(Monday 21 October 2019 Issue)
This
year marks the 25th anniversary of the groundbreaking International Conference
on Population and Development (ICPD), which took place in Cairo, Egypt, in
September 1994.
The
forum will be organised under the theme: ‘ICPD25, The Contributions of West
African Youth to Accelerating the Promise.”
It
is expected to bring together 100 youth leaders from national youth councils,
youth-led/serving civil society organisations and youth-focused movements and
networks across the West Africa and Sahel regions who are directly involved in
the implementation of projects or initiatives at grassroots level that advances
the ICPD agenda.
A
major outcome of the forum will be the West African youth position paper to the
world leaders at the Nairobi Summit on ICPD25 November 12-14.
The
key objectives of this first ever sub-regional youth forum are to: (1) Amplify
the voices of young people and children particularly the adolescent in ICPD
conversation; (2) Provide a platform for youth and youth organisations to share
their own specific experiences and challenges with regard to the implementation
of ICPD programme of action; and (3) Give young people the opportunity to make
recommendations for improvement beyond the Nairobi Summit and take ownership of
the implementation and monitoring thereof.
Important
high level dignitaries from government ministries, key partner civil society
organisations, the UN System, diplomatic missions and other development
partners are expected to grace the official opening of the forum. Her
Excellency Dr. Isatou Touray, vice president of Republic of The Gambia will
deliver the Opening Statement.
