Call for Applications: GLOBAL YOUTH FORUM 4th - 6th OF DECEMBER 2012, Bali, Indonesia - Short Deadline. Apply NOW!

Deadline

14 Sep 2012

Country

Youth Rights at the Heart of DevelopmentForty-three percent of the world’s population is currently under 25. The number of young people is rising fastest in those parts of the world with the lowest economic growth. What does that mean for education, families, jobs, health and sustainability? How can civil society and international agencies work together to build a movement that will put youth interests at the heart of political debate and deliver sustainable results nationally and globally?The ICPD Beyond 2014 Global Youth Forum aims to address these questions and represents the peak of efforts by UN agencies, young people and civil society to translate the participatory aspirations of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) into a sustainable youth advocacy network. Specifically, it seeks to tackle emerging issues and priorities for young people globally and ensure that these issues are central to the outcomes of the ICPD review process.The Global Youth Forum is being delivered in full partnership with youth advocates and will bring together all stakeholders to make recommendations that will influence the global development agenda for the next 20 years. We intend to bring a diverse group of young people to the Global Youth Forum and especially encourage young people under the age of 24 to apply.Applications to attend the Global Youth Forum in Bali are now openThe ICPD Beyond 2014 Global Youth Forum will take place at the Bali Nusa Dual Convention Center, Bali, Indonesia from 4-6th December.

If you are between 18-30 years of age with a track record of successful advocacy in support issues addressed in the ICPD Programme of Action, the organisers want to hear from you. Closing date for applications is 15th September. Places at the Global Youth Forum are limited. Candidates will be selected based on criteria set out in the application. Due to the high volume of applications only successful candidates will be notified and the organisers cannot respond to e-mails requesting confirmation of receipt of application.Can't join us in Bali? You can be part of the Forum wherever you are.If you can't get to the Forum in Bali, you will still have the chance to fully participate as a Global Youth Forum virtual delegate. Applications for virtual delegates will open on 16th September. Virtual delegates can be younger - registrations are open to young people aged 14-30.You will be able to join the online conversation on Forum themes immediately and from 4-6th December you can follow and contribute to discussions online. Your online contributions will feed directly into the Forum and moderators will ensure the views of virtual delegates are represented in the plenary discussions and recommendations. As an official delegate, your name and the country you are from will be included in a Report to the Secretary General of the United Nations.Prefer talking to typing? Join an event closer to home.UNFPA country offices and a number of youth agencies will hold their own national and local events on Global Youth Forum topics. Contact your national UNFPA office to find out if an event has been planned in your country and keep looking our events page for details of national events.Criteria for applicantsAre you:- a leader, or emerging leader, currently working at national level in an area that contributes to ICPD Programme of Action?- working in a paid or voluntary capacity for a civil society organisation engaged in policy development at national and local levels?- working in a paid or voluntary capacity for organisations that have a demonstrable national and/or international reach and mandate;- able to demonstrate outstanding youth advocacy and networking capabilities with concrete examples of achievements in these areas in different contexts;- below the age of 30When considering candidates for the Global Youth Forum the organisers take into account the following key knowledge, skills, awareness and values:- a commitment to the values of the ICPD;- leadership experience;- innovation in the arena of policy development and application;- desire to contribute to and improve the leadership potential of the civil society sector;- willingness to learn;- eagerness to lead debate and discussions during the Global Youth Forum;- commitment to follow-up activities.All participants must have a valid passport with a minimum of 1 year until expiry. While applicants under the age of 30 will be considered, we particularly encourage young people between the ages of 18 and 24 to apply.For Application and more information, visit the official Website: ICPD beyond 2014 Global Youth Forum

Youth success stories

5 years of YPARD: a life-changing journey

"Being a YPARD representative gave me so many empowering opportunities, but also a chance to empower others" Testimonial by Ivana Radic Jean highlighting her experience and journey in working with youth in agriculture within the YPARD Serbia community since February 2013.

YPARDian bags home the 2017 SFIAR Master Thesis award!

In 2017, YPARD member, Sebastian Mengel, was the recipient of the Master Thesis award for his collaborative research with YPARD, HAFL and CGIAR CRP drylands program on agricultural livelihoods of rural youth in the drylands of Midelt, Morocco.

Good-bye from YPARD Nepal: Creating a space for young leaders

This testimonial by Dinesh Panday highlights his experience in working with youth in agriculture within the YPARD Nepal community since 2012. He is currently a doctoral graduate research assistant (2016-2019) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the former YPARD Nepal country representative.

A season of innovation

The climate-smart irrigation system was designed with the aim of addressing these challenges; by collecting rainwater, transferring it below the soil surface and using it during the time of low rainfall thus making water available and accessible for perennial plants all year round.

Climate resilient agriculture and producer-consumer justice through ICT

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 was created to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts to ensure climate resilient agriculture and ICT based business promotional interventions from producer to consumer level. Youth, therefore, can play a supporting role to increase awareness and promote the agenda of SDG for agricultural sustainability to make sure others are aware of it.

From nowhere to somewhere; YPARD made a way

Marc Ghislain tells about all the changing scenes in his life as a young professional in agriculture: the anxiety in choosing a profession in agriculture and how his engagement with YPARD helped him find his feet in the agricultural sector.

A non-traditional career path

I strongly support and believe in an inclusive and equitable quality education together with lifelong learning opportunities for all. It is very important that we start to facilitate more flexible career paths in science if we want to encourage diversity and creativity. Being a lifelong learner is a value of sustainable self-development. It opens the door to life-changing, rewarding, fulfilling and continuous growth.

Easier said than done: Gender equality and women empowerment

The role of young people in helping shift gender perceptions is paramount. We can no longer employ tradition and culture as excuses for allowing basic inequalities between genders to occur and to keep perpetuating themselves. We need to acknowledge and cherish culture, but also acknowledge that culture is not a static entity and that it can, and must, evolve towards a more equal society.

Believe in sustainability, food security, fight for the hungry: My Credo

In an era where population, technologies and modernization are fast growing, meeting up with the basic food needs of the population worldwide is one of the greatest challenges nations and international institutions are witnessing. Marc Ghislain shares his views on how the young people can be part of the solution and more importantly in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal number two.

La lutte contre la pauvreté : motivation, passion, profession et engagement!

Aimé Kazika describes his engagement with other young people to raise awareness so that they become more involved in the agricultural sector within the African and Congolese context.