It is an oft-mentioned truth that the young of today will be the leaders of tomorrow. Youth though will not only be at the forefront in the future. They lead today. Globally young people are engaged at local to transnational levels in efforts to better their lives and the lives of the communities around them. It is time that this energy and effort also reaches the level of the United Nations Headquarters. The year 2005 marks the tenth anniversary of the UN’s World Program of Action for Youth (WPAY), and so promises to be an important one for youth at the UN.
One primary method for youth to voice their concerns to the UN body is through the system of Youth Representatives that has been in place since 1981, when nations were encouraged through A/36/17 to consider including a youth representative in their national delegations to the General Assembly. To date this possibility has been underutilized by governments. In 2004 youth representatives were included in Government Delegations from eleven countries. In preparation for the UNGA in 2005, a resolution has been passed in November 2004 calling, among other things, for the facilitation of greater numbers of youth representatives. Co-sponsored by over 90 Member States, this resolution provides a great foundation in lobbying efforts for youth representation.
Because WFUNA realizes the importance of youth participation at the UN, this paper provides a guideline for lobbying governments to include youth members in the delegation for the General Assembly and other important UN meetings.
Despite the potential benefits of including youth representatives in their delegations, convincing governments to support this inclusion is not always an easy task. However, with the right amount of knowledge and persistence success can certainly be achieved.
First of all, find out what political youth organizations are active in your country. It's always a good idea to bundle your strengths and share experiences.
Here are some possible avenues for finding youth organizations in your country. Your UNA can also be of help:
UN Programme on Youth
UN World Programme on action for Youth
European Youth Forum
Global Youth Action Network
Pacific Youth Council
After making contact with youth organizations in your country, try to establish a relationship with a government representative and keep this person as your contact throughout the whole process. This person should be working on the department of foreign affairs. Before you make any contact try to get a name of the person responsible for sending delegates to the General Assembly and other meetings. You can do this by approaching your UNA or by looking on the internet and on other media resources.
When you get in touch with your contact person, be very persistent about arranging a meeting. When talking to your contact confirm that this is the person who makes the decisions in this field. If not, ask for the name and phone number of the person that is responsible.
Ask for an appointment well in advance. Tell the politician's office how many will be coming and who they are. Find out how much time you're likely to have for a meeting. Confirm this on the day with the politician right after the introductions. Half an hour is normal. Try to get an appointment in the morning, if possible. Politicians, and others, are usually fresher and in a better mood in the morning.
Do not turn down the chance for a meeting if you can only meet with an advisor or assistant. These people make many of the decisions and are often as important behind the scenes as the politician. Go to the meeting and treat them as you would the politician.
Be sure that before you have a meeting with your contact person you obtain sufficient information about the latest developments on the field of global youth cooperation and UN issues. Be prepared to explain the importance of including youth delegates in the delegation and be ready to answer any questions or objections in a calm, rational manner.
Furthermore, try to gather information about the person you are going to speak with. Find out their name, party, electorate, and any committees they're on or positions they hold that might be relevant.
Be neat and presentable. Be early; make sure you are there at least 15 minutes before the start of the meeting. Always go in pairs of two, that way when one of you is stumped for words, the other one can respond. Never go with more than three people. Be self assured and keep in the back of your mind that you are offering something worth while, you are not asking for a favor.
Start by thanking the politician for the opportunity to meet with them. Make the introductions. Confirm how much time you have.
Present your case simply, without exaggeration or excessive elaboration of detail.
Be polite, and make it your goal to give the politician enough understanding of the importance of including youth delegates to make an intelligent decision. Do not let yourself be side-tracked. Don't expect an instant result, as most politicians have learned from experience to avoid making impulsive decisions.
Regardless of the outcome, thank them for the opportunity to meet with them and to explain the importance of including youth delegates in the UNGA delegation.
When the meeting went well, send your contact person a summary of what was discussed the day after the meeting. Make sure the politician can contact you if they need to. End your summary with something like If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact; and the contact details.
When you do not succeed in arranging a personal meeting, try to make an appointment to explain the issue over the phone. The techniques of polite, uncomplicated explanation of the subject can be effective here. Politicians' phones are usually answered by one or more levels of staff, and you may or may not get to speak to the actual representative. Do not worry if this happens, as the staff you encounter may well be in charge of your issue, and in any case they may have some influence on policy. Never be rude or insulting, as political workers develop thick skins and will only get annoyed at you.
As a last resort, mail provides an opportunity for considered reflection which may be absent in real-time interaction. Letters should be one or two pages in length, beginning with a brief statement of the issue, followed by the reasons why the representative should include youth representatives in the delegation to the UNGA and other UN meetings. Lengthy and detailed documentation should be avoided, although references to evidence and sources of further information should always be provided. Many political workers will reach for the 'too hard' basket if they encounter a thick sheaf of documents in the first letter, but if they are interested they will actively pursue information.
- Take help from former UN delegates if possible
- Influence the government delegation as early as possible
- Perhaps find a politician with a youth-friendly record and enlist them in your cause. They may be able to influence the person making the final decision.
- Prepare your own papers as far as possible in "UN language"
- Stay in contact with the other youth delegates
- Prepare a list with the 20 most important youth issues for the NGO meeting
- Influence the texts before the debate in plenary will take place
- Have a good relation to your own ministers / ministries is most important
- Find the middle way in discussions, be aware of making compromises
- Try to arrange a contact point / person in New York for all youth delegates for sharing information and being up to date
Finally, good luck in this rewarding and exciting process, and please know that WFUNA and the UNAs are always here to help! We at WFUNA can most easily be contacted by emailing us at: wfuna@wfuna.org, or by calling: +1 212 963 5611.
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