Fostering an enabling policy environment for youth development:
UNESCO’s response
Section for Youth, Sport and Physical Education
Division for Social Science Research and Policy
Sector for Social and Human Sciences
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Fostering an enabling policy environment for youth development: the
Strategy on Youth of the UNESCO Social and Human Sciences’ Sector (SHS)
have distinctive needs, concerns and expectations are an indispensable resource for development are partners, not a target group
Create an enabling policy environment in which youth could strive: an environment that fully protects their rights, that is conducive to their development, that adequately prepares them for responsible citizenship and enables their meaningful and effective participation in decision-making

3
4
1
2
5

Global objectives
Strengthen knowledge building and management and promote research on youth issues
Foster the development of policies and frameworks to address youth issues with the full participation of youth
Promote youth participation in decision-making, youth civic engagement and social inclusion
Regional priorities

Structuring our action until 2013: the development of the UNESCO SHS Strategy on Youth
3 Global Objectives
A participatory process with feedback from and cooperation with:
YOUTH
UN System & Bretton
Woods institutions
Governments, local authorities, municipalities
International & regional
IGOs & NGOs
_
Academic institutions, research networks
UNESCO Chairs, clubs, centres
Regional priorities
Private sector, media etc

Global objective 1
Strengthen knowledge building and management and promote research on youth issues
Global objective 2
Foster the development of policies and frameworks to address youth issues
Global objective 3
Promote youth participation in decisionmaking, youth civic engagement and social inclusion
-
Knowledge-building and management
-
Cooperation on policy-oriented research in the field of youth
-
National Youth Policy Development
-
Multi-stakeholders’ Policy dialogue
-
Youth participation mechanisms and networks
(UNESCO Youth Forum, consolidation of networks)
-
Youth civic engagement and social inclusion

UNESCO
SHS
Global
Strategy on Youth
(2009-
2013)
Multi-stakeholders’
Regional consultations
Feedback from youth
(UNESCO
Youth Forum 2009,
3 rd UNESCO Asian
Youth Forum, regional consultations)

Addressing UNESCO’s priority for Africa: the finalization of the UNESCO SHS Strategy on African
Youth
Global objectives
(same as Global
Strategy)
Regional Objectives Indicative action
Knowledge building & management
-Ensure the compilation & management of information & knowledge on African youth
-Encourage policy-oriented research on issues affecting African Youth
Policy development
& policy dialogue
Youth participation, civic engagement
& social inclusion
-Assist Member-States in the development of National Policies to address youth issues with the participation of youth
-Promote the ratification & implementation of the African Youth Charter
-Promote an inclusive & democratic representation of youth concerns at continental & national level
-Support youth-led action to promote civic engagement & social inclusion
-2 Reports on the state of African Youth ( African Youth
Charter; MDGs)
-African youth E-observatory & online portal on the
African Youth Charter
-Policy papers & briefs
- Twining of research centers & promotion of academic research & cooperation in the field of youth
-Policy development & review in line with the provisions of the African Youth Charter
- “Policy-dialogue workshops”
-Advocacy initiatives for the ratification & the implementation of the African Youth Charter
-Revitalization of the Panafrican Youth Union
- Establishment or review of democratic, representative & inclusive National Youth Councils
-Fund for young social entrepreneurs
-Establishment of youth information centers managed by youth organizations
A participatory process involving the African Group at UNESCO, youth, policy-makers, academia, the UN
System, the African Union & key regional partners, IGOs and NGOs, private sector active on youth in the region!

YOUTH:
National Youth Councils, international, regional and sub-regional youth networks and organisations, community-based and national youth organisations and NGOs
UN System&Bretton
Woods institutions
Member – States governments, local authorities, municipalities & cities
Academic institutions, universities, research networks and groups
UNESCO networks (Chairs, clubs, centres)
Key international and regional IGOs and NGOs
Private sector, media etc

What are your ideas for youth organizations, local communities, researchers and policy makers to work together to effectively address youth issues at policy and programming level?
What is the impact of the global crisis on youth? Is it a one-time phenomenon or does it builds on ongoing challenges?
Do you consider that policy makers, UN agencies and NGOs have sufficient knowledge available on youth issues? If not, what are the gaps in knowledge and research, what needs to be done to bridge them?
In your opinion, what is the role of youth organisations in enabling youth participation, civic engagement and social inclusion? Which are the opportunities and challenges related to this?

WHERE…
WHAT ….
HOW….
…should we focus? Which are the key areas of interest to youth in your region that should be considered in the above framework of action? (research scope, policy issues etc).
…examples of concrete action at regional level that you would have to share with and suggest to us?
… can we better work together?
Who are the key partners in the region and which are the best ways to promote a sustainable cooperation among them?

ucj@unesco.org http://www.unesco.org/youth