concept of the side event

World Conference on Youth in 2014: Youth in Post 2015 Development Agenda

http://www.worldyouthconference2014.org/

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Concept Note

ENABLING YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN BRIDGING RIO+20 OUTCOMES

WITH BEYOND 2015 DEVELOP AGENDA Organizers:

By: National Youth Services Council of Sri Lanka with the support and coordination of

Ministry of Environment of Sri Lanka together with Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills

Development of Sri Lanka.

Date 14th

June 2012 between 13:30 - 15:00 Hrs

Venue (tentative): P3-3 (Capacity 500) (Rio-Centro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

A. GLOBAL YOUTH BACKGROUND1

Among the 1.6 billion persons aged 12-242 in 2012, 0.85 billion are aged 18-24. The overall number of

adolescents and youths is expected to change little over the coming decade and, provided that fertility and

mortality levels in developing countries continue to decline, may remain relatively stable over the rest of the

century.

While the population aged 12-24 is still rapidly increasing in Africa, it is declining or will soon decline in all

other regions. Consequently, the proportion of the world’s adolescents and youth living in Africa is expected

to increase from 18 per cent in 2012 to 28 per cent by 2040, while the shares of all other regions will

decline. The region comprising Asia and the Pacific is expected to experience the sharpest decline, from 61

per cent in 2012 to 52 per cent by 2040. Globally, the number of adolescents and young people is at an all-

time high, but that number might not increase much more in coming decades if global fertility rates

1 http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/documents/wyr10/Brief%20demographic.pdf

2 Report of the Secretary-General Adolescents and Youth, Commission on Population and Development Forty-fifth session, 23-27

April 2012 - http://www.un.org/esa/population/cpd/cpd2012/cpd45.htm

"Youth should be given a chance to take an active part in the decision-making of local,

national and global levels."

United �ations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon



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continue to decline. In 2012, the world had 1.6 billion persons aged 12-24, of which 721 million were

adolescents aged 12-17 and 850 million were youth aged 18-24 (see table 1).

Injuries are a major cause of death among young people, especially young men. Globally, injuries cause 51

per cent of male deaths and 28 per cent of female deaths of those aged 10-24. Injuries cause the most

deaths among males aged 10-24 in developed countries (73 per cent), Latin America and the Caribbean (72

per cent), and Asia (excluding South Asia) and the Pacific (62 per cent). In developed countries, they are also

the major cause of death for females aged 10-24 (55 per cent). In South Asia, injuries cause a higher

percentage of deaths among young males than communicable diseases (45 against 29 per cent), and they

are the second most important cause of death in women, accounting for 33 per cent of deaths of those

aged 10-24. Even in Africa, injuries cause 36 per cent of deaths of males aged 10-24.

B. RATIONAL FOR THE SIDE EVENT

The Side Event at Rio+20 will emphasize the need to strengthen Youth Engagement, mobilization and

empowerment for linking the outcome from UNCSD/Rio+20 to beyond 2015 process from young women

and young men perspective. The side event will do it’s best to provide a platform to discuss the need for

meaningful youth participation in the follow up to Rio+20 and bridging the beyond 2015 process. This will

be a good an opportunity to showcase the enthusiasm and courage of the Sri Lankan youth in this high-level

UN event to bridge the gap between the Global North and the Global South youth. This side event as a

platform to network as much as youth leaders around the world who are participating in Rio in June and to

carry out a mass youth campaign and mobilization for an ambitious deal in Rio+20. The side event will

composed of a plenary session of experts, motivators and youth, they would speak on above themes and

implementations of agendas.

The world is looking at bold and concrete decisions that will enable policies, funding and political will for

sustainable development and links to post-2015 from youth perspective. None of this, however, will be

possible without the crucial contribution of youth-led civil society.

C. OBJECTIVES:

• To discuss a process that strengthens effective youth participation in bridging the

outcomes of rio+20 with post -2015 development agenda from youth perspective.

• To seek support from member states, youth and youth organizations, civil society

organizations, media and the UN system for strengthening youth participation in the

process of bridging the outcomes of rio+20 with post -2015 development agenda



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D. PROPOSE AGENDA

Moderation

Mr. Ravi Karkara, Global Expert Advisor Children and Youth

13.30 – 13.40 Address by

H.E. Dullas Daham Kumara Alahapperuma, Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills

Development of Sri Lanka

13.40 - 13.45 Address by

Mr. Rajiv Joshi, Director of Programs, Global Call to Action Against Poverty,

Chair - Beyond 2015 UN Working Group,

13.45– 15.55 Address by

Youth from the Major Group on Youth

15.55 – 14.00 Address by

H.E. Severine Macedo, National Secretary for Youth Affairs of Brazil

14.00 -14.05 Address by

Nominated Delegate of the Government of Norway

14.05 – 14.10 Address by

Ms. Bernadette Fischler, Beyond 2015 Campaign

14.10 – 14.15 Address by

H.E. Miguel Angel Carreon Sanchez, Director of the National Institute of Youth

of Mexico

14.15 – 14.20 Address by

Mrs. Nicola Shepherd, UN-DESA, Youth Focal Point

14.20 – 14.25 Address by

Corinne Woods, UNDP, Millennium Development Campaign

14.25 – 14.30 Invitation by Sri Lankan Youth to the World Conference on Youth in Sri Lanka,

2014

14.30-14.55 Development Stake Holder Discussion

14.55 – 15.00 Closing Remarks

Lalith Piyum Perera, Director General and Chairmen of the National Youth

Services Council (launch of the WYC mobile platform/ APP)



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Date: 14th June 2012 between 13:30 - 15:00 Hrs

Venue: (tentative): P3-3 (Capacity 500) (Rio Centro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

For More Information Contact:

Mr. Sanka Chandima Abayawardena: [email protected]

Advisor-International Relations, National Youth Services Council

Ministry Of Youth Affairs and Skills Development of Sri Lanka

TP: +94716119347/112850990 | FAX: +94112850991

www.srilankayouth.lk | www.worldyouthconference2014.org

Special Note: Invited Panelists are expected to submit their peaches and materials which they

wanted to circulate in the side event in the official folder.

• ANNEX:



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PROPOSED YOUTH CENTERED PROCESS at WORLD CONFERENCE ON YOUTH -2014, SRI LANKA

STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF YOUTH IN DEVELOPMENT

Strengthening youth in decision making processes in the development and implementation of

the post- 2015 development agenda. (See http://worldyouthconference2014.org/ for concept

note).The Sri Lankan Government will take measures to ensure that the forthcoming World

Conference is not just a one- off event on youth. We firmly believe that, in order, to make an

impact in partnership with youth we need to invest in a youth centered preparatory process

leading to the Conference and most importantly, a commitment to a follow -up phase in

partnership with young people in the implementation of the post -MDG development agenda.

The following is a brief description of the proposed three phases:

1. Youth Centered Preparatory Processes (2012-2013)

It is envisaged that this process will support youth led processes in the post -MDG agenda that

enable their effective participation in contributing to key sessions that will shape the post -2015

development agenda. It will be vital to work closely with Governments, UN agencies, Youth

organizations, and other stakeholders that are supporting young women and young men to

effectively engage in discussions related to the above. The preparatory process will cover

various regions and work with ongoing regional processes that are shaping the post- MDG

agenda. We urge Governments and key actors to join us in the preparatory process.

The main goal here is to support young people to be able partners in the development of the

Post -MDG agenda so that when they participate in the Conference in 2014 they are able to

share the role they played and the success of their contributions.

2. World Youth Conference 2014 (2014)

The conference itself will allow for joint reflection, consolidation of experiences from the

preparatory processes and also act as a spring -board for strengthening the partnership with

youth in the implementation of the post -MDG agenda

3. Youth Centered Follow -Up Process (Beyond 2015 – 2020)

Past lessons clearly show that lack of investment in follow -up can derail the work, enthusiasm

and energy to reach the next significant milepost. We strongly feel the need for the

commitment of all stakeholders in the follow-up phase so that youth can be supported to

become effective partners in realization of the development goals in the post- 2015 agenda.

concept of the side event

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