Within the scope of the novel global youth Project, the first Youth Advocacy Forum, young people from different cultures, religions, languages, nationality and all over the world including from 6 regions (African Region, Region of the Americas, South-East Asia Region, European Region, Eastern Mediterranean Region, and Western Pacific Region) between the age of 18 and 22 came together in order to improve advocacy skills in preventing addictions and encouraging healthy lives.
The forum took place online on 14 December 2023 with the main theme of “Drugs and Climate Change”. In the forum, where the global policies were discussed and local as well as international agendas of advocacy were improved, international experts in their field and powerful organizations such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Istanbul Initiative participated.,
Concept Note - YAF 2023
The Youth Advocacy Forum established as a global platform that offers international experience and great opportunity for the youth across the globe. Contributing to the development of youth from various cultures and geographies of the world, the forum aims to enable youth to gain knowledge in the fields of critical thinking and advocacy and to gain competence in these areas with ongoing training, within the scope of the training of national and international speakers who are experts in their fields. This year we are holding the Fourth Youth Advocacy Forum!
Organizer:
Turkish Green Crescent
Co-organizer(s):
UNODC
WHO
Istanbul Initiative
Global Experts from Universities and Institutions
When& Where & Who
The Youth Advocacy Forum will be organized online in August 2024 for young people advocating from all over the world across 6 regions (African Region, Region of the Americas, South-East Asia Region, European Region, Eastern Mediterranean Region and Western Pacific Region) between the ages of 18 and 30 who have a background and interest in effective and science-driven prevention strategies around substance use and other risky behaviours, healthy life and youth work. Participants will seize invaluable opportunities for direct dialogue, asking questions, and commentary exchange.
Objectives
Provide a platform for young people to meaningfully engage in a dialogue about substance use and other risky behaviours.
Engage and learn with the global experts from the field to create pathways for realizing a sustainable and effective prevention plan and comprehensive system for substance use and other risky behaviour prevention.
Promote the exchange of ideas and experience, mutual understanding, as well as equal rights and opportunities among young people.
Enhance the capacity of young people on critical thinking, media literacy, active participation and advocacy.
Increase the positive and meaningful participation of young people and youth organizations in society, as well as in decision-making processes at all levels including community, national and international venues.
Empower youth to enable them to realize their rights & responsibilities for a healthy life, including abstinence from substance use, through education and skill development around the relevant topics.
Foster youth action towards implementation of ideas brought forward by the young people for the benefit of the societies.
Increase awareness of younger generations on the strategies of Big Alcohol, Big Tobacco, drug cartels, pharmaceutical companies, the cannabis industry and gaming and gambling industries.
The new approach to legalization discussions: Decriminalization and Legalization in different countries, experiences from tobacco and alcohol use
Encourage further cooperation, partnerships and good practice exchange among young people, youth workers, organizations and institutions dealing with youth policy in Sustainable Healthy Generations.
Substantive Scope
The forum will provide a unique opportunity to gather and connect with young people, youth workers and other stakeholders from various countries. Participants will share experiences and establish new contacts and networks for future projects and initiatives. They will meet experts from the field and policymakers in person, with a chance to discuss young people's concerns. They will have the opportunity to influence policies and programmes dedicated to young people – the conference's conclusions will serve to improve the youth strategies and actions all over the world.
Be guided by the theme of “Drugs and Climate Change”. The participants will be part of interactive discussions by addressing the individual and collective actions that need to be taken in the next decade on the following themes:
1) * Challenges in Illicit Drug Crop Cultivation: Multifaceted challenges associated with illicit drug cultivation, especially the environmental and socioeconomic factors that drive this issue * Sustainable Alternatives: Need for creating sustainable alternative livelihoods for affected farmers and laborers in regions plagued by drug cultivation.
2) * Empowering Local Communities: Need to empower affected local communities, addressing property rights, vulnerabilities, and specific needs, as part of a comprehensive approach * Rural Development and Land Rights: Role of secure land rights and rural development in shaping the choices of communities engaged in drug cultivation.
3) * International Drug Control Framework: Overview of the international drug control framework and the conventions that guide policies related to drug crop cultivation * Security Implications: Security challenges posed by drug cultivation, including the financing of various security threats and the impact on local and global security
4) * Evidence-Based Policy: Importance of evidence-based policies that account for the cultural and contextual nuances of affected communities in the struggle against illicit drug cultivation * International Cooperation: Necessity of international cooperation and the role of UN bodies like the UNODC in supporting the implementation and monitoring of drug control policies
5) * Sustainable Legal Economies: Transition from illegal to legal crops and how this shift can equip farmers with the knowledge and resources for sustainable engagement in legal economies * Ethical Considerations: Ethical considerations in drug policymaking, including the impact on vulnerable communities and the preservation of human dignity
Format & Application Criteria
The Forum will include a series of interactive plenary sessions with high-level representatives and experts from NGOs, International Organizations, government institutions, global youth organizations and other keynote speakers on the emerging priority areas for the decade of action, with a focus on youth. These sessions will be led by the experts of the relevant sessions.
The dialogue will take place in English, so an advanced level of speaking and writing in English is a must.
Prospective participants should meet the criterion of having a stable internet connection, since the forum will be held online.
