The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme participated in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum by facilitating two thematic breakout sessions on Sustainable Development Goals 11 and 17, and by sharing some emerging findings of the forthcoming State of the World's Volunteerism Report 2018.
The Forum
The ECOSOC Youth Forum (30-31 January 2018) will provide a platform for youth to engage in a dialogue with Member States, discuss policy frameworks and promote innovative, institutionalised approaches and initiatives for advancing the youth development agenda at national, regional and global levels with a view to promoting solutions to the global challenge of strengthening resilience and sustainable development.
The Forum will bring youth leaders from around the world to the United Nations Headquarters in New York. It will give them the opportunity to engage with government representatives, youth delegates, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders in civil society and the private sector.
UNV's participation
When: 30 January 2018, 2:30-4:20PM.
Where: United Nations Headquarters in New York .
What:
- SDG 11 Breakout Session
UNV presented and co-facilitated a discussion table on urban youth empowerment in the breakout session “Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. This session was led by UN-Habitat and co-organized by the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (UN MGCY) with the support of UNV, UNESCO, UN Women, the International Coordination Meeting of Youth Organisations (IMCYO) and the Global Esperanto Youth Organization (TEJO).
The session provided a platform for young leaders and youth entities to identify innovative solutions and policy objectives and discuss strategies to support the role of youth in the implementation and monitoring of the Sustainable Development Goal 11 on making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. During the session, the youth were encouraged to produce a set of recommendations and action points to improve urban strategies, policies, and practices that promote sustainable livelihoods for young women and men in urban settlements around the world.
- SDG 17 Breakout Session
UNV co-facilitated a discussion table on youth resilience in conflict situation in the breakout session, "IDEATHON: How to use science, technology, and innovation to facilitate youth engagement, development and resilience". This session is led by International Labor Organization and co-organized by UNV, UN Women, International Telecommunications Union and the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (UN MGCY).
The IDEATHON looked at the potential of science, technology, and innovation to promote youth engagement, youth development and resilience. It will also provide ideas, recommendations and solutions for Member States, civil society and the UN system on how to advance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda through leveraging the potential of science, technology and innovation