Outcomes High Level Task Force for ICPD Youth Consultation Bali - December 5, 2012

On the 5th December 2012, taking advantage from the opportunity that the Global Youth Forum was organized in Bali, a High Level Taskforce for ICPD Youth Consultation was organized. This Youth Consultation was hosted by the Co-chairs of International Youth Steering Committee for Global Youth Forum, Asian-Pacific Resource & Research for Women (ARROW) and the Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (YCSRR) together with the High-Level Task Force for ICPD. The objectives set out as follows: To have an exchange among youth representatives and Members of the Task Force in order to inform and shape the High-Level Task Forces advocacy priorities and policy positions. To establish lines of communication for continued advocacy collaboration and follow up throughout the ICPD Beyond 2014 and the culmination of the post-2015 processes. The Youth Consultation brought together a group of 17 young people from 16 different countries1 and representatives of 16 different youth organizations2. On behalf of the High-Level Task Force for ICPD Marijke Wijnroks attended the meeting. The discussions were organized according to themes that are important for the HLTF: 1) Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, 2) The Empowerment of Women and Girls and Gender Equality, and 3) The Rights of Adolescents and Youth: Ensuring Comprehensive Sexuality Education. The discussions led to the following recommendations that the High Level Task Force for ICPD can consider within their contributions within the ICPD review process and the lead up to a Post 2015 Development Framework. Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights This group had an in dept discussion about the vicious circle that some processes are trapped in, that lead to document after document; yet to no implementation on national levels. The group decided to put forward the following recommendations that the HLTF for ICPD can consider in their contributions: 1. Allocation of funds and resource for monitoring of ICPD review on country level by civil society; 2. Institutionalize a youth representative in all institutions involved in decision-making for the ICPD processes; 3. As a cross-cutting theme, this group identified that many countries have harmful laws which often emphasize negative aspects in society. It is recommendable to focus on positive language.

Argentina, Croatia, Fiji Islands, France, Ghana, Malawi, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Russia, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Uruguay and Vietnam. 2 Amnesty International, Astra Youth & Polish Group of Sexual Educators, Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population, CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality, Curious Minds,Education as a Vaccine, Elige, IFMSA, Institute of National Assessment Uruguay, Osez le Fminisme, World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, Young Womens Christian Association,Youth Empowerment and Civic Education, Y-Peer and YSAFE

4. It is important to provide more access to information about ICPD in order to have more people involved on the local levels. 5. Overall, this group encourages the HLTF for ICPD to push the outcomes of the GYF forward on different levels. 6. This group emphasized that HLTF for ICPD should advocate that the Post 2015 Development Framework includes rights based language and explicitly recognizes the rights of LGBT. The Empowerment of Women And Girls and Gender Equality This group had a discussion about the structural factors that contribute to gender equality. Several aspects were discussed: for example, laws that indicate at which age one is allowed to marry has a major impact on child marriage and overall gender equality; and, the impact of the financial crisis that leads to funding cuts which are disproportionally affecting the programs on Gender Based Violence. In some countries preventative services are being cut, because Governments want to keep first line services. The group decided to put forward the following recommendations that the HLTF for ICPD can consider in their contributions: 1. Adequate and sustainable funding to provide integrated youth friendly, accessible and affordable Sexual and Reproductive Health, HIV and Gender Based Violence prevention and care. 2. The importance of Comprehensive Sexuality Education to deconstruct sexual and gender norms, which are not limited to abstinence only programs. 3. To recommend governments to eliminate all laws & practices that are discriminate against on women and girls based on gender identity or sexual orientation to ensure access to livelihood, employment and political participation. 4. To recognize the lack of access to safe abortion as a form of gender based violence and a violation of human rights by states. The Rights of Adolescents and Youth: Ensuring Comprehensive Sexuality Education This group discussed that even when not included in formal education track, all children and youth reach the age for entering formal education should be provided comprehensive sexuality education to guarantee this. Governments should support the civil society and parents to provide CSE. The group decided to put forward the following recommendations that the HLTF for ICPD can consider in their contributions: 1. Governments should finance and ensure that there is age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education as defined by UNESCO that begins at the first year in formal education and is evidencebased. 2. Comprehensive Sexuality Education in the formal setting should be provided by teachers who are continuously trained. 3. Governments should support civil-society and partners to provide comprehensive sexuality education to children in non-formal settings.

Follow-up of the Youth Consultation These recommendations will be put forward to the members of the High Level Taskforce for ICPD in order to consider them in their contributions within the ICPD review process and the lead up to a Post 2015 Development Framework. The contact details of all the participants of this Youth Consultation will be shared with the members of the High Level Taskforce for ICPD to develop connections on national and regional levels and create continuing partnerships on those levels.