Investing in Youth – Path to Accelerated Development

The UN General Assembly proclaimed the year 12 August 2010 – 11 August 2011 an International Year of Youth and reaffirmed the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY) to recognize the importance of educated, healthy, skilled and active youth for national development.

UNFPA Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECARO) recognizes the importance of translating the WPAY into regional and national actions that are in sync with ICPD agenda and aim to improve well-being and participation of youth in the development of their countries. In this context, EECARO plans to organize a Youth Conference “Investing in Youth: Path to Accelerated Development”.

The Conference aims to:

• take stock of and celebrate achievements throughout the region in regard to youth issues
• focus on selected priorities of WPAY that are in line with ICPD agenda
• position them in the regional context, and
• have the experts discuss those priorities for the first two days of the conference and come up with action points to be recommended to policy makers on the third day of the conference, during its high-level segment.
• It is expected that the policy makers will agree on a broad action plan for investing in youth in the region and making better use of youth potential in their countries. EECARO and UNFPA Country Offices will work to ensure follow-up to the agreed action points through respective regional and country programmes and will be accountable for the follow-up results.

The Conference will take place in Istanbul, from 9-11 May, 2011. These dates coincide with the visit of UNFPA Executive Director to Istanbul for participation in the 4th UN Conference on Least Developed Counties.

Concept note for the Regional Youth Conference: English | Russian