Youth and World Governance

Youth and World Governance Youth and World Governance By Anugraha John 1 Regional perspectives from Dara Parker, Lucinda Hartley Ben Knight, Dunfei Chen, Safira De la Sala Forum for a new World Governance & Global Citizens for Sustainable Development (India) Youth and World Governance Contents 1. Youth and World Governance Anugraha John .............................................................................................................................3 Background and context What is World Governance? .....................................................................................................5 What do young people (really) need the world governance to be? ...........................6 - Workable - Organized - Re-affirmative (of Rights and Responsibility) - Local to Global, Legal to Legitimacy - Democratic to Transforming (of our attitude and behaviour) Who are Youth? ............................................................................................................................8 Why Youth? ....................................................................................................................................9 - Increased level of awareness, participation, competence and leadership skills - Education, Information and Communication Society - Sustainability and Intergenerational Partnership Role of Youth in World Governance .....................................................................................11 (a) Role of youth in United Nations and its subsidiary organizations - Case Study 1: Youth Engaging Youth in Educational Opportunities - Case Study 2: Incubating Women and Youth Resource Center in A Conflict 2 Zone (b) Role of youth in national government and multilateral institutions (c) Role of youth in civil society movements - Youth and Charter of Human Responsibilities (CHR) - Youth-Led Development Programmes - Global Citizenship Conclusion and the Way Forward ........................................................................................14 2. Youth and World Governance Perspective from different regions i) Youth Governace Models in Canada The Case of the United Nations Association in Canada Dara Parker ...................................................................................................................................17 ii) Youth and Governance – An Australian Perspective Lucinda Hartley ............................................................................................................................19 iii) Youth and World Governance: A North American (USA) perspective Ben Knight .....................................................................................................................................21 iv) Youth and Governance: A Chinese perspective Dunfei Chen ..................................................................................................................................23 v) Youth and World Governance: A South American (Brazil) perspective Safira De la Sala ............................................................................................................................25 Youth and World Governance Youth and World Governance By Anugraha John Forum for a new World Governance January 2011 Background and context Network, Asian Youth Climate Network, 350. org, International Youth Advisory Board for “Yet I know that if all the money spent on UN-Habitat and others, ighting for one of war was spent on ending poverty and inding the key challenges of the 21st century, i.e. environmental answers, what a wonderful global warming (without undermining there place this would be. In school you teach us are several other key challenges that we face not to ight with others, to work things out, in this century and are presently working for to respect others, to clean up our mess, not to as well). But still we are disappointed with hurt other creatures, to share, not be greedy. most of the negotiations happening so far Then why do you go out and do the things at the world governance level as there is no you tell us not to do? You grownups say you major headway. love us, but I challenge you, please, to make your actions relect your words.” Children and youth today are frustrated with the ‘people in power’ who are unable In 1992, at the very young age of 12, Severn to come to a tangible consensus of capping Suzuki with the help of her friends raised our carbon emissions and implementing money to participate at the Rio Earth alternative solutions globally. UNFCCC’s Summit. It was at this summit she delivered Conference of Parties (CoP15) held in 3 an incredible (six minute) speech which not Copenhagen, Denmark in December 2009 only received a standing ovation but also was a total failure. Although there were some silenced the whole United Nations gathering. positive sings seen at COP16 meeting in Later after ten years of her activism, in her Cancum, Mexico but it is not enough. interview with the Time Magazine she admits that although she has seen some improvement We (the youth) demand that people in since 1992, there is nothing signiicant yet that power to change their diplomacy attitude has been accomplished. In fact, her conidence and ind appropriate way forward to post in the people in power was deeply shaken. Kyoto Protocol and reach a common It is a bitter understanding of their local, national truth; It should not come as a surprise to anyone and planetary responsibilities. Rio+20, something that that stories similar to that of Severn Suzuki i.e. the UN Conference on Sustainable happens in one are near almost true for many other young Development (UNCSD) will soon take part of the planet has dire men and women across the globe. The youth place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and we don’t consequences who are genuinely concerned about some want to be patronized by just listening to on all parts of of the key challenges of this century are ‘Our Voice’. We demand Commitments and the planet, and certainly disappointed with the present world Action. it is not just governance. humans that As children, we all grew up learning that suﬀer but all In the last three years, I have personally met, ‘as you sow, so shall you reap’. Here is a beings. interacted, networked, and lobbied with many most fantastic example of the direct result young leaders and activists across the globe of the Industrial Revolution that has led us under the banner of Indian Youth Climate to this situation with our carbon emission Network, South Asian Youth Environment level soaring high. The consequences of Youth and World Governance Fishing in Shilabati river Photo: Sudipto Das 4 that period are evident now and are no and signed a document calling for global cuts surprise, that it is us, the young people and in carbon emissions. our children to come-the next generation, Several such countries which are who will be deprived of clean air quality/ economically disenfranchised and struggling environment, a basic human right. Shouldn’t to progress after their colonial regimes will we expect more from the previous generation face more problems, due to climate change, and our present world governance system? although these countries are not directly It is a bitter truth; something that happens in responsible for this situation. The climate one part of the planet has dire consequences crisis is not just catastrophic, but also exposes on all parts of the planet, and it is not just the glaring inequalities in the world. And the humans that suffer but all beings. According irony is that these nations have contributed The climate to the IPCC, Bangladesh for example will be least to greenhouse gas emissions and (as a crisis is not just one of the poor countries that due to rise consequence of climate change) but however catastrophic, in sea-level temperatures, will go through it is these countries that will have to bear the but also an intense transition process of looding, brunt of climate change. exposes disastrous cyclones, destruction of agriculture Unsustainable growth and the relentless the glaring capacity, and various other habitat related pursuit of progress by the present and inequalities in issues, which will displace not just humans previous generations has created this the world. but also other beings. To raise awareness convergence of crisis – the crisis of climate of this grave issue, on 17th October 2009, change, the crisis of poverty and hunger President Mohamed Nasheed of the and the crisis of species loss and resource Maldives held a cabinet meeting with his consumption. Now if we look at the bigger ministers decked in scuba gear under water picture, climate change is only one such Youth and World Governance example of the many challenges that we We need to do something about these face today. But what about other challenges concerns and we need to do it now! and issues such as poverty, illiteracy, Youth today see themselves as the ‘Agents overwhelming power of the multinationals of Change’, and inspired by Gandhi’s word, over government (control inluence on “You must be the change you want to see in governance institutions), unequal distribution this world” they are taking action both locally of inancial resources (global inancial and globally. inequity), the present economic crisis, nuclear weapons, war, terrorism, fundamentalism, This paper is an attempt to look at the youth racism, increasing population growth, HIV/ perspective of world governance and their AIDS and others? active role in the same. Some of the UN and its agencies have World Governance

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