1- World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and
Related Intolerance
UNITED TO COMBAT RACISM: A YOUTH VISION!
INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SUMMIT STATEMENT
Final Declaration and Plan of Action
August 26th ~ September 8th 2001
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA
Organization of the Youth Statement:
The International Youth Committee and the South African Youth Task Team with
the support of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights held its first two working sessions in Geneva during the Preparatory
Committees of the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance; both members held approximately 20
meetings during both sessions.
The final version of the International Youth Summit was drafted by an
international drafting team composed of 40 representatives from the four
regions of the world, a secretariat composed by members of the International
Youth Committee and the South African Youth Task Team during a period of 10
days in the context of the World Conference Against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban, South Africa
August 26th to September 9th 2001.
Attendance:
The session was attended by representatives of the following UN regions,
observers, and United Nations bodies, other entities, and youth
representatives from the:
International Youth Committee
South African Youth Task Team ~ Youth Secretariat
United Nations Bodies ~ UNHCHR
Youth Representatives 750 from all four regions of the world
Organization of work:
As a concrete result both committees approved:
(a). The number of representatives from each region of the world, therefore,
ensuring a broad perspective in the preparations of the International Youth
Summit and during its realization.
(b). To continue all discussions through an internal list-serve that was
created, IntYouthCmt@yahoogroups.com, ensuring an accurate mechanism for
communication.
(c). A Youth Summit Program was developed and made available for
commentaries from all youth representatives present during the third
session; as well as a framework and proposed operational work plan for the
development of the International Summit Statement. Program and agenda that
was agree upon during the opening of the Youth Summit.
Declaration:
The Youth Declaration was developed based on the statements from the
regional preparatory meetings and the different position papers. A Youth
Compilation of all Youth Declarations was developed and made available. The
Declaration has a maximum of 35 pages and the original (for al legal
purposes or any reference to specific use of terminology) to be done in
English.
Plan of Action:
The committee on its first session agreed to develop a Plan of Action
composed of 11 chapters: Education & Employment; Health; Environment;
Justice (Legal Measures); Poverty & Economy (Globalization); Media & New
Information Technology (Internet); Minority Rights; Multiple Forms of
Discrimination (Intersection & Young Women); Human Rights and Citizenship;
Colonialism and Foreign Occupation and New Forms of Apartheid.
All Chapters were drafted in conjunction with members who were coordinating
or co-facilitating the Thematic Working Groups during the Youth Summit; and
with a maximum number of 25 pages. The final version is to be prepared in
English and then translated into Spanish and French and any other language
at the regional or national levels.
The work done in the thematic working groups during the Youth Summit also
contributed with concrete proposals to the development of the chapters of
the POA and its further enhancement. Each chapter includes the describe
victims lists in the framework of the Youth Statement, three levels of
commitments, the State Actors, the Non State Actors, and Youth at the
International, Regional, National and Local level with very concrete actions
and proposals. Responding at the same time to the objectives of the Youth
Summit.
Final Version to be made available September 4, 2001.
Annexes:
The International Youth Statement contains appendixes of positions
documents, result of regional youth conferences, youth caucus consultations,
issue specific declarations, groups specific declarations and key background
documentation.
Language:
The original and last version is to be provided in three different
languages. English, Spanish and French.
The IYC and the YTT will be the team to assure the translation of the draft
documents, but noting that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights has agree to provide the translation of the last version of the Youth
Summit statement and to contribute to its promotion during the NGO Forum and
World Conference.
CONTENTS OF THE YOUTH STATEMENT
PART ONE:
International Youth Summit Declaration
PART TWO:
International Youth Summit Plan of Action
- Mission Statement
- Global Framework
- Chapters of the Plan of Action
1. Education and Employment
2. Health
3. Environment
4. Justice (Legal Measures)
5. Poverty and the Economy Including Globalization
6. Media, New Information Technologies including the Internet
7. Minority Rights
8. Multiple forms of Discrimination and Intersectionality specifically
addressing Young Women.
9. Human Rights and Citizenship
10. Colonialism and Foreign Occupation, including New forms of Apartheid
11. Slavery, Slave Trade Including Compensation and Reparations
- Global View on Youth Commitment Moving Forward
PART THREE:
Closing Remarks
_______________________________.
YOUTH SUMMIT DECLARATION
Preamble:
We the young people of Africa, Asia-Pacific, Americas and Europe, having met
in Durban, South Africa from the 26th to the 27th of August 2001, within the
framework of the United Nations World Conference against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance;
Expressing our deep appreciation to the South African Civil Society, the
South African National Non Governmental Organization Coalition (SANGOCO),
and the South African Youth Task Team for hosting the International Youth
Summit;
Further Expressing our gratitude for the support and efforts made by the
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the
International Youth Committee to realize the Youth Summit;
Acknowledging the work of the United Nations Members States and Observer
Countries in contributing to the process of raising awareness about the
needs and hearing the voices of young people from around the world in the
context of the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance;
Taking into account the outcomes of the various regional youth consultations
organized at Coventry (United Kingdom), Santiago (Chile), Malaka (Malaysia),
Kigali (Rwanda) and other contributions from youth organizations, Indigenous
Peoples and African and African Descendant youth organizations, Non
Governmental organizations, and human rights practitioners; organized in the
framework of the preparation of the world conference;
Noting the contribution made by the International Youth Caucus and other
regional youth caucus formed in Tehran (Iran), Dakar (Senegal), Santiago
(Chile), and Strasbourg (France) to promote and provide a space for the full
participation and involvement of youth in the process of the World
Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related
Intolerance;
Emphasizing the key role that young people around the world play in the
struggle to eradicate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance, through inter alia community and national based programs and
projects;
Considering that youth, particularly young Indigenous Peoples, African
descendants, Roma People, Dalits and people of oppressed communities and
ethnic groups within their States, have been discriminated against, excluded
from, and marginalized in the decision-making processes at all levels and
resulting in limiting their full and active political, economical, social
and cultural participation;
Recognizing the existence of multiple forms of discrimination, based on
race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, caste, ethnic and national
origin, nationality, class, age, religion, colour, languages,
socialeconomic and other status that affect young people in a particular
way;
Noting that youth representation has traditionally been marginalized by
Governments and Non Governmental Organizations, Inter Governmental
Organizations or Agencies, in international events and regional conferences,
thereby, denying their participation in decision-making processes;
Realizing that there is a lack of resources to ensure equitable geographical
participation of young people in an effort to promote diversity of young
leaders from all parts of the world in the international human rights
movement; we hereby have prioritized the preparation and participation of
the youth in the International Youth Summit from countries from the South
including representatives of migrants, immigrants, refugees, displaced
youth, African descendants, Indigenous Peoples youth, Roma people, Dalits,
youth living in occupied territories, and young women from the womens
movement, young people from the most disadvantaged sectors in their
societies;
Recognizing that access to adequate and affordable health care is a
fundamental human right for all people, we acknowledge that contributing
factors to discriminatory health practices and services such as: ethnicity,
age, language, disability, sexuality, gender, socio-economic background,
religion, geographic distance, must be addressed in consultation with
affected community leaders and young people;
We hereby, in a spirit of friendship, peace, solidarity and harmony join
together and call upon all young people, States and their Governments and
Non State Actors to fully commit themselves to the implementation of the
understated Plan of Action to combat racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance all over the world, and hereby adopt the
Durban Youth Declaration and Plan of Action: United to Combat Racism - A
Youth Vision!
General Issues:
Having considered the dreadful effects of multiple forms of discrimination
often afflicting young people pertaining to the most disadvantaged groups in
the society, particularly those of Indigenous Peoples, Africans and People
of African descent, Roma people, and other minorities, as well as people
living under conditions of caste system, foreign occupation, colonialism, as
well as refugees, migrants and displaced persons, or any disability, or
other grounds based on their identity, such as sexual orientation, religion,
language, ethnic and/or national origin, culture, colour, class, and race
and their gender;
Reasserting the views and role of young people as actors of change and
promoters of Human Rights and democratic values in the Third Millennium;
Acclaiming the richness and diversity among the peoples of the world and
stressing that we all belong to one human race, we acknowledge the positive
contribution of youth in upholding this rich diversities through the
promotion of respect, solidarity, and justice for and of others from
different cultures, religions, gender, ethnic and national origin, colour,
languages, class, social and economic backgrounds;
Themes:
1.Sources, Causes, Forms and Contemporary Manifestations of
Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.
We recognize and affirm that slavery, the slave trade and other forms of
servitude, conquest and colonialism represents the primary sources and
causes of contemporary manifestation of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance and we firmly condemn the injustices that
were committed through these practices, and we therefore, stress the need
for all Governments, and non state actors engaged in such historical
practices to acknowledge the grave human tragedies they caused and the
heinous racist acts consequently experienced by youths all over the world;
We repudiate the brutal crimes and injustices that were committed and
continue to be perpetuated against Indigenous Peoples, Africans and People
of African descent, Asians and people of Asian descent, Roma people,
religious minorities, women, victims of war, children, caste and other
groups who were subjected to slavery and other forms of servitude that
represents at all times a grave violation of human rights and a crime
against humanity, paying particular attention to the violation of human
rights during the transatlantic slave trade committed against Africans and
people of African descent and Indigenous Peoples;
We affirm that colonialism historical and current, and present-day foreign
occupation are primary causes of human rights violations also affecting
children, adolescents and youth and have severe negative consequences on
their lives;
We recognize and deplore institutional forms of racism, perpetuated by State
Institutions such as Immigration departments, Justice Systems, Police,
Social Services, Health Services, Education and Employment companies, the
effects of which are reinforced by the stereotypes and prejudices promoted
by the media, including the Internet and other forms of new information
technologies, principally affecting young people, particularly young women
of different ethnic and national origin, those under caste system, foreign
occupation or in colonies as well as migrants, refugees, displaced persons,
people with disabilities, particularly African and People of African
descents, Indigenous Peoples, Roma people, Dalits and other minorities;
We strongly affirm that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance in our current educational systems, represent serious
threat to the eradication of those scientifically false ideologies and
practices of racial supremacy which further reinforces the perpetuation of
stereotypes that affect particularly children and youth, especially young
women from the most marginalized sectors of the society;
We note with great concern that the lack of proper legislation and efficient
monitoring mechanisms on discrimination often tend to reproduce the sources
of contemporary forms or manifestations of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance;
We recognize that the disparities between the rich and the poor are
increasing, poverty and particularly the feminization of poverty affects
young people and constitutes a main cause and source of the continuation of
racist prejudices and attitudes which are further compounded by the policies
of globalization, neo-liberalism, foreign occupation, slavery and the slave
trade.
We acknowledge that HIV / AIDS is a global youth concern affecting more than
half of all newly HIV infections among youth aged 15 20 years old. Youth
currently represents 1/ 6 of the worlds population, and HIV / AIDS
constitutes a contemporary manifestation of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance;
We affirm that colonialist countries must be declared responsible for the
poverty and continued marginalization and underdevelopment of Africa and
other colonized countries and economies and their direct or indirect
involvement in the exploitation and pillage of their natural resources.
We further affirm that the impoverishment of Africa and other third world
countries and colonized territories has been further exacerbated by the
discriminatory liberal economic policies mandated by international financial
institutions, such as structural adjustment programs;
2. Victims of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related
Intolerance
In the context of the International Youth Statement, the term racial
discrimination means any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference
based on race, color, descent, or national or ethnic origin, religion,
caste, citizenship status, culture, language, class, which has the purpose
of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment, guarantee or exercise
on an equal footing of Human Rights, and fundamental freedoms in the
political, economic, cultural or any other field of public and private life.
Further noting that the term racial discrimination should include
distinction, exclusion, restriction or non preference of Indigenous Peoples
youth, young people of African descent, minorities, Roma people, Dalits,
refugees, migrants, displaced people, people living under occupation, people
with disabilities, and others.
We recognize and salute the memory of young people all over the world who
are and had been victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and
related intolerance;
We acknowledge that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance in most countries, target youth due to their race or origin, as
Africans and People of African descent, Asian and people of Asian descent,
Indigenous Peoples, minorities, Roma people, Dalit people, refugees,
migrants, displaced, people living under foreign occupation, caste system,
and people with disabilities;
We affirm that young people suffering from HIV/AIDS and other diseases in
developing countries, due to poverty in many cases can not afford to get or
buy medication because of profit motivated policies established by
multinational pharmaceutical companies and therefore, they continue being
victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance;
We note with great concern, the rise of racist intolerant, xenophobic,
discriminatory acts against migrants, displaced persons, asylum seekers,
refugees, particularly focusing on young women and children;
We note that certain immigration policies, practices and regulations are
xenophobic, racist, homophobic and therefore, reinforces the negative images
portrayed by states which perpetuates a lack of mobility of young people and
also prevent them from enjoying their full human rights with particular
respect to the right to education, health and employment;
We observe a continuing discrimination against youths of African descent,
Indigenous Peoples, Roma people, Dalit, and Africans with regard to their
full enjoyment of their human rights, including the right to fully
incorporate the oral history of their ancestors in the educational
curriculum of the states where they reside and to recognize the lack of this
information in the current system, as well as their right to land and
culturally appropriate services;
We recognize that Indigenous Peoples, Africans, people of African descent,
Roma people, Dalits and other ethnic groups have been victims of
discrimination for centuries, therefore, we re affirm their freedoms and
equality as human beings who should not be subjected to discriminatory
practices, colonization, and genocide on the basis of their origin and
identity;
We repudiate the systematic and continuous racial discrimination faced by
Indigenous Peoples because of their origin and identity, the African People
and African descent who faced centuries and continue suffering slavery,
systematic social and economic exclusion; the Roma people who have suffered
slavery, forced assimilation, Porajmos in the Holocaust; Dalits who suffer
systematic human rights violations in the form of caste discrimination based
on work and descent and untouchability; and for all these groups for the
social exclusion and marginalization resulting in high levels of poverty and
unemployment;
We identify that Indigenous Peoples, African descent, Roma people are living
in conditions of extreme poverty, especially in the Latin American and
Caribbean;
We recognize the lack of access to basic human rights, including quality
education, health services, employment, housing and others which have the
potential of exposing young persons, in particular, those of African descent
to criminalized social conditions and delinquency, with the risk of being
unjustly imprisoned and abused by law enforcing institutions;
We recognize that people who had been displaced, people that are refugees
around the world are in many occasions forced out of their lands,
territories or countries of origin due to ethnic conflicts, poverty,
colonialism, foreign occupation, religious incarceration, hate speech and
other human rights violations specifically targeted to displaced youth.
Noting that as a result of such misguided practices, displaced youth are
being deprived of their fundamental human rights as human beings;
We reaffirm the rights of asylum seekers to gain access to basic human
rights during their displacement with access to economic and social benefits
rightfully accorded to citizens of the host country. We believe that special
attention should be given to children and youth in order to protect them
against the violation of their rights as refugees in refugee camps and
detention centers;
We repudiate the systematic and continuous discrimination faced by the
Dalits, and others significant groups in the world population (260 millions
in South Asia). Dalit people have been subjected to discrimination based on
their work, descent, caste system for a long period, and as a result are
suffering from humiliation base on various forms of castism and
untouchability and gross violation of their human rights in India and in
many other countries in the Asian region;
We recognize that colonialism and foreign occupation constitutes
institutionalized racial discrimination and we, therefore, reassert the
right of people living under foreign occupation to defend their human rights
by any means under international law. Recognizing that the continued
subjugation of Palestinians, including grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva
Convention, constitutes a new form of apartheid. Recognizing that the
people of Tibet continue to suffer institutionalized forms of discrimination
under the Chinese regime;
Expressing our solidarity with the people of Palestine, Southern Sudan,
Swaziland, and other regions and countries that continue to suffer economic
marginalization and poverty due to their struggle against racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia, caste and related intolerance. We express our
solidarity with the Saharoui populations and we support the solutions
adopted by the United Nations in order to provide a political resolution to
this problem;
We express our solidarity with the people of Cuba and demand that the
economic blockade by the United States be lifted, since it constitutes a
violation of the human right to self-determination and national sovereignty;
We recognize that discrimination on the basis of disability is a fundamental
violation of human rights. We reassert the rights of the people with
disabilities to enjoy their full human rights within the states;
3. Measures of Prevention, Education, and Protection aimed at the
Eradication of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related
Intolerance at the National, Regional and International Level.
We demand the universal adherence to and the full implementation of the
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
Discrimination as a paramount of great importance for the promotion of
equality and non-discrimination in the world;
We demand that States should adhere to the democratic principles and ensure
transparency and accountable governance as a practice by all governments
with the ultimate objective of upholding their own constitutional principles
and international treaty obligations and work towards the full enforcement
of rights by all people regardless of their origin, culture, race, social
class, caste, colour, ethnic origin, language, religion and sexual
orientation or because they are Indigenous Peoples, African and People of
African descents, Roma people, Dalits and any other groups that is in a
disadvantage position;
We emphasize the importance of dialogue led by youth among cultures and
civilizations as it emerges as an intrinsic demand for human nature itself,
as well as of culture. Dialogue leads to a recognition of diversity and
opens the mind for mutual acceptance and genuine national, regional and
international collaboration and solidarity by all people. Dialogue remains
the cornerstone to eradicate all forms of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance;
We demand and recognize that quality education, elimination of illiteracy
and access to free intercultural education for all promotes more inclusive
societies, equity and harmonious relations and friendship between young
people of all nations to build a culture of peace, fostering mutual
understanding, solidarity, social justice and respect of human rights for
all. We demand that dialogue must include the reintroduction of the
languages of Indigenous Peoples around the world which have been lost
through colonization, along with the languages of the disabled and not
include any references that are discriminatory, racist, or exclusionary;
We call for the development and implementation of progressive legislation
aimed curtailing racism, racist motivated attacks, xenophobia and related
intolerance on the basis of culture, race, class, colour, national origin,
ethnic origin, language, religion and sexual orientation;
4. Provision of Effective Remedies, Recourse, Redress, Compensatory
and other Measures at the National, Regional, and International Levels.
We recognize that massive institutionalized human rights violations through
the acts of slavery, slave trade, colonialisms, caste system, apartheid and
new forms of apartheid in the occupied territories of the Palestinians
requires unreserved apologies from historical and current perpetrators to
the victims and theirs descendants;
We acknowledge that slavery, slave trade, foreign occupation and colonialism
had and continue to have a lasting effect on the socio-economic, physical,
psychological, emotional and political status of the victims;
We therefore demand that perpetrator nations mainly in the north, involved
in slavery, slave trade, foreign occupation and colonialism formerly
apologies to victims and descendents with a just and fair compensation and
reparations such as the immediate withdrawal from the occupied territories,
the right of return to peoples own land, social development programs,
cancellation of the foreign debt and any other form of reparations
considered appropriate by victims;
5. Strategies to Achieve Full and Effective Equality Including International
Cooperation and Enhancement of the United Nations and other International
Mechanisms in Combating Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and
Related Intolerance, and Follow-Up.
We recognize the importance of the role youth play within civil society to
cooperate at all levels, from the national, regional and the international
level in the struggle to eradicate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance;
We recognize the important role of youth to develop and implement national,
regional and international networks across and beyond the boundaries of
race, origin, gender, culture, sexual orientation, class, caste, religion,
language, ethnic origin and colour in an endeavor to engage youth at all
levels as torchbearers in the struggle to combat all forms of discrimination
within the context of all internally agreed upon United Nations instruments
and any other regional instrument of particular relevance to youth in their
own regions;
We call for the creation and operation of an International Youth Network
financially supported by the United Nations Members States, NGOs, Regional
Structures and civil society that is composed of youth representatives from
all over the world. The Network will be based in community and
trans-regional activities and projects that will work to eliminate racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;
We believe that States, the United Nations and major International
organizations can play an important role in ensuring respect to the
effective implementation of all the International instruments aimed at
eradicating racism, xenophobia and other related intolerance; and to promote
networks that work in it;
------.
We resolve to affirm our dedication to address the constraints and obstacles
and thus enhancing further advancement and empowerment of all youth over the
world, and agree that this requires urgent action in the spirit of
determination, hope, cooperation and solidarity, now and to carry us forward
into the next century.
We affirm our commitment to young people, to struggle for their rights, to
focus on their development and to be determine to live in the society of
today and look into the society of tomorrow, to recall that we the young
people are subjects to our own rights and hereby adopt the Declaration of
the International Youth Summit because: United to Combat Racism ~ with a
Youth Vision! Can come to a true realization;
YOUTH SUMMIT PLAN OF ACTION
Mission Statement:
The Plan of Action of the International Youth Summit is a practical oriented
agenda for youth empowerment. It aims to accelerates the implementation of
the United Nations Charter with particular attention to the Universal
Declaration on Human Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child
(CRC), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Racial Discrimination (CERD), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), The Rome Statue of the
International Criminal Court of Justice, the International Convention on the
Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their
Families (MWC), the 169 ILO Convention on the Rights of Indigenous and
Tribal Peoples, and other relevant international and regional international
instruments.
The aim is therefore, to ensure youth participation in all spheres of public
and private life, through a full and equal share by women and men in
economic, social, cultural and political decision making.
This means that the principle of shared power and responsibility should be
established between women and men at home, in the workplace and in the wider
national and international communities.
A transformed partnership based on equality between women and men is a
condition for people-centred sustainable development, people of Africa, Roma
people, African descents, Indigenous Peoples, and other minorities,
particularly people living under conditions of occupation, colonialism, with
the status of refugees, displaced, migrants, and because of their caste,
their work and descents, the disability and other facets of their various
identities.
The Plan of Action of the International Youth Summit reaffirms the
fundamental principle set forth in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of
Action, adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights, that the human
rights of youth and particularly young women and the girl child are
inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights. As an
agenda for action, the Plan of Action seeks to promote and protect the
rights of all young people, and their fundamental freedoms.
The success of the Plan of Action requires a strong and firm commitment on
the part of State Actors, Non state actor and youth that are at all
different levels to implement the demands, but it requires the allocation of
adequate funding, resources to youth organizations, to non governmental, and
other relevant bodies, as well as the adequate mobilization at the national
and international level around the issues of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance.
Global Framework:
The International Youth Summit is taking place in the context of the United
Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia
and Related Intolerance and the NGO Forum looking into practical action
oriented mechanism at all levels to combat Racism ~ with A Youth Vision!
The Plan of Action upholds the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC),
the Conventions of the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
(CERD), and proposes to builds upon the Compilation of All Youth
declarations from the regions, and countries, as well as all relevant
resolutions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights and other UN
Specialized Agencies. The formulation of the Plan of Action is aimed at
establishing and giving priority to actions that should be taken to promote,
protect and implements the rights of youth and children rights.
The Plan of Action recognizes the importance of all regional documents and
position papers and the agreements reached at the World Summit for Children,
the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, the World
Conference on Human Rights, the International Conference on Population and
Development and the World Summit for Social Development, the World
Conference on Women, as well as the Decades to eradicate Racism and Racial
Discrimination which has been launched by the Secretary General, the
International Decade for the Worlds Indigenous Peoples are processes which
have also emphasized the issues of youth, their development and their rights
in the context of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance.
The objective of the Plan of Action that is in full conformity with the
principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law, is
the empowerment and development of youth from all over the world.
Chapters of the Plan of Action:
Chapter 1. EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT
Actions to be taken:
By State Actors ~ Governments:
Revise and change the curricula and the education systems so that they are
adequately resourced and respond to the needs of the community. It must
address the legacies and impacts of colonization, slavery, racism, caste
systems, foreign occupation, religious persecution and migration.
Education systems must recognize and value Indigenous Peoples, people of
African descent, Africans, Roma people, Dalits and other discriminated
against groups knowledge and ways of learning and provide education in
peoples own language.
All educators need to proportionally represent the racial communities that
they serve.
All youth should have equal access and a curriculum related to experiences
and perspectives they live and experience.
Anti-racism curricula should be introduced in early childhood education.
Antiracism and intercultural training within an anti oppression framework
must be mandatory for all educators and staff including officers in
positions of power and the authority, in educational institutions as a pre
requisite to employment and as on going-process.
A comprehensive public awareness campaign that debunks myths around and
positively portrays, immigrants, refugees, Indigenous Peoples, people of
African Descent, Dalits, Roma people, and any other disadvantage group in
the society need to be put in place.
Non-formal educational sectors must recognize and value the ways of learning
and knowledge of Indigenous Peoples, Roma People, Dalits, Africans and
people of African descent and include these people in the design,
development, implementation and provision of education in their own language
to support the full development of young people towards a positive self
image and awareness of their identity.
Governments should combat all forms of segregation in educational
institutions.
States must provide the necessary professional orientation that answers to
the needs of the labor market. Also encourage the exchange of methodologies
between formal and educational institutions and the non-formal educational
sector.
Governments should provide young people with space to come together to
engage in an open dialogue without exclusion, interference or intimidation
for and by young people providing everyone with opportunities to appreciate
diversity as a gift
Governments should include young people in the decision-making processes and
bodies of curricula reform and exchange programs.
By Non State Actors:
Multilateral Financial and development Institutions, including the World
Bank, the International Monetary Fund and regional development institutions,
and by any development cooperation:
Provide and support mechanism for all youth to have access to free and
quality education.
Provide equal access, through the public sector, to technology, specifically
access to the Internet and corresponding training to use it effectively
Provide financial assistance for programs which will lead to the training of
future leaders, to provide cultural exchange programs and opportunities for
affordable overseas studies which will provide young people with exposure to
other cultures and thus increase the levels of respect for other peoples.
To recognize the importance of vocational development as a means to
providing people with the skills to have access to better jobs and at higher
levels.
To promote and allocate the resources for constant sensitivity training
(knowing others by knowing yourself) towards respect among educators and
leaders in the educational field as well as in exchange programs.
By National and International Non-Governmental organizations and religious
institutions, civil society organization, and political parties, United
Nations Specialized Agencies, and development organizations:
Provide professional and institutional support for migrant youth and
oppressed nationalities and ethnicities within a state to deal with the
trauma that can restrict their access to learning.
In respect to the lack of education of young people on the true history of
the world, consult with UNESCO in order to rewrite educational texts to
include the histories of traditionally oppressed peoples of the world.
Develop a sustainable far-reaching anti-racism educational campaign that is
implemented and facilitated at a communal level.
Promote non-violent and peace methods of conflict resolution in the
education system in order to promote respect, understanding and a culture of
peace.
Urge all boards of education in the respective countries to include
representation from all ethnic and cultural groups in order to promote
racial and intercultural harmony.
Chapter 2. HEALTH
Actions to be taken:
By State Actors ~ Governments:
Health is a fundamental human right. Governments should provide free
universal healthcare acknowledging the needs and ensuring equitable access
of young people from ethnic, religious, and racial minorities, refugees,
Roma people, people of African descent, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and
transgenders youth, youth with disabilities, Indigenous youth, and young
women regardless of health problems they face.
To protect, promote and respect the reproductive and sexual rights of young
people.
States need to reform and adopt a community development approach to their
health systems on all levels, to bring specific attention to areas of mental
health, while, at the same time, they continue to maintain a primary focus
on preventive medicine and traditional medicine with an emphasis on
attention towards young people and building a relationships with their
communities.
Youth should have healthcare regarding distribution access of free condoms,
preventive measures, education, support, and treatment of HIV / AIDS as well
as other infections and sexually transmitted infections. We call upon
developed countries to contribute 10.00 billions dollars to the global
Health Fund. Pharmaceutical companies should reduce prices on retroviral
drugs and other products of daily demand in developing countries.
To translate all health information material and educational material into
all used languages in the country. Provide training and mentoring to youth
participants to assist in their effective participation and empowerment in
the field of health.
To respect and promote traditional health system, always bearing in mind the
basic healthy standards of all patients. Health programs should be holistic,
integrated ensuring the inclusion of traditional medicine, practices and
developed in consultation with relevant communities.
Ensure that there is a better representation of marginalized groups in all
levels of decision- making in the public health system.
Given the detrimental impacts of invasion, colonization, displacement,
environmental degradation on the cultural identity, physical, emotional,
mental, and spiritual health well being of Indigenous Peoples. Legislation
ensuring self determination equitable legislation access full rights of
Indigenous Peoples, African descents, Africans, Roma, Dalits and other
ethnic groups to their traditional lands fishing and hunting sights, this
should be implemented and monitored.
Health services should employ experienced intercultural (bilingual) staff
and interpreters with specialized knowledge of the culture they work with
and in, understanding of the country, and consultative skills.
Cross-cultural training should be compulsory and ongoing to ensure staff are
culturally competent and have the ability to interact with and be accepted
by clients from culturally diverse groups.
Research and resources into youth suicide and mental health problems and
development prevention programs should be increased. Programs should be
peer-lead, driven and developed in consultation with young people that
belong to historical excluded groups, culturally and linguistically diverse
people, refugees, Roma, religious minorities, gays, lesbians, bisexuals and
transgender people.
States should create and enforce laws and penalties against multi-national
pharmaceutical companies that export inferior, harmful, and faulty drugs to
developing countries for experiments and profits that should include
protection from malpractice, discrimination, and negligence in the health
system. Young people should be provided with adequate health care,
especially counseling, information on drug and alcohol abuse
Increased funding, resources support to crisis outreach services for young
people at risk, including long term accommodation, drops in centers,
counseling, training, preventive programs that adopt a community development
approach.
By Non-State Actors:
By National and International Non-Governmental organizations and religious
institutions, civil society organization, and political parties and United
Nations specialized Agencies and development organizations:
To implement grass roots health programs and to provide the support and
resources for the ones that are already in place.
To institute independent reviews on sexual and reproductive rights.
Emphasis should be placed on integrity of the family whenever possible.
Moreover, single parents should be provided with a wide range of services to
assist them in caring for their children.
Acknowledging that HIV / AIDS is a global issue where more than half of all
newly HIV infections taking is among youth. Youth currently represents 1/6
of the world population and should be paid to the plight of HIV/AIDS in
orphans. In this respect, care models need to be introduced to empower
caretakers of HIV/AIDS orphans.
In and effect to curb the transmission of HIV/AIDS in children, pre and
post-natal medications must be made readily available to all.
Chapter 3. ENVIRONMENT
Actions to be taken:
By State Actors ~ Governments:
We deplore the widespread environmental degradation of the land and river
sources as well as its impact on Indigenous Peoples and other vulnerable,
disadvantaged or marginalized groups. We call for immediate action to
protect the environment and the health of these people, especially workers
exposed to unsafe working conditions.
We call on the World Conference to recognize and campaign against
environmentally racist policies that target Indigenous Peoples, poor,
disadvantaged and vulnerable groups for environmental degradation or
destruction, including nuclear testing, dumping of chemical or nuclear
waste, using storing or deploring toxic, nuclear and other weapons of mass
destruction, deforestation, irresponsible mining operations, oil pollution,
timber logging and military bombing exercises on colonies, former colonies
or occupied territories such as Vieques, Puerto Rico. We call on past and
present polluters to provide the detoxification of polluted sites and the
people who live near them.
We call on the states to fully reinforce legislation and policies that
protect all of society from dangerous practices and toxins like lead and
asbestos that tend to pollute the environment and cause adverse affects. We
call on States to fund research, environmental impact studies, technical
assistance, and health resources to Indigenous Peoples, African and African
descent, disadvantaged people, and communities impacted by environmental
racism, pollution, contamination, and degradation. We call on the States to
cease the appropriation and exploitation of Indigenous People, their
traditional medicine and traditional food sources.
We call on the states to force multi-national corporations to abide by
international safety norms and offer compensatory measures to affected
communities and guarantee a healthy and sustainable existence for all
members of society and cease the use of deceptive practices that promise
economic resources to Indigenous Peoples and disadvantaged people without
revealing information about adverse health effects or environmental
degradation as a result of proposed sitings, such as megadams that displace
people from their homes.
We call on States to cease the land appropriation and land exploitation of
Indigenous Peoples, African and African descent, and farmers from
disadvantaged or vulnerable groups.
We call on States to provide equal access to all forms of transportation and
housing.
We recognize and condemn the deceptive lobbying by multinational
corporations of community leaders to support and promote environmental
developments without the full disclosure of negative health and
environmental degradation.
We call on States to provide adequate housing for vulnerable groups
including equal access to running water, heat, electricity and to provide
accessibility, security and private sanitation, especially protection from
forced eviction for Roma people, Indigenous Peoples, African and African
descents and all other marginalized groups.
By Non State Actors:
Multilateral Financial and development Institutions, including the World
Bank, the International Monetary Fund and regional development institutions,
and by any development cooperation.
Ensure opportunities for young women, including Indigenous women, African,
and African descent, to participate in environmental decision-making at all
levels, including as managers, designers and planners, and as implementers
and evaluators of environmental projects.
Facilitate and increase youth access to information and education, including
in the areas of science, technology, agriculture, and economics, thus
enhancing their knowledge capacity for self determination, skill and
opportunities for participation in environmental decision making.
We call on governments to provide funding and resources to develop implement
research, clinical and technical facilities to address and treat
environmental health problems.
Chapter 4. JUSTICE (LEGAL MEASURES)
Actions to be taken:
By State Actors ~ Governments:
We demand that Governments should acknowledge and compensate peoples
affected in various forms and observe legal instruments and institutions to
ensure human rights of all people.
We recommend the establishing of a Human Rights Unit as part of the Office
of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to dealt specifically with racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, with a specific
Youth Unit to be an integral part of this monitoring and call upon the
Secretary General to provide the required funding for its effective
functioning and implementation.
We demand to mainstream and intersectional analysis of various forms of
discrimination, including racial and gender discrimination, into design and
implementation of programs of the UN system in social, economic and
political domains;
We call on States to take all the appropriate measures to combat segregation
of settlements of Roma people, Indigenous Peoples and any other groups
particularly affected by these policies;
To eradicate law practices that portray youth as criminals, which are
classify frequently based on stereotypes of race, social class and/or sexual
orientation.
We demand the elimination of the substantive norms, laws and judicial
processes that condemn children (child as defined by the International
Convention on the Rights of the Child) to sentencing as adults and
incarceration with adults, the use of the death penalty and life
imprisonment without parole.
Call for the creation, unilateral acceptance, and ratification of a
Universal Declaration of Youth Rights by all members States and its active
implementation.
We demand UN members States to integrate the Human Rights framework in their
judicial systems; specifically the mechanism of protection and international
instruments, in order to ensure the existence and application of laws that
protect youth.
Understanding that the death penalty unfairly targets disadvantaged groups
we call on States to eliminate the death penalty for all persons.
We call for swift and effective punishment of all crimes against youth,
especially those committed on account of their culture, race, gender, class,
color, ethnic origin, language, religion and sexual orientation or because
they are Indigenous Peoples, African, or people of African descent.
Children under 18 should not be forced to fight in armed conflict or war.
Children can not volunteer in military services. We call for all states to
ratify the additional protocol and the United Nations to ensure its
enforcement
We urge States to devise and enforce legal provisions for the protection of
people belonging to communities with a distinct ethnic identity, such as
Sikhs. Individuals belonging to such groups face discrimination on a
complex interplay of racial, ethnic, cultural and religious barriers and
therefore may not be covered by existing legislation and policies that
protect race or religion.
We call for monitoring of deaths in custody of marginalized people and
increase funding, resources and support for deaths in custody watch
committees.
We call government to provide legislation to interdite political parties who
have political principles against human rights, as fascist, racist, nazi, or
another form of intolerance.
We call all States to implement and adopt to its national constitutions the
additional Protocol on the Rights of Children in Conflict which prohibit the
enrollment of children under the age of 18 into armed forces.
We demand that youth under 18 should not be obligated to fight in armed
conflicts or wars.
Young people should not be coerced by their governments or military forces
to join the military service.
Governments should grant amnesty to all child political prisoners as well as
child prisoners of war. Furthermore, special attention should be paid to
redress the particular challenges facing child political prisoners and child
prisoners of war such as solitary confinement and torture. This amnesty and
attention of redress should be inclusive of imprisoned children as well as
adults who were imprisoned as children.
We urge governments to eliminate the presence of police and armed law
enforcement in educational environments and to create and implement
alternative programs to address youth offenses that occur within educational
institutions such as: peer to peer counseling, qualified alternative
schools, parent, school and teacher counseling.
We call on States to provide resources to enable NGOs and Youth Groups to
implement programs that support equal access and equal treatment of young
people.
We call on UN Member States to integrate the human rights framework
standards and protection mechanism in their judicial system, especially the
mechanism of protection.
We call on States to provide full citizenship rights to all youth and not to
discriminate against youth of a particular group on the basis of citizenship
or their status or condition of residence.
We call for the design, implementation and enforcement of laws to stop
transitional shipment of hazardous wastes and toxic substances and medicines
banned in their country of origin.
We call on States to legalize all of the citizens living in the countries to
ensure the access to basic need and full citizenship on a residence basis.
By Non State Actors:
By National and International Non-Governmental organizations and religious
institutions, civil society organization, and political parties.
Promote the implementation of alternative programs that assure adequate
social reintegration of young offenders; such as providing financial
resources for a cultural and community centers and skills building to
prepare for useful participation in the society.
We encourage the NGO community to promote diversity understanding in the
application of the law and to provide support for the access to legal bodies
in your own languages, or with the adequate translation.
Mandatory sentencing laws should be repealed and replace with prevention,
early intervention and rehabilitation programs, which are developed and
implemented in consultation with indigenous peoples communities. Young
people should be provided with interpreters when police charges are laid and
in the prison system.
We call for all developed countries to introduce international student cards
that would enable the basic right of free movement to the African victims of
racist discriminatory laws and all other youth affected by this policies.
NGOs should help further utilized all their means for fostering
reconciliation with regards to conflict resolution among the most vulnerable
groups in the society.
We recommend that NGOs help integrate immigrants into local communities by
developing workshops and programs that can be widely implemented on the
communal level.
Chapter 5. POVERTY & ECONOMY (GLOBALIZATION)
Action to be taken:
By State Actors ~ Governments:
We call state actors to recognize that poverty crisis propounds racist
attitudes and problems of poverty must be addressed as a stepping stone
towards eradicating racism.
We demand that states adopt the most effective methods in order to
discourage sex trafficking and labor practices that are exploitative of
young people. With emphasis on conducting an investigation of the role of
globalization in the increased profits from sex trafficking and labor
practices that are exploitive of young people.
We call on governments to recognize that the poverty crisis propounds racist
attitudes and we therefore, state that Poverty is a violation of human
rights.
Oppose a world that increasingly resembles a global system in which the
forces of globalization disproportionately benefit the Western Nations and
rich individuals and disproportionately harm the poor and the developing
nations in terms of poverty, environmental degradation, and social
disintegration.
Demand that government institutions recognize that they have
responsibilities towards the Indigenous and local people whose land they
have destroyed through their project development.
We demand for the land restitution program that will address the land quest
for historical dispossess communities, especially ex colonial countries.
Demand that multi-national corporations no longer be allowed to patent the
resources of Indigenous Peoples and people around the world or to deny them
access to their traditional ways of life.
By Non State Actors:
Multilateral Financial and development Institutions, including the World
Bank, the International Monetary Fund and regional development institutions,
and by any development cooperation:
Demand that multinational corporations no longer be allowed to patent the
resources of Indigenous Peoples and people of African descents, and Africans
or to deny them access to their traditional ways of life.
We call for a revision of the current World Trade Organization, the
International Financial Institutions policies and regulations involving
young people; in order to create and environment which will allow developing
countries to be responsible for fixing, monitoring and controlling the
prices of their products and resources produced or extracted on their
countries.
Insist that multinational corporations that employ young people provide for
safe and humane working conditions at living wages that allow them to
provide a meaningful income for their families.
Insist that multinational corporations be prohibited from using the lands
and territories of Indigenous Peoples and African and People of African
descent.
We demand that the private sector provide humane and safe conditions for all
workers, paying special attention to young workers; that allow them to be
employed and to receive job training.
By National and International Non-Governmental organizations and religious
institutions, civil society organization, and political parties:
International NGOs need to provide financial aid to local NGOs to combat the
effects of racism, racial discrimination on the ground.
We request international bodies and organizations to unconditionally cancel
the debt for developing countries that are unable to further economic
development due to the high burden of debt servicing.
Chapter 6. MEDIA & NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES (INTERNET)
Action to be taken:
By State Actors ~ Governments:
We recommend that governments take more responsibility for disallowing the
propagation and normalization of racist images in the media and that they
take a proactive approach to promote positive images of all peoples,
specifically the combination of the medias negative portrayal of young
African and African descendants and the lack of promotion of positive
images.
We recommend that states strengthen the broadcast of public service
channels, and that governments use the media to increase awareness of
economic, employment and other opportunities, that are available to each
immigrant, refugees, Indigenous Peoples, Peoples of African descents.
We demand the provision of equal representatives of different racial,
national, ethnic, religious groups existing within the states in all public
media.
By Non State Actors:
By National and International Non-Governmental organizations and religious
institutions, civil society organization, and political parties.
We urge all international and national non-governmental organizations to
develop and promote campaigns that encourages youth participation in
decision making within the media.
We commit ourselves to develop and implement projects around monitoring acts
of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance with
particular reference to reports and publications covering African and
African descendants, Indigenous peoples, immigrants, refugees, of both
public and private media institutions.
Young people must be encouraged to speak out collectively for their rights
and issues of concern. Increased funding and resources for media, Internet
and public speaking training programs for young people to facilitate
self-representation and community participation.
Chapter 7. MINORITY RIGHTS
Action to be taken:
By State Actors ~ Governments:
Develop and implement educational programs in ORIGINAL LANGUAJES aimed at
encouraging the participation of young people from minority background.
Allocate the necessary funds to allow youth organizations working in the
field of minority rights to successfully carry projects aimed at involving
young people from minority background in the society at all levels.
Facilitate the participation of people from minority background within the
Governmental structures and in the decision making processes
We call for the eradication of systematic barriers to education, healthcare,
housing, unemployment and other social services that prevent minority
communities from developing, including the development of programs aimed at
promoting intercultural understanding among young people.
By Non State Actors:
Multilateral Financial and development Institutions, including the World
Bank, the International Monetary Fund and regional development institutions,
and by any development cooperation.
By National and International Non-Governmental organizations and religious
institutions, civil society organization, and political parties.
Youth organizations can play a very important role in the inclusion of young
people from minority background through their activities and their
structures. Particular attention should be paid to the way in which policies
and positions taken can affect young people from minority background and
their participation in youth organizations and in society in general. [As
well, Youth Organizations need to assume leadership in the fight to
eliminate discriminatory behaviors as well as advocate the faithful
implementation of laws and policies.]
Chapter 8. MULTIPLE FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION & INTERSECTION (YOUNG WOMEN)
Actions to be taken:
By State Actors ~ Governments:
Review and modify, with the full and equal participation of all women,
especially young marginalized women, in macroeconomic policies and social
policies with a view to achieving the objectives of the Plan of Action.
Analyze from a gender perspective, within an intersectional framework,
policies and programs including those related to macroeconomic stability,
structural adjustment, external debt problems, taxation, education, health
care, social security, social services, justice systems, immigration and
refugee policies specifically about women African descent, Indigenous
Peoples, African, Dalit, Roma, investments, employment, markets and all
relevant sectors of the economy-with respect to their impact on poverty, on
inequality and particularly on women; assess the impact on their well being
and conditions and adjust them, as appropriate, to promote more equitable
distribution of productive assets, wealth, opportunities, income and
services.
We demand from State actors to recognize the special status of Indigenous
Peoples and national minorities, including those who have become national
minorities through a process of colonization and dispossession of their
land, and to ensure that their social, economic, political and cultural
rights are protected by law.
Develop a systematic and coordinated information, education and advocacy
program on peace, respect for children, womens rights and cultural
differences.
Develop and implement anti-poverty and self-sufficiency programs, including
resources for womens community organizations that improve access to social
and economic services and decision-making mechanisms, for women living in
poverty and women working in the informal sector.
In partnership with womens organizations, implement measures to promote and
protect the human rights of young marginalized women and children who are
victims of all forms of violence, including sex trafficking, armed conflict,
ethnic cleansing, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, displacement and
dispossession.
Recognize the role of police, military and other state actors in
perpetrating violence against women especially Dalit women, refugee,
immigrant, Indigenous Peoples, African descent and minority women and women
living in occupied territories and take immediate measures to eliminate
all state violence against women.
Implement anti-discrimination measures that recognize that women from
certain ethnic communities and national minorities with a distinct identity,
such as the Sikhs, Roma people, Indigenous Peoples, African descent, Muslims
face discrimination on a complex interplay of racial, ethnic, cultural and
religious barriers.
Develop and implement programs and mechanisms, particularly youth led
strategies, to ensure full participation in decision-making of young
marginalized women at all levels of society towards their empowerment,
enjoyment of equal rights, and development of their full participation.
Further commit adequate resources and funding to these strategies.
We urge governments to legalize abortion in States where it is not already
legal in order to ensure womens access to sexual health education and
quality health services.
The physical and psychological violence, forced sterilization, forced
pregnancy and female genital mutilation must be recognized as a universal
crime without regarding cultural prejudices. The Member States must
guarantee day-care centers in universities and workplaces and free access to
education for young women.
Governments must adopt effective action to combat sexual tourism and
exploitation that especially affect children and young women.
Develop and implement programs to achieve the full participation of young
women in society at all levels
By Non State Actors:
Multilateral Financial and development Institutions, including the World
Bank, the International Monetary Fund and regional development institutions,
and by any development cooperation.
We reject structural adjustment programs that have been imposed by the
above organizations and other similar organizations that eradicate the
sovereignty and eliminate the self-determination of the people.
We demand social and economic development programs that address the needs
and guarantee the full enjoyment of citizenship of all historically
discriminated groups on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, caste and
class including women, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual people,
disabled, poor, indigenous, immigrant, and those living with HIV/AIDS.
Similarly, Youth NGOs should review the international and national laws
which exclude the above mentioned people. Human rights must not be violated
under the justification of cultural and religious sovereignty.
We recommend that the World Health Organization must have an integral and
holistic vision about health, multi-ethnicity at different levels, and
develop public policies especially addressed to children and young women.
In accordance with the commitments made at the World Summit for Social
Development, seek to mobilize new and additional financial resources that
are both adequate and predictable and mobilized in a way that maximizes the
availability of such resources and uses all available funding sources and
mechanism with a view to contributing towards the goal of poverty
eradication and targeting women living in poverty;
We demand for an International parallel process for youth to discuss and
shape their attitude and contribution towards the World Summit for
Sustainable Development which is due to take place next September and many
other international conference to take place over the next coming ten years.
We further demand for the establishment of an exclusive Youth Secretariat to
work with focus in ensuring the youth input from National, regional and
international level.
Ensure that structural adjustments programs are designed to minimize their
negative effects on vulnerable and disadvantage groups and communities and
to assure their positive effects on such groups and communities and to
assure their positive effects on such groups and communities and to assure
their positive effects on such groups by preventing their marginalization in
economic and social activities; take actions to reduce inequality and
economic disparity.
Create and enabling environment that allows women to build and maintain
sustainable livelihoods.
By National and International Non-Governmental organizations and religious
institutions, civil society organization, and political parties:
Mobilize all parties involved in the development process, including academic
institutions, non governmental organizations and grass roots and youth
groups to improve the effectiveness of anti poverty programs directed
towards the poorest and most disadvantage groups of women, such as rural and
Indigenous women, refugees and migrant women and women with disability
Ensure that structural economic adjustment programs in their many forms are
designed to eliminate their negative effects on vulnerable and disadvantage
groups and communities and to assure their positive effects on such groups
by preventing their marginalization in economic and social activities; take
actions to eliminate inequality and economic disparity.
Youth organizations should play the fundamental role of ensuring the active
and full participation of young women [in decision-making processes] both in
their activities and in their structures [especially in issues such as
health and environment].
Chapter 9. HUMAN RIGHTS & CITIZENSHIP
Action to be taken:
By State Actors ~ Governments:
Equal opportunity and human rights should have the power to act on
discrimination cases, without the victim lodging a complaint. Increased
funding of legal aid and advocacy services, to assist young people to make
charges against racial discrimination.
The governments should substantially increase immigration intake under the
family and humanitarian/refugee programs to ensure there is equity in
different streams. The immigration intake policy should not discriminate on
the basis of health and disability and other disadvantage groups.
Mandatory detention of refugees should be repealed and replaced by a model
of integrating and supporting refugees in the community. Restrictive social
welfare policies that have denied migrants assistance during their most
vulnerable period in the world should be repealed.
We demand from state actors to ensure that all citizens have equal access to
state controlled resources, including land, natural resources and government
budgets allocations, and that this right to be protected by law.
We call upon the states to review and enact all the discriminatory
citizenship laws, especially those regarding naturalization.
We urge States to devise and enforce legal provisions for the protection of
people belonging to communities with a distinct ethnic identity, such as the
Siks, Muslims, and Jewish people; as individuals belonging to such groups
may not be cover by existing human rights legislation and policies which are
based on limitations and reasonable groups that protect race or religion.
Chapter 10. COLONIALISM & FOREIGN OCCUPATION & NEW FORM OF APARTHEID
Action to be taken:
By State Actors ~ Governments:
We demand from state actors to respect and implement international law that
protects the rights of all refugees and displaced persons in particular
their right to return to their lands and homes, and for those refugees who
are not protected by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to be
provided with effective and permanent United Nations protection, until their
situation is resolved according to principles of international law.
We demand from state actors who continue to oppress and subject peoples
under foreign occupation, colonialism and new forms of apartheid,
particularly Israel to cease and desist from the excessive and lawful use of
force against Palestinian civilians, especially children and young people,
we demand from the United Nation members states provide immediate measures
including economic and trade sanctions, embargoes, cutting off all sporting
diplomatic and other ties until the abolishment of foreign occupation,
colonialism and new forms of apartheid.
Human rights observes have noted that since September 2001, more than
one-third of all Palestinians killed by Israeli soldiers and settlers are
youth under 18 years old.
We call from an unconditional Israel withdrawal from all territories
occupied in 1967 in accordance with UN resolution 242 and the Palestinian
peoples right to self-determination.
We call the United Nations members states to stop further military aid to
Israel (currently at $ 3 billion a year) on Israels compliance with the US
Arms Export Control Act of 1976 and Foreign Act of 1976 and Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961, which prohibit the sale of US weapons to countries
that violate human rights.
We demand the countries involved to provide referendum for Puerto Rico and
Tibet under international monitoring in order to express their own
willingness for sovereignty and any other political options.
We demand and end to the targeting and execution of human rights defenders
and to stop the continued violations of human rights in Tibet.
We demand that the dollarization of economies in the Americas be recognized
as a form of colonialism.
We note that the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in other parts
of the African Continent has destabilized and restricted growth in the
entire African Continent. We support the withdrawal of all foreign troops
in the various continental conflicts and call for complete measures to be
instituted to ensure democratically elected governments. The UN fund a
substantial peacekeeping force.
We support the millennium partnership for the new African Initiative as
proposed by African leaders and ask that it be officially adopted, accepted
and supported internationally.
By Non State Actors:
Multilateral Financial and development Institutions, including the World
Bank, the International Monetary Fund and regional development institutions,
and by any development cooperation & National and International
Non-Governmental organizations and religious institutions, civil society
organization, and political parties:
We urge for the immediate formation of a UN observer force to the region,
including Israel and territories occupied in 1967.We further call for the
investigation and prosecutions of crimes against Palestinian people
perpetrated by the Israelis.
We urge the Secretary General to allocate the necessary funding for UNWRA to
meet its mandate, particularly re: education and womens health services.
We call on international NGOs to engage with their Palestinian and Israeli
counterparts working for and end Israel occupation and the creation of
frameworks for a just and lasting peace in the region. Palestinian and
Israeli womens NGOs in particular have taken courageous stand on the
current conflict. These groups should be recognized and supported by
international NGOs working in the region.
We call on business worldwide to divest from the Israeli economy until such
time as Israel abides by UN Resolutions and international human rights
standards.
We call for the establishment of a war crimes tribunal to investigate and
bring to justice those who may be guilty of war crimes, acts of genocide and
ethnic cleansing and the crime of apartheid which amount to crimes against
humanity, that have been or continue to be perpetrated against people who
lived and continue to live under foreign occupation, colonialism and new
forms of apartheid.
We call on the UN Security Council and in particular the United States to
lift the sanctions against Iraq.
We call upon the UN to put pressure on countries that exercise gender
apartheid and caste as they rob women of their basic human rights.
We demand UN Member States to convene a Youth Conference on the rights of
Indigenous Peoples in 2004.
Chapter 11. SLAVERY & SLAVE TRADE: COMPENSATION & REPARATIONS
Actions to be taken:
By State Actors ~ Governments:
Recognizing that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and
rights, we urge all states to officially recognize that slavery (e.g., the
enslavement of Africans, child slavery, the Dalits, sexual slavery and the
enslavement of indigenous peoples) is a crime against humanity, that those
who were and still are directly involved benefited economically from forced
labor, and that the victims of the slave trade (including the descendants of
these slaves) must be compensated for the violation of their human rights.
We call upon for the transformation of the UN security Council particularly
on its permanent membership status to be open up to other UN members states
unconditional uplifting of the sanctions against Iraq and Cuba from the
Security Council and in particular the United States of America.
We demand that:
All states declare slavery as a crime against humanity;
To put pressure on the government of Afghanistan to demand the rights of
human rights workers particularly women.
All states that benefited economically from slavery officially recognize
their involvement and take concrete measures to compensate the victims of
the slave trade by allocating funding to various education, health, economic
and political empowerment programs developed, directed and implemented by
the descendants of enslaved peoples and guaranteeing the active and
effective involvement of youth at all levels (this may occur in the form of
investment in the Fond Mondial de Solidarité);
All states that were actively involved in slavery (notably the United
States, Western Europe, and Middle Eastern countries) or colonial practices
must compensate enslaved peoples (and their descendants) for the damages
inflicted upon them and must create, implement, financially support programs
designed to empower these peoples;
The United Nations create an affiliated, international organ within existing
instruments in order to monitor and improve the treatment of the descendants
of enslaved peoples;
The truth about slavery, its victims and its perpetrators (including state
actors and multinational corporations) must be incorporated into all history
books which are used in all schools across the world and resources are
allocated to ensure that education is accessible to all people;
Ensure that member states of the United Nations ratify the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, the Child Rights Commission, the CERD, and
CEDAW and that further legislation be formulated and implemented in which
minority groups are involved in all levels of the formulation and
implementation processes;
That states demonstrate solidarity to the citizens of politically
destabilized states, which are administered by corrupt regimes and actively
combat contemporary forms of slavery
The debts of African, Caribbean, Latin American and Asian governments which
are owed to foreign governments and international lending agencies be
cancelled, that the governments and institutions invest in the
revitalization of these countries through initiative organizations and
program implementations such as the New Africa Initiative, and that states
return stolen art from Africa;
Programs designed for the descendants of slaves do not discriminate unfairly
based on region, country, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion or
disability;
General amnesty for political prisoners across the world, especially those
in the United States, and the demilitarization of occupied zones such as
Vieques in Puerto Rico and Guantanamo Bay in Cuba; and
All people are given the right to self-determination and universal health
care including medication for HIV/AIDS.
That the International Community recognize that chattel slavery and other
forms of involuntary servitude imposed in past centuries on Africans and
their descendants and on Indigenous Peoples of the Americas as well as the
slave trade itself, constituted crimes under the domestic law of the time in
some cases, and today, could constitute crimes against humanity under
International Law; Resultant damages to these communities require the
allocation of substantial international and national resources for their
redress.
We join other organizations in advocating the establishment of international
reparations measures that will allocate funds for the economic, political,
cultural, and social development of people of African descent in Africa and
the Americas.
Global Youth Positions ~ International Instruments and Mechanism of
Enforcement:
Urges State Actors that have not yet done so without delay to sign and
ratify and to allocate the required financial support for its full
implementation of the following instruments:
a. The Convention against Discrimination in Education, adopted by the
General Conference of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural
Organization;
b. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women, with a view to achieving universal ratification within five years,
and to sign and ratify the Optional Protocol;
c. The Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Minimum Age Convention,
1973 (No.138) and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No.182)
of the International Labour Organization;
d. The Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 and (No.169) of the
International Labour Organization and the Convention on Biological
Diversity, and revise Convention No.169, in consultation with Indigenous
Peoples, to overcome its deficiencies, in order to progress in the
eradication of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance;
e. The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All
Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families of 1990, and to prohibit and
prevent discriminatory treatment against foreigners and migrant workers,
inter alia concerning the granting of visas, work permits, family
conditions, housing and access to justice, and health systems base on race,
colour, descents or national of ethnic origin;
f. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court;
g. The United National Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and
the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons,
Especially Women and Children supplementing the Convention, in order to end
practices that lead to various kinds of servitude and exploitation such as
debt bondage, slavery and sexual or labour exploitation;
As well to provide specific attention to:
The International Youth Summit calls on States to financially and morally
support the creation and operation of an Independent Non-Governmental
youth-driven Global Youth Network to advocate youth issues in the framework
of the youth Declaration and Plan of Action.
We also call for an annual monitoring mechanism to ensure that youth
organization representatives to meet and exchange information and best
practices fight against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and
Related Intolerance.
We call for the co-operation of the aforementioned Global Youth Network with
other existing youth networks, such as the World Youth Forum of the UN Youth
Unit, The Regional Youth Forums in Africa, Europe, The Americas, The
Asia-Pacific and world wide issue-based youth networks including Human
Rights, Environmental, Religious and peace movements.
The States should ensure that youth organizations representatives are
greatly supported in participating in the development and implementation of
the Tent Year review of the WCAR Plan of Action through the provision of
resources and political support to contribute to the elimination of racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance both at the
International and domestic level, emphasizing the value of childrens and
young peoples experience and encouraging exchange programs that allow all
children and young people to work with their peers from all over the world,
in order to enhance international bonds of solidarity.
CLOSING REMARKS
Gratitude to the great efforts made by the members of the Drafting Committee
and the International Youth Committee, and the South African Youth Task
Team, the final version was adopted on September 2, 2001 at 1:00 am in the
Criket Stadium in the context of the United Nations NGO Forum for the World
Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related
Intolerance.
Durban, South Africa 2001.
Note of Appendixes:
- Compilation of Youth Declarations
- Members of the Drafting Team by region
- Members of the South African Youth Task Team
- Members of the International Youth Committee
- Participants during the International Youth Summit
- Note of Protest by United Nations Association of China on the question of
Tibet
- Note of Protest by the European Union of Jewish Students on the grounds of
facing anti-semitic views express by participants of the NGO Forum.
ANEXES
· Compilation of Youth Declarations and Programs of Actions:
Europe:
- Declaration of Europe: Values Have No Boundaries Action for the
Millennium
[Coventry, United Kingdom ~ 10.16 August 2000]
European Youth Forum Position Paper
[Brussels ~ 19.20 May 2001]
Americas:
- Declaration of the Americas Regional Youth Caucus
[Santiago, Chile ~ 3.7 December 2000 / Quito, Ecuador ~ 12.13 March 2001]
Asia / Pacific:
- Declaration of Asia: Asian Youth Statement
[Melaka, Malaysia ~ 20.27 July 2001]
Africa:
- Declaration of Africa: Pan African Youth Forum
[Kigali, Rwanda ~ 18.23 August 2001]
Africa Youth Declaration
Durban, South Africa 2001
· International Youth Caucus Consultation
- Youth Consultation Results.
[Geneva, Switzerland ~ 31 May 2001]
· Country Specific Declarations:
- South Africa: Child and Youth Declaration. 6.7 March 2001.
- Australia: Youth Consultation Recommendations. 10 April 2001.
- Philippines: Youth Declaration and Programme of Action. 28 May 2001.
- Canada: National Youth Forum Declaration. 13.15 July 2001.
. Peru : 15 al 17 de August 2001 Latin American Youth
Conference
· Issue Specific Declarations:
- Youth of African Descents Declaration. Uruguay 21.27 July 2001.
- Arab Youth Declaration. Manama, Bahrain 28.29 July 2001.
- Indigenous Youth Declaration. Geneva, Switzerland 30 July.10 August 2001.
- Afrikan Youth Declaration, Norway 2001.
- Roma Youth Declaration, Durbam South Africa 2001.
- Indigenous Youth Global Youth Declaration, Durban, South Africa 2001.
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