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Thursday, March 11, 2010, 16:37 



Home » UN Joint Programmes » UNTGY

Background

Justification
UN Agencies and Youth
Mechanism and Working Modalities
Workplan 2005-2007
Global UNTGY

Indonesia is the fourth most populous county in the world with a population estimated to reach 221 million people in 2006. In the same year, young people aged 10-24, are estimated to reach 66.5 million. These young people are the most valuable investment of Indonesia for a better future. With the many pressing social, economical and health issues in the country presently, the situation of young people becomes more aggravated and serious. For example, in the formal education sector, since the social and economical crisis in 1998, there are many young people who have been forced to drop out of schools. The number of girls who dropped out of formal education is higher compare to boys. The IDHS 2002/3 data indicate that around 62% women had only primary level education or less. Whereas the level of education is an important factor that links a person to a better economical and social status, education is also a factor influencing peoples’ perceptions in order to make them amenable to accept new ideas. For girls, education is a powerful means to affect changes in social and economic status as well as control over own lives, health status and fertility.

In the employment sector, the data shows that in 2001 the number of unemployed people aged 15-29 is estimated to 6.1 million. Instead being the country asset, they have become another country burden. Poverty has also touched young people with 8.6 million poor youth in 2002 representing 15 % of the youth population and 22 % of the 38.4 million poor in the country. Many of the young people living in poverty have lost their youth life and have been forced to work in their physical and mental health. For example some of them, especially girls, have been forced to work in the sex industry. Estimation from 2003 stated there were at least 230.000 female sex workers and more than 60% of them are below 24 years of age.

In the health sector the situation is also in a great concern. Estimation from the National Narcotics Board shows that there are at least 2 million drug addicts not including smokers. Most of them are young people. While there is no data on Sexually Transmitted Diseases, HIV/AIDS reported cases among young people are accelerating rapidly. Ministry of Health report per June 2007 AIDS cases reported 9689 accumulatively, of which around 53.87% are in the age of 20-29 years.(DC and EH, MOH)

Youth have specific needs that relate to their particular stage in life that are often different to those of adults or children. Their needs are much more acute at this stage of their development, and unlike children, they tend to lack an accessible safety net e.g. parents, guardians, or school structure for out-of-school youth. Furthermore, youth is a period of emotional, social and sexual maturing, during which their identities are formed. In this process, young people are in a stage in life where they are developing their values and behaviors. Consequently, their needs relate to the unique problems and risks they face as young persons in the route to adulthood.

As mentioned in the UNDAF, young people with their specific needs are part of the vulnerable groups that have to be protected and empowered. Because vulnerability is a consequence of disempowerment and exclusion from decision-making and a lack of access on an equal basis to resources and opportunities, not only among the poor, but among groups that are geographically or socially isolated. Vulnerability is mainly caused by circumstances, rather than inherent characteristics.

Justification

Young people aged 10-24 years face many constraints to overcoming their problems and have little opportunity to have their voice heard. As a human being, the above background data shows that many young people in Indonesia still have limited access to their rights. Due to cultural norms or stereotyping young people often suffer greater difficulty in accessing their rights than other sections of society.

Engaging young people in development programs not only brings about benefits to the young people themselves but also enables them to be agents of social change in their communities. Meaningful participation is essential to the development of youth, as it helps young people, who have often been denied a voice in decisions about their own lives, learn important life skills and develop aspirations for the future. In order to alleviate the problems young people face and enable young people to fully engage in society, it is crucial to promote their positive attributes. Unfortunately Indonesia’s policy and programme agendas are still weak in addressing the needs of young people. The UN has shown its concern on the issues of young people through its UNDAF. However it is clear that more concrete and collaborative efforts need to be done by the UN as young Indonesian people are in urgent need to get support and be empowered.

United Nations Theme Group on Youth

The United Nations (UN)’s concern on young people has been shown in its UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) planning to support the government and people of Indonesia. However looking at the crucial problems of young people in Indonesia and how to provide better supports through a good mechanism of comprehensive coordination and joint UN action at the country level there are justifiable needs for the UN to have a special UN Theme Group (UNTG) on Youth.

I. General Goal

To contribute to effective coordination of young people related interventions, policy and programmes with the aim of empowering young people to effectively respond to their needs in Indonesia

II. Objectives

  1. Undertake, sharing and exchange information, data and experiences
  2. Undertake advocacy, promote and support the government to apply related international agreement, declarations and policies.
  3. Provide financial and technical support to the country responses
  4. Undertake joint planning and action
  5. Mobilize resources
  6. Increase and strengthen the UN country team’s commitment to improve the situation and condition of young people in Indonesia
  7. Undertake advocacy, promote and support the government to accommodate participation of all stakeholders including the youth themselves in development planning and implementation of policies

The UNTG on Young People will translate the Objectives above into Specific Objectives so it could comprehensively respond the prioritise issues of young people at that time frame.

As the basic principles and references for the work of the proposed UNTG on Youth, UN international conference declarations; the Declaration on the Promotion among Youth of the Ideals of Peace; Mutual Respects and Understanding between Peoples (1965); Lisbon Declaration on Youth (1998); World Youth Forum outputs (1991, 1996, 1998); Dakar Youth Empowerment Strategy (2001) will all be used. At the country level, besides the UNDAF, the UNTG will also take into account related national guidelines and policies.

III. Specific Objectives for 2005-2007

Five specific objectives have been formulated to cover the period 2005-2007:

  1. Management and Knowledge Sharing

    Until now each UN agency is working by its own on the issues of young people according to their mandate. Similar situation is happening with UN partners and networks. This Specific Objective no. 1 is in line with General Objectives no. 1 and 6.

  2. Policy Development on Youth

    Until now, Indonesia does not have any explicit policy that could protect and empower young people. Some existing policies are in fact hindering young people from accessing information and services that are important for them.

    Based on the above situation, it is crucial for the UNTG on Youth to support and motivate the government on managing the youth issues. Not only to give more focus to the next generation of this nation in the country’s development process, but also to facilitate the development of a comprehensive policy that can be used as a solid foundation for appropriate programs according to the needs of young people. This Specific Objective no. 2 is in line with the General Objectives no. 2, 3, 5, and 7.

  3. Indonesian Youth Profile

    Another important aspect that is missing in relation to the young people in Indonesia is the lack of a comprehensive profile of young people. Some indicators of the social and economic situation of young people in Indonesia have been integrated into other national sources of data collections. The data is usually not complete or only take into account superficial aspects of deeper problems.

    Without good and updated data, planning and implementation of good programs for young people cannot be accurate. This is also important since many of the Indonesian policy makers are also in denial of the real situation and of the problems of young people.

    With the comparative advantage of each agency in the UN in relation to the young people issues, the UNTG is in a good position to push the Indonesian Government in developing comprehensive and updated national data of young people. This Specific Objective no. 3 is in line with General Objective no. 3,4, and 5.

  4. Advocacy on Youth

    To support Indonesia in having high quality and needs based policies, data and programs for young people, there is a need for UNTG to have good advocacy strategy and programs for multi stakeholders. This Specific Objective no. 4 is in line with General Objectives no. 2, 5, 6, and 7.

  5. Contribution to the 10th World Programme of Action on Youth

    The World Program of Action on Youth (WPAY) is one of the main guidance for the UN agencies to develop programs to protect and empower young people. The year 2005 is the 10th anniversary of WPAY, which makes this year a golden opportunity for the UN Indonesia office to show its contribution to the WPAY. Since now is already 2007, this 5th objective should be revised This Specific Objective no. 4 is in line with General Objectives no. 4 and 6

Mechanism and Working Modalities

  1. UNTG on Youth

    The core membership of the UNTG will be the agency heads in Indonesia. The main role of the Theme Group is to make policy decisions, approve programmes, play a key role in the advocacy process and take the lead in resource mobilization within the UN system. The Resident Coordinator will delegate responsibility to the Theme Group Chair who is the head of the lead agency to direct the UN responses to youth problems and issues in Indonesia. A vice chairperson will also be identified to become the chairperson after 2 years.

    At national policy level, the Theme Group will establish extensive networks and collaboration with government institutions such as the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Health, Ministry of National Education, Ministry of Religion Affair the Ministry of Manpower, the National AIDS Commission, or the Ministry of Social Welfare; non governmental organizations (NGOs); the private sector; research and educational institutions and other related community based organizations.

  2. Technical Working Group

    The Technical Working Group (TWG) comprises of appointed staff from each agency in the UN. It is the task of each agency to select appropriate staff to represent the agency on more regular basis. The main responsibility of the TWG is to oversee day-to-day activities and report back to the Theme Group. The TWG will also establish network and collaboration with various key players to ensure and follow up agreements between UNTG on Youth and its partners are reached its objectives.

  3. Working Mechanism
    • Member of the UNTG will meet every three months to discuss progress and other related appropriate matters and make lead decisions.
    • TWG will meet on more regular basis, or every in each agency’s office alternately, to discuss progress activities and conduct follow up actions based on the decisions agreed by the head of agencies.
    • Daily management and secretariat of the UNTG will be integrated in the appointed lead agency for the 2-year working period.

Workplan for 2005 - 2007
ObjectivesTime FrameResponsible Agency/ies
200520062007
Management and Knowledge Sharing   All agencies involved
Policy development on youth    UNFPA, UNDP, WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO, ILO
Indonesian youth profile   All agencies involved
Advocacy on youth   All agencies involved
Contribution to the 10th World Programme of Action on Youth   All agencies involved



Read more about our joint programmes:
Millennium Development Goals  |   Avian Influenza  |   Aceh and Nias Recovery Efforts  |   UN Technical Working Group  |   HIV/AIDS   |  

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