Regional Youth Human Development Rights Education Workshop
28 July – 1 August 2002
Bangkok, Thailand
Regional Plan of Action
Preamble
As a follow up to the UN World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR) in Durban, South Africa in 2001, a Global Youth Network was created to implement the WCAR International Youth Declaration and Plan of Action.
The Asia Youth Network For Human Development comprise of 5 sub regions namely, East Asia, South East Asia, South Central Asia, Western Asia and Asia Pacific. It aims to promote the establishment of local, national and regional network to implement the WCAR and address human rights issues effecting young people in the Asia region.
This Plan of Action is based on the outcomes of the WCAR International Youth Declaration and the Asian Youth Charter developed as part of the ‘Speak Your Mind’ campaign organized by the Levi's® Brand, MTV Asia and UNICEF. Please see Attachment 1 for more information on the ‘Speak Your Mind’ campaign.
Organizational Structure
1. We will strengthen the structure of the Asia Youth Network For Human Development to the steering committee and members of the network in order for us to cooperate better as a regional collective and hence strengthen the network in the Asia region. Please see Attachment 2.
2. We will develop a website for the Asia Youth Network For Human Development in order to share and disseminate information on the outcomes of the UN World Conference Against Racism, the Asia Youth Campaign and the follow-up processes thereafter. The website will act as a networking tool to empower young people to work on practical follow-up activities to create social change.
Training and Education
3. We will use the knowledge acquired from the regional human rights education workshop from 28 –31 July in Bangkok, Thailand to host a national human rights training workshop in each of the 26 countries represented at the regional workshop upon returning to our respective country.
4. We will distribute the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at non-governmental organizations, formal and non-formal educational institutions and local community groups.
5. We will run a series of Interfaith Programs such as forums and workshops to promote dialogue amongst young people from various faiths as a reconciliation tool against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
6. We will work in cooperation with United Nations and other International Organizations on conflict resolution skills training workshop for children and young people.
Systematic Advocacy/Lobbying
7. Upon completion of the research of regional priorities, we will share the information with UNESCO, OHCHR, UNDP, and UNICEF, international, national and local organizations.
8. While recognizing that education is relevant to employment opportunities, we will attempt to analyze and review the formal education policies in order to incorporate teaching of languages of various communities. We will emphasize on human rights.
9. We will monitor the media and new information technology including the Internet by responding to biased representation of issues relating to the themes of the UN World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and the Asian Youth Charter.
10. We will lobby to create a media campaign focusing on the themes of the UN World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and the Asian Youth Charter.
11. We will advocate for grass root health programs especially to support young people suffering from the deadly effects of HIV/AIDS and related sexual transmitted diseases.
12. We will identify options for enhancing opportunities for young people to be involved in policy-making structures at a local, national and international level.
13. We will lobby and advocate for people who are under foreign occupation to have self-determination and liberation from that foreign occupation.
14. We will lobby and advocate against the use of terror methods against innocent civilians to solve any kind of conflict.
Research and Policy
15. We will do a survey or research to identify regional priorities in the area of racism, colonialism, caste, foreign occupation, religious persecution, terror and violence.
16. To educate young people in the history of colonization in the Asia Region by promoting the education of young people by encouraging the compilation of material on what is available including oral histories of Indigenous and traditionally oppressed people and identify areas that needs to be addressed.
17. We will collate best practices against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance that young people in the region are currently working on and share the information on the Asia Youth Network for Human Development website.
Rationale
The Plan of Action aims at strengthening the role of young people in an effort to create social change. Hence, it is categorized in 4 chapters;
- organizational structure,
- training and education,
- systematic advocacy and lobbying and
- research and policy.
As we are social change agent, the process of the implementation of the Plan of Action is an important aspect of systematic planning to enable a successful outcome.
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