Youth Forum calls on UN Human Rights Council to move youth rights agenda forward

Today the UN Human Rights Council heard an oral statement made by Istituto Internazionale Maria Ausiliatrice (IIMA) and co-sponsored by the European Youth Forum. The statement, also co-sponsored by VIDES International, draws attention to the obstacles young people face in accessing their human rights and presents recommendations to member states.

The Youth Forum also submitted a written statement on youth and human rights to the Council. Both of the statements come as the Council received a summary of the panel discussion on youth and human rights which took place at its 33rd Session in September 2016 and where the Youth Forum participated.

Among others, the statements call on the Human Rights Council to move the youth rights agenda forward by:

• Calling for a report from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to map the obstacles young people face in accessing their rights;
• Establishing a Special Procedure of the Council, such as an Independent Expert or Special Rapporteur on the human rights of young people
• Calling for the development of guidelines to direct Member States in implementing a rights-based approach to youth policies;
• Calling for a joint general comment or joint statement on youth from all of the UN Treaty Bodies;
• Mainstreaming youth rights through the Universal Periodic Review as well as the work of the UN Treaty Bodies.

Read the oral statement here.

Read the written statement here.

Read a summary of the panel discussion on youth and human rights here.