International Instruments and youth policy of Nepal to empower youth

R.B. Shrestha Ministry of Youths and Sports

The protection of youth rights has often been debated in the international arena. It has been the topic of several declarations, programmes of action and human rights instruments. The ratification of the Convention on all nations has been the most visible expression of international commitment to youth. Nevertheless, there is a wide gap between law and reality; in many countries the rights of youth are still violated and only half- heartedly enforced. A central concept of the charter is the enhancement of youth participation at local, national, regional and continental levels. To reach this goal, the duty to improve the capacity of the youth to get involved in public life and provide them with access to information on politics as well as instruments for participation. Youth organisations must be strengthened and youth delegations included in important political meetings. In all these respects the needs of marginalised youth must be considered and special support provided. The majority (almost 85%) of the worlds youth live in developing countries, with approximately 60 percent in Asia alone. A remaining 23 percent live in the developing regions of Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean. By 2025, the number of youth living in developing countries will grow to 89.5%. Therefore, it is necessary to take youth issues into considerations in the development agenda and policies of each country. Regional distribution of youth, 2005 Source: World Population Prospects, 2006 Global Total Youth Youth(15youth population population 24) population (millions) (percentage) (millions) (percentage) Asia Africa Europe 3,905 905 728 16.4 15.9 14.3 16.9 12.4 3.0 15.8 639 145 103 95 41 1 1,024 62.4 14.1 10.2 9.3 4.0 0.1 100.0%

Latin America & the Caribbean 561 Northern America Oceania Total 330 33 6,465

International Instruments Contents of Conventions, Covenants, Recommendations Universal Declaration of Human Rights Date 1948

Declaration on the Promotion among Youth of the Ideals of Peace, Mutual 1965 Respect and Understanding between Peoples International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights The Convention on the Rights of the Child 1966 1966 1979

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against 1979 Women United Nations Guidelines for Further Planning and Follow-Up in the Field of 1985 Youth United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile 1985 Justice (The Beijing Rules) Declaration on the Right to Development United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty 1986 1990

United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (The 1990 Riyadh Guidelines) The Rio Declaration on the Environment and Development and Agenda 21 The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action 1992 1993

Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and 1994 Development Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action of the World Summit for 1995 Social Development World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women 1995 1995

The Habitat Agenda and The Istanbul Declaration of the Second United Nations 1996 Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) Rome Declaration on World Food Security and World Food Summit Plan of 1996 Action of the World Food Summit Braga Youth Action Plan Lisbon Declaration on Youth Policies and Programmes ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Special Session on Social Development (Copenhagen+5), Geneva Dakar Youth Empowerment Strategy 1998 1998 1998 2000 2001

UN General Assembly declared Action for Youth and beyond, 1995

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Among other youth-related issues, the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond identifies the following ten issues that should be of the highest priority to Governments. 1. Education 2. Employment 3. Hunger and poverty 4. Health 5. Environment 6. Drug abuse 7. Juvenile delinquency 8. Leisure-time activities 9. Girls and young women 10. Full and effective participation of youth in the life of society and in decision-making Five new issues were identified in the World Youth Report 2003 that have now been adopted by the General Assembly: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Globalization Information and Communication Technologies HIV/AIDS Youth and Conflict Intergenerational Relations

Fourteenth Asian-Pacific Youth Conference 2008

PRIORITY AREAS world youth action 2010 A. Education B. Employment C. Hunger and poverty D. Health E. Environment F. Drug abuse G. Juvenile delinquency H. Leisure-time activities I. Girls and young women J. Full and effective participation of youth in the life of society and in decisionmaking K. Globalization L. Information and communications technology M. HIV/AIDS N. Armed conflict
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O. Intergenerational issues Main working policies of Nepal's Youth policy 1. Basic rights of livelihood to establish the rights of food, shelter, clothing, education, health, employment and security of the youths. 2. Education Access of the youths to education shall be ensured, while taking initiation to make education up to higher secondary level free and compulsory in a gradual manner.

3. Health and family welfare health information shall be maintained, while making the basic health services easily available for the youths 4. Social security providing social protection to unemployed youths pending the provision of employment to them shall be forwarded on the basis of study.

5. Employment Development of rural and agro-industry shall be focused on, by providing entrepreneurship and other vocational training, in order to enhance employment.

6. Youth empowerment and leadership development Youth awareness and orientation programs shall be launched for the economic, social, political and cultural empowerment of youths. 7. Participation and mobilization The meaningful participation of youths in the peace process of Nepal, restructuring of the State and constitution making and post nation-building activities shall be enhanced and the pioneer role of youths in the implementation thereof shall be focused on. 8. Arts, culture, sports and entertainment
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Youths shall be trained and mobilized to protect and promote various artistic and cultural heritages in Nepal. 9. Control of narcotics addiction The government sector, private sector, political organizations and non-governmental organizations shall be mobilized extensively for the operation of preventive and curative programs so as to discourage addiction and deformity in the youths. 10. Control of trafficking in and sale of human beings Legal provisions shall be enforced more strictly in order to prevent trafficking in Nepalese youths taking place in various countries. 11. Youth participation in environment protection and sustainable development Training programs on environment protection shall be launched for youths in order to prevent global climate change, increase in heat, space pollution, climate pollution and unplanned excessive exploitation of natural resources 12. Access of youths to science and information technology environment shall be created as to encourage brighter youth talents in the field of science and technology and provide them with respectable position in Nepal, by providing for abroad study and training to them 13. To free youths from involvement in crime and violence Special programs shall be launched for the purpose of discouraging the involvement of youths in various kinds of violence. 14. Participation of youths in sustainable peace building and conflict resolution Meaningful participation of youths in the peace building, truth and reconciliation processes shall be ensured 15. Equitable development Special programs shall be operated for the implementation of the policy of social inclusion, having regard to the youths falling in the special priority group 16. Special group priorities Schools and education centers with facilities shall be established, while adopting special teaching methods so that the youths with disability may inculcate education easily. Employment that the persons with disability can be engaged in shall be identified and necessary arrangements shall be
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made, while providing skills oriented and vocational education according to their capacity. Provisions shall be made to make public places or areas including public transportation, building and toilets disabled friendly. Moreover, provisions shall be made for making available the materials required for the youths with disability, in an easy and widely accessible manner. 17. Partnership Various programs shall be launched in partnership between the government, local bodies, youth organizations, donor communities, non-governmental organizations and private sector for the development of the youth community.