World Conference on Youth comes to Sri Lanka in 2014

The World Conference on Youth (WCY) is scheduled to take place from May 6 through May 10, 2014 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall in Colombo.

The crosscutting theme of WCY will be ‘Mainstreaming Youth in the Post 2015 Development Agenda’. WCY 2014 will facilitate a process that strengthens effective youth participation in the planning, implementation and evaluation of post -2015 development agenda - which refers to the process of defining the future global development framework that will succeed the Millennium Development Goals. The Conference will also create an inclusive platform for youth that enables them to review the progress of MDGs, share ideas, experiences and innovative approaches for effectively contributing to the post -MDG framework and its implementation.

WCY is organised by an International Youth Task Force comprising of 20 young global leaders from around the world along with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development of Sri Lanka and the National Youth Services Council of Sri Lanka.




" The Conference will bring together youth from every continent and region on the globe with a special focus on under-represented youth. It is expected that a total of 1500 youth will be selected representing different countries in addition to young people from groups identified as being conventionally unrepresented or under-represented being given a special place and opportunity to have their voices heard. "




The Conference will bring together youth from every continent and region on the globe with a special focus on under-represented youth. It is expected that a total of 1500 youth will be selected representing different countries in addition to young people from groups identified as being conventionally unrepresented or under-represented being given a special place and opportunity to have their voices heard. Two official youth delegates will be selected by the government of each country. Additionally, 350 young people belonging to under-represented groups will be selected by the International Youth Task Force. Furthermore, as many as 100 youth delegates who are Sri Lankan nationals will have the opportunity to participate at the Conference.

WCY 2014 will also bring representatives of member states including Ministers of Youth, UN officials, representatives of international and regional organisations, academics, corporate leaders and other relevant stakeholders to Colombo.

The over-arching themes to be deliberated at the WCY are Achieving Good Governance & Accountability; Inclusive Youth Participation at all levels; Youth Rights; Globalisation and Inclusive Youth Led-Development; Ending systemic inequalities; Gender Equality and Empowering Marginalised Youth including Most-at-Risk Young People.

Specific focus will be accorded to the following sub-themes: Realising Equal Access to Quality Education; Full Employment and Entrepreneurship; Poverty Eradication and Food Security; Promoting Healthy Lives and Access to Health; Environmental Protection, Emergency Preparedness and Youth-Centered Urbanisation; Realising Peace, Reconciliation and Ending Violence; and Ensuring Inclusive Recreation, Sports and Cultures.

The United Nations defines youth as individuals between the ages of 15 and 24. Currently 1.2 billion young people, account for approximately 18 per cent of the global population. Youth do not constitute a homogeneous group; their socio-economic, demographic, and geographical situations vary widely both within and between regions. Notwithstanding these differences, regional-level analysis provides a general understanding of their development profile. The vast majority of the world’s youth—some 87 per cent—live in developing countries and face challenges such as limited access to resources, education, training, employment, and broader economic development opportunities.

 The United Nations Millennium Declaration was adopted in 2000 by world leaders, committing their countries to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and setting out time-bound goals on meeting the needs of the world’s poorest. These goals, to be achieved by 2015, formed the basis for what are now known as the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which have been broken down into 21 quantified targets that are measured by 60 indicators.

Many youth remain marginalised from social and economic opportunities, with limited access to essential resources. Eighty-seven per cent of the youth population live in developing countries, and nearly 45 per cent of all youth globally live on less than 2 dollars a day. Youth are among the most vulnerable of all persons, the MDGs aim to reach. Whether it is poverty, hunger, lack of education, maternal mortality, unemployment, environmental degradation or HIV/AIDS, the impact on young people can be far greater than on their older counterparts. This is because many young people often lack access to information, schooling, social influence and basic rights, and are often overlooked in national development agendas. Therefore, young people’s participation and inclusion in efforts to achieve all of the goals are crucial to ensure a successful and sustainable future for the world and its inhabitants.

To this end, the WCY will facilitate a process that increases awareness on and implementation of the World Programme for Action on Youth (WPAY); To facilitate effective partnerships with youth, youth-led organisations and youth movements to further strengthen inclusive youth participation in the decision-making processes and implementation of the post-2015 development agenda; and to contribute to the establishment of a permanent youth engagement mechanism that ensures consistent follow-up with young people and further boosts their participation and partnership in the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda at national, regional and global levels.

WCY has a unique aim of producing a joint outcome document between states and youth, called “Colombo Action Plan”.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development of Sri Lanka and the National Youth Services Council of Sri Lanka believe that WCY is not intended to be a one-off event but rather one that aims to make an impact in partnership with youth.

Accordingly, it has recognised the need to invest in a youth-centered preparatory process leading to the WCY and most importantly, a commitment to a follow-up phase in partnership with young people in the implementation of the post -MDG development agenda. To this end, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development of Sri Lanka and the National Youth Services Council of Sri Lanka have undertaken a three-phased strategy.

First, a Youth Centered Preparatory Processes commenced in 2012 and was completed in 2013. During this phase, the following were achieved: The UN Secretary General’s envoy on Youth, Ahamed Alhindawi, had made the World Youth Conference part of his action plan to specifically engage UN member states on the Conference; Sri Lanka co-hosted and facilitated as the prime partner ‘YOUTH 21’ with UNDP and UNHABITAT in line with 20th Commission of Sustainable Development, Rio+20; Sri Lanka gained visibility and multiple references amounting to 21 in total for success stories of Youth development in the Report of the Secretary General on the Implementation of World Program of Action on Youth.

Significantly, Sri Lanka has obtained several preamble references in social affairs resolutions at the UN in welcoming the conference and a mandate to UNHABITAT Executive Director to work with the Government of Sri Lanka for the preparation for the World Youth Congress in 2014.

Further, Sri Lanka hosted the Annual International Coordination Meeting of Youth Organizations which was the largest of its kind bringing together 30 Youth led organisations together in 2011 in line with High Level Meeting on Youth to specifically engaging and promote a youth-centered process of governance and development. Moreover, Sri Lanka is continuing to support the Youth 21 THE NAIROBI DECLARATION in supporting the establishment of a permanent consultative mechanism for Youth in UN system.

For its second phase, the WCY will be hosted in Sri Lanka in 2014 with a focus on the participation and involvement of youth in achieving the internationally agreed development goals, including the MDGs.

 The third phase of the strategy focuses on youth-centred follow-up processes beyond 2015. Past lessons clearly show that lack of investment in follow-up can derail the work, enthusiasm and energy to reach a subsequent and significant milestone. This aspect of the strategy will particularly work towards actively garnering commitment of all stakeholders in the follow-up phase so that youth can be supported to become effective partners in realisation of the development goals in the post- 2015 agenda.

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