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| United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth | |
|---|---|
| Name | United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth |
| Formation | 1992 |
| Type | Major Group |
| Headquarters | New York City |
| Region served | Global |
United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth is a stakeholder constituency of the United Nations system created to facilitate youth and children participation in multilateral decision-making. It engages with processes led by the United Nations and affiliates such as the United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations Human Rights Council, and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The group liaises with international actors including the European Union, African Union, Commonwealth of Nations, and specialized agencies like the World Health Organization, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and International Labour Organization.
The group emerged from the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development where the concept of Major Groups was formalized alongside stakeholders like the Business and Industry Major Group and the Major Group for Women. Following procedural developments at the Commission on Sustainable Development and milestones at the Rio+20 Conference, it institutionalized youth participation parallel to contributions from entities such as Save the Children, UNICEF, Plan International, World Wildlife Fund, and Greenpeace. Its establishment intersected with youth movements connected to events like the World Summit on Sustainable Development, United Nations Conference on Children, and campaigns led by organizations including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Oxfam.
The mandate reflects language from instruments endorsed at forums such as the Earth Summit, Agenda 21, and outcomes of the Sustainable Development Goals process overseen by the General Assembly. Objectives include amplifying voices at negotiations like the Paris Agreement consultations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and policy dialogues at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. It advances priorities linked to treaties and protocols including the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women through engagement comparable to civil society roles in Climate Action Network, Global Campaign for Education, and Youth Climate Strike networks.
Governance draws on models used by bodies such as the Economic and Social Council, United Nations Secretariat, and mechanisms similar to the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions. Operational coordination happens via caucuses and focal points akin to practices used by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and federations like the World Organization of the Scout Movement. Leadership roles mirror structures in organizations such as UNICEF National Committees, International Youth Foundation, World Bank Youth Summit delegations, and regional platforms like the Asia-Pacific Youth Network, African Youth Charter-aligned bodies, and the Latin American and Caribbean Youth Network.
Programmatic work spans advocacy at summits such as the UN Climate Change Conference, participation in panels organized by UN Women, and campaigns coordinated with groups like 350.org, Fridays for Future, Extinction Rebellion, and Global Campaign for Education. Capacity-building sessions reference curricula used by Harvard Kennedy School public programs, Oxford Youth Leadership initiatives, and training frameworks from United Nations Institute for Training and Research and World Health Organization toolkits. The group contributes to publications and reports analogous to those from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, UNICEF State of the World’s Children, World Bank World Development Report, and inputs to processes guided by the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
It holds consultative and participatory status in forums including the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, UNFCCC negotiations, and sessions of the General Assembly alongside stakeholders such as Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries, and caucuses like the Group of 77. Engagement occurs in negotiating arenas similar to those used by delegations from the European Commission, Federation of International Civil Servants' Associations, and coalitions like the Green Climate Fund observers. The constituency submits position papers influencing instruments like the New Urban Agenda from the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development and dialogues at the Commission on the Status of Women.
Membership comprises youth organizations, child rights groups, student bodies, and networks similar to AIESEC, International Union of Students, Global Youth Biodiversity Network, and regional entities such as African Youth Initiative on Climate Change. Constituency partners include Plan International, World Vision, ActionAid, and grassroots movements connected to Movimiento Estudiantil, All-Party Parliamentary Groups on youth, and national youth councils recognized in countries like United Kingdom, India, Brazil, Nigeria, and Philippines. Collaborations extend to academic institutions including Columbia University, University of Oxford, University of Cape Town, and policy centers like the Brookings Institution.
Critiques parallel those raised toward multistakeholder mechanisms in forums such as debates at the World Economic Forum and critiques of consultative arrangements within the United Nations system; commentators from think tanks like Chatham House and Council on Foreign Relations note issues of representation, resource constraints, and influence compared to state delegations. Operational challenges mirror problems found in civil society engagement cited by Transparency International and Open Society Foundations, including funding dependency, digital inclusion gaps highlighted by International Telecommunication Union, and accountability concerns echoed in reports by Human Rights Watch and academic analyses from London School of Economics and Stanford University.