Caribbean Youth Stir Up A Storm ahead of SIDS+14 Regional Meeting

Participants of the UNESCO/UNICEF Caribbean Small Island Developing States Regional Youth Consultation Eighteen youth leaders from across the Caribbean met in Kingston, Jamaica last week for the “My World, My SIDS” Youth Consultation on the future of Youth in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Caribbean Region. This conference which was supported by UNESCO and UNICEF and was held ahead of the “Caribbean Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Third Conference on Small Island Developing States” attended by regional governmental officials which also took place in Kingston, Jamaica as part of preparative meetings for the 2014 Global SIDS Conference to be held in Apia, Samoa in September 2014. The young people who were chosen through a rigorous application process epitomized the vision and future of One Caribbean SIDS. They reflected a number of backgrounds which included the Environment, Education & Culture, International Relations, Law & Governance, Health & Security, Human Rights, LGBT & Gender Equity and Science & Technology. Using this forum as a catalyst for change they discussed, shared and compiled their views on issues relating to the future of Caribbean SIDS and the sustainable development of the region. Their crowning achievement was the formation of an outcomes document now referred to as the Kingston declaration. This document was also shared and presented at the just concluded at the Caribbean Regional Preparatory Meeting for the 2014 Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States. The delegates to the Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Regional Youth Consultation selected five priority issues to be addressed in the document - Education, Good Governance, Climate Change, Health Care and Social Protection and pledged their commitment to pursue follow-up work in their respective countries. The delegates called upon their Governments, Private Sector and Civil Society to assist them in achieving: Education Providing equal access to quality formal and informal education for all people including vulnerable and minority groups, in particular indigenous peoples. Providing quality education including but not limited to recognition and provision for multiple intelligences which include the arts, technical studies and community development. Ensuring ease of access to quality tertiary education across the region. Incorporating entrepreneurship programs in schools including financial education and job experience to build capacity in children and youth. Training of a cadre of teachers to equip them with the expertise and qualifications necessary to provide quality education for persons with disabilities. Good Governance Enabling Student Councils and youth-led organizations for the purpose of affecting national policy development and implementation as an important tenet of youth involvement. Establishment of an open and transparent system to facilitate youth participation in National Delegations to the UN General Assembly on an annual basis. Ensuring youth involvement, openness and transparency in the national decision making process. Ensuring that the private sector is adequately involved in, and contributing to, community development through youth empowerment. Moving steadfastly towards an open and honest political process through which an individual’s political preferences can be expressed and pursued without fear of duress and/or discrimination. Climate Change Implementation and continuous promotion of strong public awareness campaigns on climate change to facilitate the education and empowerment of youth to mitigate the effects of and adapt to climate change at the local level. Building capacity at the local level to develop climate change vulnerability maps, natural resource maps and climate change mitigation & adaptation plans. Tree planting campaigns and reforestation programs to maintain and where possible increase carbon sinks in Caribbean SIDS. Direct involvement of youth in natural disaster resilience programs, and creation of educational opportunities to increase the human resource pool in this area of climate change adaptation/mitigation. Provision of incentives to promote widespread use and development of renewable energy technology including solar water heaters, photovoltaic panels, energy saving lightbulbs and energy efficient appliances to ensure energy security and efficiency? and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Health Care Provision of free, quality, basic healthcare and ease of access for all citizens, including freedom from discrimination. Mainstreaming of adequate and holistic sexual and health education into the Caribbean School System. Advocating for strengthening the regional healthcare network to facilitate access to the most affordable, quality healthcare for patients within the Caribbean. Development of capacity building programs to empower young people to counsel their peers with respect to health issues. Social Protection Taking action against discrimination and persecution of vulnerable and minority groups including but not limited to sexual minorities, people with disabilities, HIV+ persons, children, youth, and the elderly. Providing equal opportunity for meaningful employment for all citizens particularly vulnerable and minority groups, in an effort to provide income security, transition from informal employment, alleviate poverty and facilitate future growth and opportunities. Including minority and vulnerable groups, CSOs and NGOs in the decision making process for developing social protection programs. Reducing the risk of citizens becoming victims of crime, by forging a robust system of protection and empowerment for the Caribbean youth including but not limited to those in conflict with the law, out of school, disabled, homeless, living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. ---------- Also coming out of this meeting was the formation of the Caribbean Sustainable Development Youth Coalition, which the delegates have established to build capacity and raise more awareness of the work of youth in Caribbean Small Island Developing States. This coalition will provide a support structure for programming and promotion of youth development work in achieving and working towards sustainable development goals in the region. The conference was designed and run by the group of selected delegates and was not a training event but a place for dialogue and debate, for sharing their visions about the future and figuring how to advocate for this with their various Governments. The themes that were discussed focused on what is most important to young people. The youth meetings have not ended there. In the coming weeks, young people of the Pacific and also the Indian/Atlantic Small Island Developing States will go through similar processes as youth continue to air the views ahead of SID+2014 which will be held in Apia, Samoa. Writers: Samora Reid –Barbados Erland George- St. Lucia