Rethinking Youth empowerment

Within the United Nations system, the Focal Point on Youth aims to build an awareness of the global situation of young people, as well as promote their rights and aspirations. The Focal Point also works towards greater participation of young people in decision-making as a means of achieving peace and development.

The Focal Point on Youth works to:

1. Enhance awareness of the global situation of youth and increase recognition of the rights and aspirations of youth;
2. Promote national youth policies, national youth coordinating mechanisms and national youth programmes of action as integral parts of social and economic development, in cooperation with both governmental and non-governmental organizations; and
3. Strengthen the participation of youth in decision-making processes at all levels in order to increase their impact on national development and international cooperation.

Many countries have established youth policies, using the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond as a guide. In this process, it is imperative to note that the WPAY mentions that governments and youth organizations should promote an “active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective in all policies and programmes”. In the process of formulating any youth policy, specifically a national plan, governments and other stakeholders may consider the following guidelines:
What you can do?
There are numerous means through which you can contribute to our work in serving youth around the world. You can, as an example establish a youth delegate programme, form or get involved with your local United Nations Youth Association (UNYA), formulate and evaluate national youth policies, register your NGO, and much more.

The links on the bottom right column provide you with possible ways to which you can participate and contain more detailed information.