African Youth Declaration on Post-2015 Agenda (1-2)

African Youth Declaration on Post-2015 Agenda (1-2)

 

We, the representatives of regional, sub regional and national youth organizations, participating in the African Youth Conference on Post-2015 Development Agenda at the UN Gigiri, from 18th-20th November 2012 organized by Organization of African Youth-Kenya in partnership with UNDP, UN-Habitat, PACJA, FEMNET, VSO Jitolee and Faces of Peace Kenya.

Assembled with an aim of accessing the progress made in achieving the MDGs, challenges faced and come-up with concrete actions towards acceleration of progress made and planning for the Post-2015 Agenda. And taking into account the submissions and input made through the online African Youth Survey on Post-2015 Development Agenda and social media.

We realize that Africa was not meaning fully represented and their issues not considered when the MDGS was adopted in 2000.

We note that the grass root issues were not taken into consideration in the current framework which remains a major challenge.

We acknowledge also the lack of political will from our Governments, economic dependency as well as external interventions which continue to pose a challenge to the MDGS and possibly the post 2015 agenda

We affirm that significant development issues like human rights, peace and security, good governance, tackling of corruption was not adequately addressed in the current frame work.

But we recognize that the continent has made significant progress towards the achievements of the MDGs with specific areas in gender equality and women’s empowerment, education, tackling child mortality and improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS and promoting global partnerships

We note that Africa is a continent, rich in natural wealth that when used properly is capable of growth and development and lifting citizens from the shackles of poverty.

We want to reaffirm the importance of Africa’s youthful population and as such note that, if the youth are regarded as partners and are included in decision making processes we can accelerate the MDGs as well as the post-2015 development agenda.

We also note that access to information is important in accelerating the MDGS and the post 2015 development agenda

Again we acknowledge that youth right issues should and must be considered in the post 2015 framework that considers economic, political and social justice for all

We recognize that African government with African youth consultants should be the key actors and forerunners in determining the future of their own countries in line with economic growth and development.

We acknowledge that we as young people has failed to take on responsible roles and have allowed ourselves to be used as agents of destruction

We, the young people of Africa affirm our commitment to accelerating the MDGs and the Post-2015 Development Agenda

Actions for Accelerating Progress in Achieving the MDGs.

 

We realize that there have been a lot of challenges facing the current framework and we recognize the need to accelerate the current framework. So, we call on our Governments, international stakeholders, youth networks and NGOs, private sector to accelerate the progress toward the achievement of MDGs by:

1. More commitment to achieve the goals by the government and to honor its pledges.

2. The government should strengthen institutions to fight against corruption and empowering the youth by mobilizing and sensitizing them about corruption through events like anti-corruption debates, essay competitions and concerts.

3. Plan and implement sustainable and impactful poverty eradication program that will reach the high segment of the youth. This can be done funding or generating a high impact entrepreneurship program that could reach tens of millions of the people.

4. Provide enough resources to children, youth and women related ministries. Young people should be empowered with loans to start small scale business as well as providing high positions of offices in the government.

5. Make MDGS known to the local youth and mobilize them to actively participate.

6. Increase equitable access to environmentally friendly and sustainable water and sanitation services to young people and promote hygiene behavior change at scale

7. Establish information management systems and strengthen monitoring, date collection, communication and sector engagement

8. Transformative youth leadership and new policy governance.

9. Include local in a bottom up approach in policy formulation with regard to gender, youths and minority groups inclusion to exhaust ideas that are essential in eradicating poverty and for development plans.

 

10.The United Nations and development partners to support projects that are geared towards mitigating the impacts of climate change and encouraging sustainable consumption.

11.Empowerment the youth so that they can speak with a collective voice and demand their rights and hold the government accountable for the provision of these rights.

12.The youths must have a critical role to play in the realization of country’s vision as majority of them have embraced ICT and sustainability issues and success stories of can be shared through social media both print and electronic.

13.The Civil Society Organizations must engage communities to understand the causes of poverty and help them understand the problem. After which they come up with suggestions on how to address the challenges.

 

Our Recommendations for the Post-2015 Agenda:

1. Health: Improved health service delivery and sexual reproductive health

 

• Health service delivery

 

Government should enact and implement policies that cover health issues which includes free/affordable and quality health care for youth especially young women and the tackling of common diseases including communicable and non communicable diseases

Government and stakeholders should increase access to information on health issues for young people especially reproductive health information like contraception and abortion for young women in both urban and rural

Hospital insurance fund should be extended and affordable to young people for easier access to quality health delivery. 5 | P a g e

 

• Drug and substance abuse

 

Government and relevant stakeholders in consultations with youths should implement existing laws criminalizing drugs and substance abuse by ensuring zero tolerance. Also increase access to information surrounding the effects of drugs and substance abuse and build accessible rehabilitation centers for victims.

• Legislation and ratification of policies and laws

 

Governments must ratify, enact/or implement Global Health Declarations like the Alma Ata Declaration 1978; the People’s Health charter; African Union Protocol on the Rights of Women, Maputo plan of Action that calls for urgent action by all governments, all health and development workers, and the world community to protect and promote the health of all people and also policies that promotes budgetary allocations for citizens especially the youth.

• Program development

 

Governments should develop programmes that cater for and take into consideration the mental, physical and social needs of young people.

Government and stakeholders to put in place measures to ensure young mothers access necessary knowledge and skills for their continued development

Governments should set up HIV/AIDs youth centers to carter and address issues on HIV/Aids among the youth by providing free HIV testing and treatment, counseling services among others

• Advocacy

 

The youth and Civil Society organizations must encourage and support advocacy campaigns on healthy living for youth.

• Maternal health

 

Government and stakeholders should design interventions targeting the prevention of unplanned motherhood among young people. 6 | P a g e

 

• Sanitation

 

Government and stakeholders should enact/implement policies to support community’s access clean and safe water; sustainable hygiene and sanitation.

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