UNEP and UNEP and YouYou(th) (th) in the Asia Pacific in the Asia Pacific RegionRegion

Mahesh PradhanUNEP Regional Office

for Asia and the Pacific

OverviewOverview

● Youth context● UNEP’s Youth Programmes●Global●Regional●Sub-regional

● Youth Engagement●CAYEN

UN Standard Definition for Youth/Children

Youth ● All United Nations statistics define youth:

Persons between the ages of 15 and 24 years

●Definition made during preparations for the International Youth Year, and endorsed by the General Assembly in the 1980’s.

● Two sub-groups face different problems and developmental threats to consider:

- Teenagers (13-19 years) - Young Adults (20-24 years)

● International Youth Day: August 12 Youth and Climate Change: Time for Action

Children● Children are those under the age of 14.

Youth/ChildrenYouth/Children

Youth: World’s Human CapitalYouth: World’s Human Capital

●Global youth currently represent 1.2Billion of the world’s human capital- Youth: 18% of global population, - Children: 19.8%

●Majority of in developing countries- Almost 85% of the world’s youth live in developing countries

- By 2025, the number of youth living in developing countries will grow to 89.5%

World’s Historically Largest Youth GenerationWorld’s Historically Largest Youth Generation

●Youth population at present shows a current “youth bulge”- Implies large cohort on the verge

of adulthood- Implies greater women of

reproductive age

●With large proportion of global population comprised of youth, there is greater urgency - To address youth problems and

issues- To mainstream youth issues in

development programming

China: 2000

China: 2025

Youth Generation

Youth BulgeYouth Bulge

●Youth global population set to slow- Decreasing population growth rates imply global ageing-Despite absolute growth of youth population forecast to beyond 1.2Billion

●Sooner global youth population slowdown felt in developed than developing world- Median ages for youth in developing world will continue to climb at a slower rate than those of developing countries

Over 60% of Global Youth Live in AsiaOver 60% of Global Youth Live in Asia

●Asia has more than half of world's youth: 738M (2007)- 1/5 of the Asian region’s working-age population-Make up between 1/3 to 1/2 of the population in SA and SEA

●Potential to mobilize youth as development change agents by sheer size of demographic

Asia Pacific Youth ProfileAsia Pacific Youth Profile

●Largest proportion of world’s poor youth are in Asia

● Five of the ten countries with the largest concentrations of young people living on less than US$ 1/day

● India (67.7 million), China (33.3 million), Bangladesh (9.9 million), Indonesia (3.1 million), Viet Nam (2.9 million).

●Diverse Youth Culture: Extremely networked; Individualistic, both appreciative and rebellious of social norms, Global culture/Asian values

●Growing Vulnerability: Personal security (finances, career, health, family); Community/regional security (disasters, politics)

●Varying Attitudes to Environment: Converted/Unconverted

Asia’s Youth BulgeAsia’s Youth Bulge

Asia’s Youth Bulge: Opportunity To Address Future Development Today

1) Build-up future human-capital stock through current investment in early years

2) Engage stakeholders of long-term development solutions in a life-cycle approach

3) Foster truly multi-stakeholder policy and decision-making for intergenerational equity

Asia’s Youth Bulge: Opportunity To Address Future Development Today

1) Build-up future human-capital stock through current investment in early years

2) Engage stakeholders of long-term development solutions in a life-cycle approach

3) Foster truly multi-stakeholder policy and decision-making for intergenerational equity

Youth as Critical Stakeholder of Development

Youth as Critical Stakeholder of Development

● Youth Stakeholder Engagement● In February 2003, UNEP’s Governing

Council adopted a long-term strategy to engage youth in the work of UNEP.

● Entitled: TUNZA Youth Strategy. ●Tunza means ‘to care for/nurture.’ ●Tunza is Kiswahili, a language spoken

throughout East Africa, including the country of UNEP’s headquarters.

● Next 6 year Global Tunza strategy is being developed to support UNEP’s focus areas.●climate change, eco-system management,

sustainable consumption and production, hazardous waste, disaster management

●Asian strategy in parallel

● Tunza Core Areas:● Investment and empowerment of young

people● Awareness building● Youth in decision-making process● Capacity building● Information exchange

● Global activities such as:● 12 Tunza Advisers (collaborate with UNEP’s

regional offices) ● TUNZA International Youth and Children’s

Conference● Internship programme● TUNZA magazine, and other publications,

toolkits, etc.

Mainstreaming Youth in UNEP’s Work

Mainstreaming Youth in UNEP’s Work

● Central Asia Youth Environment Network (CAYEN) ● Northeast Asia Youth Environment Network (NEAYEN) ● Pacific Youth Environment Network (PYEN) ● South Asia Youth Environment Network (SAYEN) ● Southeast Asia Youth Environment Network (SEAYEN)

YOUTH NETWORKS MOBILIZE YOUTH AS: INFORMATION CHANNELS, STAKEHOLDERS, CHANGE AGENTS.

Sub-regional ApproachSub-regional Approach

Sub-regional Approach Allows Multiplier Effect through Social/Political Participation

2002 2006200620052005

UNEP ROAP Youth Portfolio ContactsUNEP ROAP Youth Portfolio Contacts

SECRETARIAT:Centre for Environmental

Education (CEE), IndiaFOCAL POINT:

Mr. Gopal JainURL: www.sayen.org

South Asia Sub-region

SAYEN NETWORK

SECRETARIAT:UNEP National Committee

Of Korea, Rep. of KoreaFOCAL POINT:

Ms. Hyun Jin JeonURL: www.neayen.org

Northeast AsiaSub-region

NEAYEN NETWORK

SECRETARIAT:University of South

Pacific, FijiFOCAL POINT:

Prof. KoshyURL: www.pyen.org

Pacific AsiaSub-region

PYEN NETWORK

SECRETARIAT:National Youth Achieve-

ment Award Council (NYAAC), Singapore

FOCAL POINT:

Ms. Aileen YapURL: www.seayen.org

Southeast AsiaSub-region

SEAYEN NETWORK

SECRETARIAT:Biome Kyrgyzstan

FOCAL POINT:

Upcoming

Ms. Anna KikilenkoURL: TBD

Central AsiaSub-region

CAYEN NETWORK

Mahesh Pradhan Catherine CandanoSubrata Sinha Saule Yessimova

Jessie James Marcellones Wang Fengzu

TunzaYouth Advisers

M. Iyngararasan Aida Karazhanova

Eminent AdviserDr. R. Rajamani

Eminent AdviserDr. Park

Eminent AdviserMr. Ken Piddington

Eminent AdviserDr. Cielito Habito

Eminent AdviserTBC

UNEP ROAP Youth Portfolio ContactsUNEP ROAP Youth Portfolio Contacts

#Network Activities Indicative

dates/venue

1 CAYEN

CAYEN National Activities on Climate Change and Documentation of Youth Action Best Practice

CAYEN Website and Translation into English

CAYEN Annual Meeting 2008 and ISDC participationCAYEN resource/communication materials and paraphernaliaCAYEN participation in regional civil society consultationsYouth Central Asia Sub-regional Sustainable Development Strategy

22-23 NovemberBishkek, Kazakhstan

2SAYEN

(South Asia)-8 countries

SAYEN National Activities on Climate Change and Documentation of Youth Action Best Practice

SAYEN Annual Meeting 2008 SAYEN Pilot ProjectSAYEN participation in regional civil society consultationsSAYEN Male Declaration Information Materials DevelopmentYouth South Asia Sub-regional Sustainable Development Strategy

January Islamabad, Pakistan

3SEAYEN (Southeast

Asia)-10 countries

SEAYEN National Activities on Climate Change and Documentation of Youth Action Best PracticeSEAYEN Annual Meeting 2008 ASEAN+3 Youth Environment Forum (in partnership with the Royal Thai Government’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment SEAYEN translation local language, website resource/communication materials, print materialsSEAYEN participation in regional civil society consultations

21-23 JulyBangkok, Thailand

2008 Youth Activities2008 Youth Activities

#Network Activities Indicative

dates/venue

4NEAYEN (Northeast

Asia)-5 countries

NEAYEN National Climate Change Activities and Documentation of Youth Action Best Practice NEAYEN Annual Meeting in MongoliaNortheast Asia Youth Climate Change Publication Tunza Magazine Translation in MongolianNEAYEN Website UpdateNEAYEN participation in regional civil society consultationsParticipation in G8 Youth Summit and ASEAN +3 Meeting

1-4 SeptUlanbataar,

Mongolia

5 PYEN (Pacific)-21 countries

PYEN National Activities on Climate Change and Documentation of Youth Action Best Practice

JanuarySuva, Fiji

PYEN Website Update

PYEN Annual Meeting in Fiji, October 2008/SPREP ParticipationPYEN participation in regional civil society consultationsPacific Climate Change Youth Publication

6 World Environment Day Climate Change Regional Activities 5 June

2008 Youth Activities2008 Youth Activities

●Part UNEP’s Civil Society Engagement

●GRASSROOTS TIES: ● vast national youth networks

●SYSTEMATIC REACH: ● distribution network

●PARTICIPATORY PLATFORM:●engagement of a major stakeholder in environment

●ACTION BEYOND BORDERS:●collective youth-led action

Youth Portfolio Strengths Youth Portfolio Strengths

Face-to-face exchanges to learn from each other on Global, Regional, Sub-regional and National levels.

Provide a Youth Platform for Inter-generational Learning

Provide a Youth Platform for Inter-generational Learning

• The annual youth network meetings allow youth input into intergovernmental processes.

• UNEP’s Governing Council, SACEP, ISDC, SPREP, etc.

Enables youth participation in relevant decision-making

processes

Enables youth participation in relevant decision-making

processes

• Sub-regional networks give youth a voice on their sub-regions’ problems and solutions in environment.

• “Children of the Monsoon,” tells the state of environment from point of view of South Asian youth.

Creation of environmental resources for youth by youth

Creation of environmental resources for youth by youth

Allow collaborative youth action from different countries

Allow collaborative youth action from different countries

Mainstream youth in SD strategy formulation, parallel to gov’t process

Mainstream youth in SD strategy formulation, parallel to gov’t process

• SAYEN youth developed information materials on transboundary air pollution (Male Declaration)

• SUB-REGIONAL PROJECT– Collective Campaigns for World Environment Day 2007 in June 2007 in 4 countries; Beijing/China, Tokyo/Japan, Seoul/Korea, UlaanBataar/Mongolia – NEAYEN national youth to promote public awareness on climate change and shared the video clip on campaign. (

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvRq1F7hGwg)

• NATIONAL PROJECT: 1) China: developed environmental website, 2) Japan: holding 15 national workshops on NEAYEN, 3) Korea: developing national information website and holding monthly workshops with experts and youth, 4) Mongolia: releasing TUNZA magazine Mongolian issues and educational booklet .

• GOOD PRACTICES:– Regular online meetings are good to share national views and developing action plans.– Youth coordinating programme during annual meetings through preparation prior to the conference.– Take initiative to translate youth-friendly English materials into Korean, Japanese, Mongolian due to limited English language knowledge among

youth.

• IMPROVEMENT AREAS:– Developing tangible outcomes of NEAYEN actions to be shared with more people in the network such as hard copy booklet or developing online

portal website. – Developing diverse cooperation activities between 2 or 3 countries in NEAYEN– Improve participation of DPRK youth for future

NEAYEN’s Profile in 2007NEAYEN’s Profile in 2007

TUNZA

CEECentre for Environment Education

• SAYEN advocacy through media partners– Climate Change “Mosquito of Change” article supplement appeared in

partnership with the Times of India.

• SAYEN expertise helping other SD/Env’t NGO/IGO– A trainers’ module on Youth and ESD was developed for the Rajiv Gandhi

National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), (Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India)

– SAYEN representatives interacted with the World Bank

SAYEN’s Partnerships SAYEN’s Partnerships

• Independent sub-regional/national projects• SARI/Energy Project conducted by SAYEN Secretariat and Sri Lanka Environment Exploration

Society (SLEES) in Sri Lanka; youth documented a best practice in case study on water conservation for energy conservation.

• Two International Internships on Sustainable Development was undertaken focusing on Disaster Management. The second internship was supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

• Learnings from Tsunami Project, supported by Oxfam America, analyzed stakeholders response to tsunami through youth-led case documentation in India, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

• Prakriti Environment Education Bus is a joint initiative of SAYEN Secretariat, BG India and Gujarat Gas Company Limited (GGCL) as a mobile resource centre used by youth to create awareness.

Sub-regional Sustainable Development Strategy (SSDS) of

South Asia Youth

Sub-regional Sustainable Development Strategy (SSDS) of

South Asia Youth

• Inception Workshop, Jan06• Internship• Inputs from youth• Developing the First Draft• Youth Consultation, Nov 06• Editorial Workshop, May 07• Second Draft, March 08

SSDS ProcessSSDS Process

South Asia Youth

•8 Goals •20 Targets

Each GoalCurrent statusWhy particular Goal?What should be done?

Objectives: 3-6

Targets: 2-3

Act Now•Cases

Our VISION

Focus:Detoriation of values • Convenience• Traditional way

Need:• Regional level Entrepreneurships• Promoting local Products• Sustainable means of Transport

Focus:•Non-biodegradablewaste use•Use and Throw•NYMBY•E-Waste

Need:•Waste a Resource•“Polythene & e-waste”•Waste Segregation•Proper disposal

Focus:•Symbol of Devotion& Purity•Exploited, mistreated & Contaminated•Access•GW depleted•Rivers polluted

Need:• Advocacy for SC •Water distribution •Rain Water Harvesting•Stop Polluting Industries

Focus:• Overpopulation• Threat to Biodiversity• Species extinction• Deforestation• Indigenous knowledge

at risk• Wet lands

Need:• Protect natural habitat,

diversity• Documentation,

Registers, Protected Area Mgt.

• Renewable Energy• Entrepreneurship

Nature provides a free lunch, but only if we control our appetites

Focus:•Mutual understanding and trust •Peace & Harmony•Culture•Values

Need:•South Asia Peace Corps•South Asia Youth Concerts•Representation in Govt. and SA Youth Caucus

Focus:•Ineffective Education instruments•Low literacy•Lack skill education•Girl child enrolment

Need:•Green Curriculum•Value based•ICT•Vocational courses•Compulsory primary education•Internship

Focus:•Vulnerability to AIDS•Risky sexual practices and patterns•Limited reproductive health services•Societal pressures Need:•Sex and hygiene education•Awareness on substance abuse and HIV/AIDS•Rehabilitation centres

Focus:•Poverty•Corruption in city planning•Urbanization•Unplanned housing•Migration

Need:•Planning Schools- Eco-housing•Sustainable settlements•Urban green spaces•Anti-corruption squads •Livelihood options

SummarySummary

● Youth context● UNEP’s Youth Programmes●Global●Regional●Sub-regional

● Youth Engagement●NEAYEN profile●SAYEN case for partnership●CAYEN