. s e i

Philip Osano, Kenya. A project descriptive essay which speaks to Principle 12 on t i r o n i m honoring and supporting young people d n a s e l p o e p s

Shaping : Youth u o n e g i d n i f o

Campaigning for s t h g i r e h t o t

Using the in East Africa n o i t n e t t a l a 1 i

Philip Osano is a core “Shaping Our Common Future.” The The marginalization of young people in c e p

team member of the Earth project aimed to provide young people decision-making in the East African s h t i

Charter Youth Initiative with a platform to actively and substan- countries has been exacerbated by lack of w , g n (ECYI) and has been tively participate in the review of empowerment and the exclusive nature i e b

2 - l

active in campaigning for and to share a broad and of the socio-political institutions of l e w

the Earth Charter and long-term view of the levels of devel- political parties, non governmental l a u t i

sustainable development opment by identifying strategies for organizations, and religious and cultural r i p with young people since 2001. He holds a tackling sustainable development associations. The WSSD process, s d n a

bachelors degree in Environmental Science challenges in East Africa. therefore, provided a platform to , h t l

from Egerton University in Kenya, and a masters mainstream youth issues and a e h y

degree in from the The project involved youth organizations involvement at the core of planning, l i d o

University of Cape Town in South Africa. He was and umbrella groups working at local, education, and participation using the b , y t recently awarded first prize at a global Student provincial, and national levels within Earth Charter as a framework for i n g i

Conference on Conservation Science at different areas of environment, society, mobilizing and developing joint strategies d n a

Cambridge University in England. He served as culture, economy, and technology, and for the youth in Kenya, Uganda, and m u h

a member of the African Civil Society and the with different foci of education, Tanzania. Prior to undertaking activities f o e v

Government of Kenya Steering Committees for advocacy, lobbying, and policy. Through targeted at promoting participatory i t r o

the World Summit on Sustainable Development. meetings and discussion forums, young involvement of young people in policy p p u s

people shared perspectives and insights formulation and decision-making at the t n e

on past and present initiatives for Johannesburg Summit in South Africa, m n o r

sustainable development in the three there were open and extensive consulta- i v n e

East African countries; and, they tions with youth associations in Kenya, l a i

Honor and support the young peo- promoted new initiatives to provide the Uganda, and Tanzania to identify critical c o s d

ple of our communities, enabling public with information on some of the priorities for achieving sustainable n a l

them to fulfill their essential role in pressing challenges facing the planet development in East Africa. Some of the a r u t

creating sustainable societies. and humanity today. highlights included The Earth Charter: a n a

Earth Charter, Principle 12.c Unfinished Agenda; youth policy; o t , n

The project basis stemmed from past participation and rights; poverty and food o i t a n

n the wake of the preparations for the declarations and commitments to security; health (especially the HIV/AIDS i m i r

World Summit on Sustainable Devel- empower young people to participate pandemic); human settlements; forest c

I s i d

opment (WSSD) in August/September fully in shaping the development of loss; climate change; water management; t u o

2002, hundreds of young people in societies at the local and global levels; loss; and legal instruments h t i w ,

Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania were and, therefore, took into consideration (international conventions, protocols, l l a f

involved in a campaign for a more the following documents in its formu- and agreements) on sustainable devel- o t h g

sustainable world, using the Earth lation: Agenda 21 (specifically Chapter opment. i r e

Charter as a tool to lobby their 25) (1992); the United Nations World h t d l

respective governments and other Programme of Action for Youth to the In order to address the above issues, o h p interest groups. This dynamic group of Year 2000 and Beyond (1995); The and to develop lobbying strategies for U . 2 young people were brought together to Lisbon Declaration (1998); The Braga promoting the involvement of young 1 e l p i

express their hopes for a better future Youth Action Plan (1999); and The Earth people in the sustainable development c n i r under the Earth Charter inspired project Charter (2000). reviews, several activities were under- P

The Earth Charter in Action Part III: Social and Economic Justice 109 . s e i

t taken as part of the project. These Vice-President of Kenya, the late Hon. Clearly, the involvement of youth in i r o n included a high-profile East African Michael Kijana Wamalwa. environmental protection, economic, i m

d Youth Conference and Training Seminar and social development is very critical n a s in March 2002 that brought together The East African Youth Conference was for any society that aspires for a better e l p o over forty delegates from Kenya, held from 15-18 March 2002 in the Rift future. The “Our Common Future” e p s Uganda, and Tanzania; year-round Valley town of Naivasha, Kenya. The project is a concrete example of inspi- u o n discussions and actions on sustainable conference brought together over forty ration that was drawn from the Earth e g i d development by young people in youth leaders from Kenya, Uganda, and Charter, empowering young people to n i f o schools and other institutions; research Tanzania to chart the youth position on participate creActively (creatively and s t h g on youth involvement in sustainable sustainable development priorities in the actively) in the World Summit for i r e

h development in Kenya; a national, sub-region level and to draft a joint Sustainable Development by identifying t o t student essay contest on sustainable statement for WSSD. In the “Naivasha priorities for sustainable development in n o i t development in Kenya to raise the public Declaration,” the delegates endorsed the the region, and bringing these to the n e t t

a profile of the prepara- Earth Charter and further affirmed their attention of the policy makers. It is a l a i c tions; and radio programmes involving commitment to lobby their respective clear demonstration, that given the time, e p s interviews with young people as part of governments to endorse the Earth resources, and the opportunity, young h t i

w publicity and awareness campaigns Charter and to promote the Charter in people have the ability to take forward , g n i using the media. other international youth forums on the sustainable development agenda e b - l l sustainable development, especially the that has been elusive since the Rio e w l In Kenya, the “Our Common Future” UNEP Global Youth Forum 2002 in Summit in 1992. Indeed, it is my solid a u t 3 i

r Project coordinated a national, student Denmark . The conference also included hope that the Earth Charter will continue i p s essay contest involving schools and cultural and practical exhibitions from to inspire young people in the quest for d n a

, colleges that gave students a chance to youth organizations, a training session sustainable development, especially h t l a express their perspectives on what on advocacy and campaigning during the United Nations Decade on e h y l needs to be done to ensure sustainable conducted by the members of the Kenya Education for Sustainable Development i d o

b development is achieved in the country. NGO Earth Summit 2002 Forum, keynote 2005 – 2014, for this is the generation , y t i The main objectives of the essay contest speeches from government figures, and that absolutely cannot afford to fail. n

g • i d were to sensitise and create awareness youth discussion platforms for n a

m about the World Summit on Sustainable exchanging ideas and promoting u h f Development process amongst students networking. Notes o e v i and to act as an avenue through which t r

o 1 “Shaping Our Common Future” Project p young people can air their views on The outcomes from the “Our Common p was supported by the Kenya NGO Earth u s t matters relating to sustainable devel- Future” project were disseminated in Summit 2002 Forum, and endorsed by the n e United Nations Environment Programme

m opment in Kenya. Over 2500 entries major global events, including UNEP n o (UNEP). The author acknowledges the r i were received and judged by a panel of Global Youth Forum in March 2002 in v

n contribution from Robert Ouma, Faith e judges from Egerton University, Denmark; WSSD Prep COM IV in May l Mullumba and Muta Maathai (Kenya), a i c Kenyatta University, Nairobi University, 2002 in Indonesia; and the World o Humphrey Polepole (Tanzania) and Joseph s

d Mulindwa (Uganda)

n and the Kenya NGO Earth Summit 2002 Summit on Sustainable Development in a

l 2 Agenda 21 a Forum. Key themes that dominated the August/September 2002 in South Africa. r

u (http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/ag t a essay submissions, included, inter alia, One of the critical factors for the success n enda21/index.htm) a

o the use of education as a vehicle for of the project was the use of the strong 3 The UNEP Global Youth Forum, 25 – 30 t ,

n March 2002 in Denmark noted “Use the Earth

o achieving a more sustainable future; network structure already established by i t Charter as an education tool and lobby our a n i cross cultural and religious tolerance; the governments of Kenya, Uganda, and governments to adopt and endorse the m i r

c commitment to peace and non-violence; Tanzania, and the NGOs in East Africa, to document as a sustainable development s i d framework” (UNEP Global Youth Forum

t a need for a values framework to guide effectively reach out to a majority of u

o 2002_Youth Action Plans: Small Steps in A h present and future societies; and, youth organizations and educational t i Long Journey). See also UNEP Global Youth w ,

l promotion of human rights, with an institutions. The project established l Forum 2002 Report (http://www.natur-og- a f

o emphasis on inter-generational equity in strong ties and linkage to the Kenya ungdom.dk/pdf/gyf.pdf) and United Nations t h World Youth Programme of Action to the Year g

i the use of earth resources. These NGO Earth Summit 2002 Forum, a civil r 2000 and Beyond e

h themes prominently echo some of the society initiative on the preparations t (http://www.un.org/events/youth98/backinfo/y d l o key principles embodied in the Earth towards the Earth Summit 2002 and the wpa2000.htm). h p

U Charter. On 17 May 2002, essay winners Greenbelt Movement. There was also a . 2 1 were awarded prizes at a glittering close collaboration with the WSSD e l p i

c ceremony presided over by the deputy National Preparatory Committee of the n i r

P leader of the official opposition, later Kenyan government.

110 Part III: Social and Economic Justice The Earth Charter in Action