Dear friends of the Youth forum,
In the last days I have participated in the Norwegian delegation to the General Conference, and followed the Education Commission. I can report that the awareness of the Youth Forum report is very good, and recommendations has been lifted up in several debates. This is very good. However, as has been noted in earlier emails, the possibilities of changing resolutions and decisions at the GC has been limited. Not only are we very few youth delegates that are present and allowed to take an active role, but also a lot of deadlines for submitting Draft Resolutions has been exceeded by far and most important discussions were largely finished in informal discussions without our presence. In lack of relevant agenda points, putting forward direct demands from the youth forum for adoption has been a task of creativity.
In the previous week the Nordic countries discussed the possibility of putting forward a DR up to Saturday. Finally a small amendment was taken up from the floor by Norway in the adoption of item 1.6 LINK in the PRX Commission.
It reads:
New part II
The General Conference,
Welcomes the final report from the 6th UNESCO Youth Forum
Invites the Director General and the Executive board, when preparing future sessions of the General Conference to include the results from the Youth Forum on the agenda of the General Conference
Although only concerning the agenda of the 36th GC. Having a independent agenda point of the Youth Forum will enhance the possibility of having a DR specifically on Youth. This is also done in the UN General Assembly. And if the Youth Forum also work on a DR that can be adopted by the GC in 2011 in addition to a report, the chances are better of having some real influence on decisions.
Education
In the education commission there was already room for discussions on our recommendations on education, however no easy way of putting forward proposals. The Youth Forum was early noted, as both Austria and Norway gave the floor to the youth delegates in the first debate on program and budget.
Social and Human Science
This commission begins its work on Friday. There has been discussions on how to address youth forum recommendations into the program and budget, however no new DR appear to be submitted on this item. Colombia has however already put forward a DR on changing a Main Line of Action, strengthening research on youth. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001838/183891e.pdf
Another relevant item is the DR (agenda item 5-7, document in 35C/ 44) on “report on the commemorative activities celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and on the ways in which those activities specifically advanced the objectives set forth in the plan of action for the commemoration”. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001837/183705e.pdf
According to the work plan of the SHS commission it will be debated on Monday morning. In the suggested decision, mainstreaming of human rights in UNESCO programs is proposed. The DR is a possibility to advance the youth should be prioritized in this plan. After efforts from the Austrian youth delegate, a DR has been submitted that put weight on youth in the secretariat work on this plan, with a suggestive explanatory note referring to the youth forum http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001850/185043e.pdf
Norway is considering to ask for a new provision in the DR after “22-4” giving priority to youth and student participation. The preliminary wordings of this is:
Recommend that in the plan of human rights mainstreaming, particular attention is given to promoting youth and student participation in decision making processes, and the protection of human rights defenders in the field of education.
If you agree to the proposals of Austria and Norway and want to help having these proposals adopted, I ask that those of you that have good contact with your delegations to urge them to have an open position towards including “youth human rights” in this DR. And that delegations that consent please address their support for this in the debate.
I hope that you find this update useful. I would also like to thank and praise the work of Justin and Sara for their great presentations of the Youth Forum during the GC.
Best regards,
Magnus Ofstad Malnes
Internasjonalt ansvarlig/Executive for international affairs
Norsk studentunion/National Union of Students in Norway
