MY WORLD, MY SIDS – Youth Empowerment Sustainability

We, the delegates to the Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Regional Youth Consultation, meeting in Kingston, Jamaica from June 27th-July 1st, 2013, having discussed sustainable development challenges affecting each of our territories, are united in calling upon the delegations to the Caribbean Regional SIDS Preparatory Meeting to affirm the challenges of SIDS as articulated by the youth delegates, and to take speedy action.

Recalling Agenda 21 adopted at the Earth Summit in 1992, which provided the framework for sustainable development of the worlds’ nations;

Taking into account the Barbados Program of Action (BPOA) for SIDS adopted in 1994 which set clearer parameters for concerted action for SIDS in tackling sustainable development;

Recognising the critical importance of the evaluation and strategies enshrined in the Mauritius Strategy for Further Implementation (MSI) of the BPOA adopted in 2005, in guiding the sustainable development process in SIDS for the past decade;

Emphasising the importance of the outcomes document of the Rio+20 Conference in shaping the new vision for SIDS, leading up to the third international conference on SIDS 2014;

Underscoring that the youth are a positive force in society and have enormous potential for contributing to sustainable development and advancement of societies;

We the delegates call upon our Governments, Private Sector and Civil Society to assist us in:

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 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.

Establishing 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 preference can be expressed and pursued without fear of duress and/or discrimination.

Climate Change

Implementing and continuously promoting strong public awareness campaigns on climate change, to facilitate the education and empowerment of youth, in order 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.

Campaigning for tree planting and reforestation programs to maintain, and where possible increase, carbon sinks in Caribbean SIDS.

Involving youth directly, in natural disaster resilience programs, and creation of educational opportunities to increase the human resource pool in this area of climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Providing 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, efficiency and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Health Care

Providing 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 the strengthening of regional healthcare networks, to facilitate access to the most affordable, quality healthcare for patients within the Caribbean.

Developing capacity building programs to train young people as peer counsellors, specifically 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, persons living with HIV, 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, the homeless and those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

We, the delegates to the Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Regional Youth Consultation, cognisant of the challenges faced by SIDS in the region and conscious of the urgency with which change must be implemented, take this opportunity to convey our heartfelt appreciation for the opportunity afforded us to make a contribution to the regional preparatory process.

COUNTRY COMMITMENTS FOR FOLLOWUP WORK

1.   Antigua and Barbuda: To advocate for the inclusion of the disabled in quality education and equal access to said quality education.

2.   Barbados: To promote the development of ICT processes for the purpose of data collection of youth related statistics.

3.   Commonwealth of Dominica: To develop activities, projects and programmes to facilitate the implementation of climate change adaptation and mitigation plans developed for the ten (10) most vulnerable communities in Dominica.

4.   Dominican Republic: To raise awareness and call youth to action regarding the SIDS agenda, as well as the Post-2015 Sustainable Development process.

5.   Grenada, Cariaccou and Pitite Martinique: To promote youth entrepreneurship, youth empowerment and culture through continuous training and improvement of intellectual skills and capacity.

6.   Cooperative Republic of Guyana: To promote capacity building activities, projects and programs to facilitate youth empowerment and involvement in the national sustainable development process, whilst strengthening cultural identity and national pride.

7.   Haiti: To create campaigns and social programs aimed at raising awareness for developmental issues, including cultural, educational and service based insufficiencies.

8.   Jamaica: To ensure that youth participation at the policy planning and implementation levels, attract greater involvement of and support by key national stakeholders, toward sustainable national development.

9.   Puerto Rico: To empower our young people through quality inclusive education and to raise awareness of the Post-2015 Sustainable Development process in the island.

10. Saint Lucia: To continue to advocate for youth involvement in the decision making process at a national level, specifically in relation to climate change resilience, and building a more inclusive and sustainable future.

11. St. Maarten: To continue to bring social change within the community by meeting the basic needs of our people, by means of providing educational initiatives, youth development programs and health care awareness.

12. St. Vincent and the Grenadines: To engage in the continuous promotion of strong public awareness campaigns on climate change, and to advocate for and ensure where possible, the involvement of youth in all sectors of society.

13. The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago: To facilitate informal education as a viable means for development among youth and encourage youth participation in the political process through social programme development.

Source: http://sidsyouth.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/JAMAICA-YOUTH-DECLARATION-Final-2nd-July-2013-1.pdf

IMAGE: http://sidsyouth.org/caribbean-sids-youth-statement/