youth Partnerships
Oxfam International Youth Partnerships (OIYP) is an Oxfam International initiative, managed by Oxfam Australia since 2000. OIYP strengthens young people’s ability to effect change in their community, and provides a base from which they can influence broader changes through engagement in a global network of over 1100 OIYP Action Partners.

Through this 3-year Program, OIYP will provide opportunities and support for 300 new Action Partners so they may demonstrate leadership and expand the influence of youth for positive changes locally, nationally and globally.

Every 3 years OIYP goes through a rigorous process of recruiting and selecting a new group of 300 Action Partners. To be eligible to apply, applicants must be aged 18-25, able to speak English or Spanish conversationally and available to attend an 8 day Kaleidoscope event in November 2010, in New Delhi, India.

Applications are accepted until 12 February 2010.

For more information, please visit: www.oiyp.oxfam.org

“Young Innovations Europe” magazine is looking for writers/journalists now!
Young Innovations Europe (YIE) is a new, exciting and cool magazine showcasing the best initiatives, programs and innovations young people implement throughout Europe.

Be it Politics, Economy, the Arts or, YIE will shed light on the most compelling and original ideas, pretty much like a collection of best practices...with a youthful touch.

At the same time, YIE is also a great resource for an older readership, providing adults with the latest information and news on young people’s contribution to building a better Europe.

For more information and the online magazine, please visit: www.younginnovationseuropeorg

XVIII International AIDS Conference- application process open
The XVIII International AIDS Conference is taking place 18 to 23 July 2010 in Vienna/Austria. A youth programme will be created in regard to the conference that is organized by the Vienna YouthForce, a global platform for international, regional and local youth organizations that focus on HIV/AIDS.

The aim of the youth programme at the conference is to strengthen the participation of young people and the profile of youth issues at AIDS 2010. Almost half of all new HIV infections in the world are among people under 25 due to many factors, including lack of information, education, societal influences, and inability to access healthcare services

Get involved in the Youth Conference and help framing the programme and the activities by submitting your ideas! The application process is running until 10 February.

For further details on the Youth Programme please contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

For more information please visit: www.aids2010.org/Default.aspx?pageId=178.

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PUBLICATIONS

(For UN documents on youth, visit: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/library.htm).

Living in Limbo: Iraqi Young Men and Women in Jordan, WRC
(December 2009)
As part of a global, multi-year research and advocacy project focused on strengthening educational and job training programs for displaced, conflict-affected young people, the Women's Refugee Commission undertook a field mission to Jordan in October 2009 to look at the education and skills-building needs and opportunities of young Iraqi men and women. The report provides information and recommendations to assist the Government of Jordan, the international community and local agencies in designing and implementing programs and policies that can ease the burden of the Iraqi population on Jordan’s infrastructure and best prepare young Iraqis for life after displacement.

For more information and to read the report please visit: www.womensrefugeecommission.org/images/stories/Jordan_youth_FINAL_01_2010.pdf

Youth and Children Discussion Paper for CSD-18 (UN-DESA)
The Division for Sustainable Development has prepared a paper on Youth and Children for the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) on Transport, Chemicals, Waste Management, Mining, and the 10 Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns.

To read the paper please visit: http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/resources/res_pdfs/csd-18/e_cn18_2010_11_add2.pdf

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CALENDAR OF YOUTH EVENTS

(Please send us information on major international youth events that do not appear below)

24-29 of January 2010: The Hague International Model United Nations Youth Network (The Hague, Netherlands)
The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) Youth Network hosts annual Youth Assemblies in The Hague, the Netherlands. THIMUN is an international network of youth that come together to learn how to create successful projects to raise awareness about different global issues. The network will be hosting its next conference from January 24-29, 2010.

More information about the THIMUN Youth Network and its Assembly can be found here: wwwthimunyouthnetwork.org/index.php?p=t_conf_14

8-10 February 2010: “One Young World” summit (London, U.K.)
"One Young World" summit will bring 1,500 youth from 192 countries to London (8-10 February 2010). Each Plenary Session will be chaired and guided by “Counsellors” selected for their leadership of, and interest in, the area under debate. Councellors include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan and Bob Geldof, among others.

For more information and registration, please visit: www.oneyoungworld.com/about/flashindex.html

19-20 March 2010: UN-HABITAT: World Urban Youth Assembly (Rio de Janeiro)
The World Urban Youth Assembly 2010, a key element of the Fifth Session of the World Urban Forum, will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This year’s theme, "The Right to the City: Bridging the Urban Divide”, has special relevance for youth, who make up the largest proportion of marginalized city dwellers across the developing world.

UN-HABITAT is committed to youth engagement and to supporting youth to be agents of positive change is exemplified in this groundbreaking World Urban Youth Assembly (formerly known as the World Urban Youth Forum) which is a global platform for advancing collective knowledge around issues of urbanization from the youth perspective. UN-HABITAT anticipates vibrant engagement from youth leaders across the globe.

Youth-led organizations and agencies across the globe are encouraged to register their representatives in this conference.

For more information, please visit: http://testwww.unhabitat.org/content.asp?typeid=19&catid=584&cid=7311

23-25 of April 2010: Global Youth Service Day (GYSD)
The Global Youth Service Day is a time in the year to come together to focus the world’s attention on what young people are contributing every single day.
During Global Youth Service Day, millions of youth around the world organize community service projects to address the needs of their local communities through service, to be recognized for their contributions, and to be a part of a global youth service movement.

For more information please visit: http://gysd.org/

26-30 April 2010: “No East, No West”: International Conference (Malacca, Malaysia)
This international conference on “Intercultural Dialogue: Fostering Understanding and Building Bridges across Cultures among Young People of Asia and Europe” is organized by the World Youth Foundation in co-operation with World Youth Peace Summit, Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia, the State Government of Melaka and various other agencies.

During this 5-day event, young people, religious leaders, politicians and business communities will come together and exchange views and experiences based on their respective religion, spiritual and cultural traditions. This conference will also reflect on how religions can assist in facing critical issues that concern our societies, and will try to discover and create new pathways to peace through intercultural/inter-religious cooperation. Leadership training session will also be conducted during the Dialogue.

Fore more information and registration, please visit: www.wyf.org.my

13-19 June, 2010: The 5th Global Youth Employment Summit (YES) Dalarna, Sweden
The summit is organized by YES together with Tällberg Foundation and the Swedish Government as the official host. The Summit will bring together 2000 leaders and entrepreneurs from all over the world around the issues of “Youth, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability.” A key goal of the event will be to generate and capture project ideas that are capable of generating two million ‘green’ enterprises or employment opportunities worldwide by 2012. YES Country Networks and other partners will work to identify project ideas and successful models, and to seek investments and funding. In addition YES will work with country stakeholders to create the local capacity to fulfill the goals – through the YES Fund model.

For more information please visit: www.yesweb.org/sweden.html

18-31 of July 2010: UNESCO Center for Peace International Model United Nations (United States)
The UNESCO Center for Peace International Model United Nations is a traditional overnight student’s summer camp for national and international students from around the world who gather in the US for a two-week session to meet and interact with likeminded students from the other part of the globe. We seek and encourage participation of future leaders who will use their experience on the camp to promote peace and cultural integration when they return home. Successful completion of the camp entitle participants with the title of “Builders of the Universe” committed to Peace and well aware of global issues.
For more information please visit: www.unescocenterforpeace.net/static_page.php?id=20

19-24 July 2010: 17th World Council of YMCAs, Wu Kwai Sha YMCA Youth Village (Hong Kong)
Next year’s World Council will provide a unique opportunity to celebrate the YMCA Movement’s life and work in 124 countries. It will engage participants in dialogue and sharing on some of the most critical challenges within and outside the Movement.

Prior to the World Council Meeting, there will be a 3-day International Youth Forum. The Youth Forum aims to empower young men and women to advocate on global issues that impact their lives and their communities. It also provides training to prepare youth delegates for active participation at the World Council. New communications technology will be leveraged to enable young people across the world that could not come to Hong Kong to input into the discussions with youth delegates in Hong Kong.

For more information please visit.www.ymca.int/1314.0.html

28th July - 11th August 2010: The London International Youth Science Forum (London, England)
Founded in 1959, LIYSF aims to give a deeper insight into science and its applications for the benefit of all mankind and to develop a greater understanding between young people of all nations. LIYSF offers a unique opportunity to participate in an international event attracting science students from around the world. The modern world still presents new challenges and the scientific advancements continue to increase. How science moves forward in the future with the thinkers of today and the questions to be asked comes from those attending the LIYSF. The Science Forum in 2010 will bring together over 300 students of the sciences from almost 60 countries in the 5 continents.

For more information please visit: www.liysf.org.uk/

31 of July- 13 of August 2010: The 5th World Youth Congress (Istanbul, Turkey)
The 5th in the series of World Youth Congresses on Youth and Development will be held in Istanbul, Turkey in 2010. Turkey will welcome 1000 young people from around the world to meet during Istanbul's year as the European Capital of Culture. The participants will decide, train, perform, discover, volunteer, present and represent in the featured campus of Yıldız Technical University in Istanbul.

For more information please visit: www.turkiye2010.org/en.html

9-13 of August 2010: Global Model UN conference (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
The United Nations Department of Public Information (UNDPI) is organizing the second annual Global Model UN conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 9 – 13 August 2010 (including two days of pre-conference activities – date and time to be confirmed), for university-level students. The conference theme will be “Towards an Alliance of Civilizations – Bridging Cultures to achieve Peace and Development.” Call for Applications

UNDPI is now inviting Model UN programmes around the world to nominate and send their choice of delegates to be sent to the GMUN 2010 conference.

All the above must be submitted together by 15 March 2010.

For more information, please visit the website at www.un.org/gmun or send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

10-12 August 2010: African Youth and Governance Conference (Accra, Ghana)
The objectives of this conference include: mobilization of African youth and constructing a platform for networking.

Eligibility is for persons between the ages of 18-35, associated with any of the categories below who is seeking information on ways to contribute to the development of the youth in Africa. (Applicants older than 35 and participants from other continents are welcome to attend as observers.)

-Civil Society Organization/NGO (Note that you must be registered and operating in an African country).
- Individuals (should be a Youth Worker or demonstrate some level of commitment towards youth development in his/her respective country).

For more information, please visit: www.aygconference.org

12 of August 2010: International Day of Youth
The UN General Assembly on 17 December 1999 in its resolution 54/120, endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998) that 12 August be declared International Youth Day.

It is a great opportunity to rally support and get key actors involved - Governments, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, businesses, and young people - to focus on what has been done to further the World Programme of Action for Youth.

Email us your plans and ideas on how you will be commemorating International Youth Day in your country: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The topic for the 2010 International Day of Youth will be announced beginning of the year. For more information please visit www.un.org/youth

14-26 of August 2010: Youth Olympic Games (YOG), Singapore
The Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games will receive some 5,000 athletes and officials from the 205 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), along with an estimated 1200 media representatives, 20,000 local and international volunteers, and more than 500,000 spectators. Young athletes - aged between 14 and 18 years - will compete in 26 sports and take part in culture and education programmes. The Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games aim to inspire youth around the world to embrace, embody and express the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect.

For more information please visit: http://assets.olympic.org/YOG/en/index.html#/side01

23-28 of August 2010: World Youth Conference (Mexico City, Mexico)
The conference is an initiative of the Government of Mexico, in partnership with the United Nations system and civil society organizations. The conference will bring together government representatives and civil society organizations to identify priorities of action on youth to be addressed in the international development agenda beyond 2015. With five years to go before the deadline set by the international community to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, Mexico, in partnership with the United Nations system, invites all countries to participate in the World Youth Conference 2010.

For more information please visit: www.youth2010.org/

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Youth at the United Nations
UN Programme on Youth
Division for Social Policy and Development
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
United Nations
2 UN Plaza, DC2-1306
New York, NY 10017
USA