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!! Participation Guide for ! Young People to Post2015

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Welcome!

Are you a young person wishing to represent youth in the Post-2015 process? !

Welcome to the official platform for young people within the United Nations (UN) process for the Post-2015 Agenda. This participation guide aims to introduce you to the Post-2015 Agenda and youth involvement in the process. The guide is developed by the UN Major Group for Children and Youth, supported by UN Department of Economical and Social Affairs (DESA), Department of Sustainable Development (DSD) and European Commission.!!What is The UN MGCY? The UN Major Group for Children and Youth (UN MGCY) as part of the Major Group mechanism is the official space for children and youth to participate in certain intergovernmental and policy process at the UN. We are mandated by Agenda 21 and UN General Assembly Resolutions (such as 2013’s A/Res/67/290), as well as ad hoc agreements with UN bodies and conferences. In order to achieve this mandate, the MGCY is a self-organised space which ensures the effective coordination of children and youth participation in United Nations processes related to sustainable development and other allied processes. !!Vision of the UN MGCY Children and youth are planning, designing, implementing, monitoring, reviewing and evaluating sustainable development policies.!!Who are the members of MGCY? 1. Any individual 30 years old or under who signs up to the MGCY

online or in person.!2. Any organisation, network, committee, group or other association of

individuals that signs up to the MGCY online or in person and that fulfils either of the following requirements:!

1. Representative of the interests of children and/or youth, and has a policymaking body controlled by people 30 years old or under; or!

2. Works with children and/or youth but doesn't have a policymaking body controlled by individuals 30 years old or under.

Useful Links for More Information UN MGCY Sustainable Development Working Group - www.childrenyouth.org

UN Department for Sustainable Development - www.sustainabledevelopment.un.org Sustainable Development for Stakeholders - www.sustaianbledevelopment2015.org

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Introduction to the Post-2015 Process

The road up to the Post-2015 Summit

In June 2012, governments agreed at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (also known as Rio+20 or Earth Summit 2012) to launch  a government-led process to create a set of universal sustainable development goals (SDGs). The SDGs are envisioned to be an international framework that will enable countries to better target and monitor progress across all three dimensions of sustainable development (social, environmental and economic) in a coordinated and holistic way. The goals will be applicable to all countries, regardless of their level of development. A chronologic description of the process resulting in adoption of the SDGs follows below.!!!!!!!!!!!!

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), 2000!

In September 2000, at the UN Millennium Summit, world leaders from 189 nations signed the United Nations' Millennium Declaration. They also committed to set a time-frame for measurable goals and targets to combat poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation and gender inequality. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are a set of globally agreed upon goals which aim to reduce poverty in all its forms around the world and to achieve the many and varied development challenges. The framework of 8 goals and 21 targets was complemented by 60 technical indicators to measure progress towards the MDGs.

RIO+20, 2012 !At Rio+20, it was agreed that the SDGs should be consistent with international law, build upon existing international commitments and contribute to the full implementation of the outcomes of all major summits in the economic, social and environmental fields, such as Agenda 21 and Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, and respect the Rio Principles.

Open Working Groups, 2013- 2014 !A UN General Assembly Open Working G r o u p ( O W G ) o n S D G s w a s established to develop a proposal for the new goals. This intergovernmental process ran parallel to a UN Secretary-General led process on the Post 2015 Development Agenda, which involved a number of consultations to assess the options for a successor framework to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which are set to expire at the end of 2015.

Post-2015 Process, 2015!The UN s is in the process of d e fi n i n g a p o s t - 2 0 1 5 development agenda. It is being elaborated through informal consultations of the UN General Assembly. The  negotiations are taking p l a c e J a n u a r y - J u l y 2 0 1 5 a n d a d d r e s s t h e D e c l a r a t i o n  o f t h e Post2015  Sustainable  Development Agenda, Targets and I n d i c a t o r s , M e a n s o f  I m p l e m e n t a t i o n , Monitoring and Review. 

Post-2015 Summit, 2015!2015 is a pivotal year for international agreements on sustainable development. The UN Member states are expected to adopt the final post-2015 agenda at a High-level Summit on September 25 - 27th 2015 at the UN Headquarter in New York.

High Level Political Forum, 2013!The High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) was established in 2013 to act as the new institutional home for sustainable development governance within the United Nations system. The HLPF is the pre-eminent body in the international framework for sustainable development and will ultimately be responsible for the implementat ion and monitoring of the post-2015 sustainable development goals (SDGs). Although there is still a lot to be defined, the HLPF's mandate primarily involves providing political leadership, guidance, and recommenda t i ons fo r sus ta inab le development, as well as following-up and reviewing progress on the implementation of sustainable development commitments

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2012

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2015

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Allied Processes Other processes also have relevance for the SDGs and the 2015 milestone. These are also under negotiation and consultation throughout 2013 to 2015 will be adopted in the UN General Assembly (GA) year 2015. !

- The High Level Political Forum (HLPF) is set to become the new institutional home for sustainable development within the UN system. Therefore whilst its purpose and activities will not be limited to SDGs, the HLPF will inevitably play a major role in the coordination and monitoring of efforts around the new global goals. !

- A new finance strategy developed during the Financing for Development process will be crucial to the mobilisation of resources and their effective use in the implementation of sustainable development, including the achievement of the SDGs.!

- A new intentional agenda for Disaster Risk Reduction - Sendai Framework for Action - was endorsed during the 3rd World Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction, 14th - 18th March 2015.!

- The United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP21, takes place in Paris, November 2015. The conferences objective is to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, from all the nations of the world.!

!!!The Timeline !The below graphic provides a timeline of key milestones during year 2014 - 2015 for two of the three primary post-Rio+20 processes: the Expert Committee on a Sustainable Development Financing Strategy and the SDGs (the one for HLP can be found in the guide under section “What happens after the Summit?”).!!!!!!!

Introduction to the Post-2015 Process

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How can YOU be involved?

What is the role of UN MGCY in the Post-2015 process?!The UN MGCY have a specific Working Group (WG) for the Sustainable Development Process. This WG has facilitated the participation of youth in the discussion of the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda since the Rio+20. It is the UN mandated space for young people in the process. This includes, but is not limited to mobilisation, capacity building, official inputs to reports, statements, interventions, global consultations, and the final summit itself. The WG meets on a regular basis in an open online meeting, where decisions about strategy are decided upon together.!!Step 1 to 8 for YOU to influence the Sustainable Development 1. Register - Register for the MGCY mailing list for SDGs at www.childrenyouth.org & join in on the

meetings. !2. Understand - Understand key post-2015 development agenda processes, including the proposed

SDGs and the distinction between goals, targets and indicators!

3. Priorities - Decide on your post-2015 advocacy priorities on the themes, structure and process..!!4. Stakeholder monitoring - Identify opportunities to influence the agenda at national, regional & global

levels.!!5. Action Plan - Develop a comprehensive action plan to influence your government and/or relevant

intergovernmental bodies; Identify key post-2015 stakeholders and decision-makers, and their relative influence at national, regional and global levels. !!

6. Influence - Engage with the Major Groups and other key stakeholders through official channels for mutual advocacy benefit.!!

7. Implement - Apply the adopted post-2015 framework to your national/regional/local context and identify the national/relevant indicators to be adopted by your country. !!

8. Monitor & Review - Monitor and evaluate the results of your advocacy; and ultimately, hold your government and others to account to deliver their post-2015 commitments. !

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What happens after the Summit?

Monitor and Review of the Post-2015 Agenda The HLPF is the pre-eminent body in the international framework for sustainable development that will be ultimately be responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the post-2015 sustainable development goals (SDGs). It is clear that the HLPF is meant to be the leading UN body on sustainable development, but a number of points must be clarified to create a strong and successful HLPF.!!When does the HLPF take place? • Every 4th Year in September as part of the UN General Assembly (GA) !• Every Year in July as part of the Economic and Social Council !!How can you contribute to the HLPF? 1) Influence the HLPF

The HLPF is a very new UN body and as such still has to find its role, which will be agreed upon during the Post-2015 Summit. You are welcome to share your thoughts and contribute to the UN MGCYs´ position for the HLPF. The position includes suggestions on governance and structure for the HLPF, including modalities for civil society involvement. UN MGCY strongly believe in self-organised civil society participation. !

2) Keep all actors accountable After the Post-2015 agenda is set the HLPF will meet annually during the Economic and Social Council and every forth year during the UN GA. The HLPF will monitor the implementation of the whole Post-2015 agenda. Each member state will report on the progress of implementing the Post-2015 Agenda. You are welcome to contribute to this. Civil society can do shadow reporting and report on youths´ contribution to implementation of the Post-2015 Agenda. !

Do you want to know more? Read the UN MGCY Positions - Click here Read more about the HLPF in the UN website for the Post-2015 Process - Click here

“If we want to reach a sustainable society we need to work side by side and keep everyone accountable.”

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The Priorities of UN MGCY

Youth empowerment, participation, capacity building, education, employment and entrepreneurship.

Young people demand an all inclusive mechanisms for youth participation in policy design, implementation, monitoring, review and accountability, at all levels, local to global. Informal and formal education is a priority, we believe in universal access to education. It is crucial to address reduction in youth unemployment and its adverse effects through youth guarantees, paid internships, entrepreneurship ecosystems and robust social protection.!!

Gender equality, gender equity, sexual and reproductive health & rights Every woman, throughout her life, must have access to a comprehensive, accessible, and integrated package of sexual and reproductive health services that are of high quality and age appropriate. Religion, culture or tradition should never be accepted as a justification for the denial of a human right or for violent practices, especially those committed against women and girls!!

Climate change, planetary boundaries and sustainable consumption & production

Children and young people demand we take action to prevent and mitigate climate change and strengthen adaptation measures, notably by improving disaster risk reduction mechanisms. Eliminating harmful fossil fuel subsidies and ensuring all development finance is made climate proof are further steps along this path.!!

Health and wellbeing, poverty, food sovereignty and human right to water

The effective provision of health care to populations cannot be achieved without sustainable and adapted systems in place. The SDGs need to ensure that a substantial effort is made to achieve quality Universal Health Coverage across all and within nations giving extra support to those health systems most underdeveloped so to achieve health equity and to reduce health inequalities.!!

Means of implementation and financing sustainable development The prioritise and demands of children and youth amongst others consist of; The focus for free trade agreement stakeholders should be to promote a universal, rules-based, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system; it is absolutely necessary that developed countries implement fully agreed ODA targets of .7% of GNI on an agreed timeline, of which 50% to least-developed countries on an agreed timeline, ensuring transparency and accountability.