E/ESCWA/PI/2009/12

NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY: PRIORITIES AND PARADIGMS

Adopting a national youth policy is first and foremost an indication of the society’s
commitment towards its citizens. It is also a statement of a common national vision
concerning the young generation. Such a policy provides a basis for a fair distribution of
necessary resources to fulfill needs and priorities of youth. Through their active
participation in the formulation and implementation of a national youth policy, young
people get involved in decision-making at a national level.

09-0369
 NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY: PRIORITIES AND PARADIGMS

What is a national youth policy?

A national youth policy is a set of governmental provisions that reflect the State position on youth
issues. It determines a set of direct or indirect interventions and measures aiming at achieving the qualitative
and quantitative objectives set forth by the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and
Beyond. This policy helps integrate and involve youth in the economic, social and political activities of the
State.

What are the foundations of a national youth policy?

There is no common paradigm for the concept, structure and content of a national youth policy. Each
State shall elaborate these details based on its own social and cultural heritage and reflecting the inputs of the
parties concerned. However, guided by three main principles, a national youth policy should:
(1) Adopt a positive attitude in order to eliminate the marginalization of young people and strengthen
the concept of participatory development;

(2) Recognize the needs, problems, aspirations and innovations of young people;

(3) Make use of youth capacities as a main asset to economic, social and political development.

What are the main issues addressed by a national youth policy?

(1) Cross-cutting issues, namely youth participation, youth and development, youth and peace, youth
and reform, and democratic governance;

(2) Sectoral priority issues, namely education, employment, health, poverty, hunger, globalization,
information and communications technology, HIV/AIDS, environment, substance abuse, juvenile
delinquency, sport, and entertainment activities;

(3) Youth issues and services, namely military service, voluntary social relief service, international
youth service, and exchange of expertise;

(4) Youth sub-groups, namely urban youth, rural youth, male and female youth, young workers,
disabled youth, young refugees and immigrants, etc.

These issues were grouped following the fifteen priority areas of the World Programme of Action for
Youth and further classified into the following three main clusters:

a. First cluster: youth in the global economy: (1) hunger and poverty, (2) education,
(3) employment, (4) globalization;

b. Second cluster: youth in civil society: (5) environment, (6) leisure-time activities, (7) full and
effective participation of youth in society and in decision-making, (8) information and
communications technology, (9) intergenerational relations;

c. Third cluster: youth and their well-being: (10) health, (11) juvenile delinquency, (12) substance
abuse, (13) girls and young women, (14) HIV/AIDS, (15) armed conflict.

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 SAMPLES OF GOALS IN THE AREAS OF YOUTH EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Goals Targets
Education:

Goal 5: promote access to quality education and Target 5.1: achieve universal access to quality basic
ensure that formal and non-formal education of education and ensure gender equality in education
youth supports lifelong learning and skills by 2015
development
Target 5.2: between 2005 and 2015, increase by 50
per cent the proportion of students completing
secondary education
Target 5.3: by 2015, develop and implement
policies to promote the transition to quality post-
secondary education, including vocational
education and non-formal programmes, and other
skill-building opportunities
Target 5.4: ensure that opportunities for technical
and vocational education and skills training are
available to all youth by 2015
Target 5.5: by 2015, develop and implement
national systems of quality assurance in education
based on internationally agreed upon standards and
tools
Target 5.6: by 2015, increase by two thirds the
proportion of young women and men with the
ability to use computers and the Internet as a tool
for learning and knowledge acquisition
Employment:

Goal 6: increase decent and productive Target 6.1: halve, between 2005 and 2015, the
employment opportunities for young women proportion of youth who are neither in education
and men nor in employment
Target 6.2: halve, between 2005 and 2015, the
proportion of employed youth in vulnerable
employment
Target 6.3: by 2015, reduce the gap between youth
and adult unemployment rates

What are the functions of a national youth policy?

(1) A national youth policy clearly determines the position and role of youth in society. Based on the
vision young people have for society in the present and the future, it also identifies the obligations
of society towards the young;
(2) A national youth policy addresses youth needs, problems and ambitions through an integrated and
balanced approach and promotes gender equality;
(3) A national youth policy encourages the establishment of appropriate services and structures to
fulfil the needs and aspirations of young people from a pro-youth perspective. These services are
designed to work for and with the young to help them improve their situation;

3
 (4) A national youth policy encourages the active participation of young people in the life of the
community and in decision-making, with the objective to enhance their influence on national
development and international cooperation.
What are the tools and conditions favourable to the formulation of a national youth policy?

The formulation of a national youth policy requires the following enabling tools:

(1) A national constitution;

What are the goals and targets of a national youth policy?

The goals and targets of a national youth policy include the following:

(1) To develop the spiritual, moral, intellectual, professional and physical potential of young people
who are to grow into good citizens, leaders and guardians of the cultural heritage;
(2) To encourage youth participation in economic and social development and decision-making at all
levels;
(3) To protect the rights of young people and develop their sense of responsibility so that they can
become active members of the society, namely the right to establish organizations, express their
views, travel, assemble, adequate education, health services and employment;
(4) To support such extra-curriculum activities as youth associations, and promote community
voluntary services and exchange programmes to ensure youth involvement in international
cooperation and culture;
(5) To provide young people with protection and guidance, especially those living in difficult
conditions and within economically disadvantaged families, juvenile adolescents, indigenous
youth and victims of racial discrimination.

What is the rationale of a national youth policy?

A national youth policy yields general benefits, including:

(1) Devising a national framework and a set of priorities to develop youth policies and programmes;
(2) Developing a comprehensive perspective of youth needs and aspirations to be assessed in all
areas;
(3) Reinforcing in youth a sense of citizenship and contribution to public service for the purposes of
national development and international cooperation;
(4) Setting youth policy-related national objectives for young people, the Government, non-
governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector.

Who is responsible for the formulation and adoption of a national youth policy?

National youth councils, ministries, bodies and committees entrusted with youth issues are responsible
for the formulation of a national youth policy in collaboration with non-governmental youth organizations
and with the support of United Nations bodies. This policy shall be adopted by the Government and council
of ministers for implementation.

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What is the general framework of a national youth policy?

• A national vision on the role of youth in society

A national vision considers youth as the target and means of development and as an engine for
economic, social and political change and progress. A national youth policy states priorities and commits to
their implementation. It lays the foundations of the practical approach of the State to the development of
young people in a given country. It embodies an overview and an understanding of young people and the
conditions under which they live. As a national vision, it constitutes a framework for the involvement of
young people in community and national activities. Those visions and concepts can be implemented as
shown by the following examples:

(1) Empowering young people and involving them in State building and decision-making by
supporting efforts aimed at enhancing youth capacities and opportunities (Bahrain National Youth
Strategy);
(2) Instilling in young people the sense of citizenship by reinforcing the principles of social justice on
the basis of rights and obligations. To do so, it is necessary to strengthen in youth the sense of
belonging to their country and culture and to ensure their full and effective participation in
national development and progress (National Youth Policy in Jamaica);
(3) Raising the awareness of young people of their capabilities and developing their knowledge as
well as ensuring their physical, mental, emotional and psychological well-being (Medium-Term
Youth Development Plan (MTYDP) in the Philippines);
(4) Promoting a youth perspective that targets young people as a social group with special needs and
aspirations, which should be integrated into all development phases through a comprehensive
development approach (Youth Development Strategy in Iraq);
(5) Reinforcing the concept of citizenship based on rights and obligations, raising the awareness of
young people of their independent existence and capabilities, instilling in youth a sense of
belonging to their country and advocating their true and effective participation in national
development and progress; developing youth capacities to deal with the ongoing changes and
developments of the century with awareness and self-confidence in a positive and safe
environment (National Youth Strategy for Jordan).

• Mainstreaming the national youth policy

(1) The national youth policy should be linked to other governmental sectoral policies and integrated
into the national development policy;
(2) Needs and aspirations of youth should be an integral part of national planning and policymaking;
(3) The national youth policy should be tailored to the needs of youth and yet be integrated into
national development plans.

What are the steps towards the adoption and implementation by the Government of the national youth
policy?

(1) To invite all parties involved to participate in considering, analysing and assessing youth
conditions, and to develop a vision of appropriate measures to improve them. Such measures
should be taken within a joint project between the Government executive, legislative and judicial
authorities and non-governmental youth organizations throughout the country;

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 (2) To devise an integrated national policy which involves all youth sectors. This policy shall build
on a vision developed by young people and other stakeholders. It shall also draw upon core
indicators of youth conditions as perceived by young people, on definitions of the term ‘‘youth’’
and youth subgroups, and shall be based on realistic cost estimates;

(3) To coordinate a national youth policy which involves all sectors and comprises a partnership
between non-governmental youth organizations, ministries and governmental departments
entrusted with youth affairs and main stakeholders; to upgrade the performance of institutions
concerned within a coordinated, collaborative and integrated framework;

(4) To encourage the establishment of national youth councils, national youth service and voluntary
service programmes for the implementation of the national youth policy at the district and local
levels; to determine the steps, goals and targeted groups, timetables as well as plans to manage
human and financial resources in order to enhance the monitoring and evaluation process.

What are the techniques for the formulation and advocacy of a national youth policy?

(1) Launching a national information campaign to raise public awareness of the recently adopted
national youth policy;

(2) Reaching out to all youth sectors, organizations providing services for youth and the public at the
national, local and district levels;

(3) Undertaking a number of activities within this campaign, such as:

a. A press release, issued by the head of State or the youth minister, on the significance of the
national youth policy, etc.;

b. Preparation of television, radio and video broadcasts, as well as press articles;

c. Distribution of simplified versions of the national youth policy to schools.

What are the chapters of a national youth policy?

(1) Introduction: vision statement; (2) target and rationale; (3) definition of the term “youth”; (4)
youth statistical information; (5) past and present issues affecting youth; (6) reference to other policies and
programmes; (7) principles and values supporting youth policy; (8) policy targets and time-bound goals; (9)
rights and obligations of young people; (10) main strategies; (11) priority target groups; (12) implementation
and action plans at the national, local and district levels; (13) evaluation, updating and possible adaptation of
measures; (14) references.

What are the general steps towards the adoption of a national youth policy?

(1) Negotiating and adopting a draft national youth policy. The negotiation process shall involve all
governmental and non-governmental parties concerned. Its adoption as State policy takes place in
different phases, namely first by all parties concerned and then by the Government as a final step;

(2) Adopting a national youth policy at the governmental level (with the support of the head of State,
the approval of political parties, through national consensus, by ministerial decision, through
endorsement by non-governmental youth organizations, etc.);

(3) Integrating the policy into detailed development plans to be ratified at the legislative level, as part
of a long-term national development strategy devised and adopted by the State.

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What are the general steps towards the implementation of a national youth policy?

(1) Launching of a coordinated initiative to be adopted by all governmental parties (executive,

(2) Coordination between the Government and such non-governmental youth organizations as the
national youth council to advocate and monitor the implementation of a national youth policy;

(3) All parties involved in the implementation of the national youth policy to join in such measures as
the development of a comprehensive programme of action for the national youth policy covering
all priority areas;

(4) Allocation of appropriate funding to ensure the effective implementation of the programme of
action;

(5) Promotion of the national youth service programme or the voluntary national youth programme
led by non-governmental youth organizations at the local and district levels, in order to guarantee
a high voluntary participation of young people;

(6) Efforts should be made to: (a) increase opportunities for young people to join civil services
directed at co-citizens and the nation as a whole and reward their activities in this field; (b) enable
young people to acquire skills that make them productive members of their societies; and (c)
guide young people in their strife towards self-development.

What are the steps towards the evaluation and possible adaptation of the national youth policy?

(1) Developing performance indicators to reflect the joint commitment by the Government and non-
governmental youth organizations; adapting the national youth policy when needed;

(2) Monitoring progress and identifying obstacles related to national youth policy issues in a joint
effort by youth ministries and departments at the regional and international levels;

(3) Organizing regular meetings for all parties involved to review the implementation of the national
youth policy at the short, medium and long terms;

(4) Developing performance indicators for each of the national youth policy outputs and evaluating
achievements and obstacles on an annual basis;

(5) Creating electronic information systems for collecting core data on youth conditions in order to
follow up the implementation of the policy at the national level;

(6) Scheduling and coordinating all the above steps with the evaluation of the national development
plan, and adapting the national youth policy according to the lessons learned throughout the
assessment process.

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 Strengthening national capacities to formulate national youth policies and plans of action:
Responding to the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY)
ESCWA project proposal

The assessment of the implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the year 2000
and Beyond in the Arab countries revealed that the commitment of Arab countries towards the World
Programme of Action for Youth to formulate a national youth policy faced various structural, institutional
and circumstantial obstacles. Those obstacles are mainly brought about by a number of factors impeding the
formulation of such policy. They include:
1. Lack of knowledge about the newly adopted approach towards youth issues. According to this
approach, young people are treated as an individual social and demographic group facing particular
challenges, and are considered as human asset in the context of an integrated agenda for the formulation and
implementation of youth policies.

2. Absence of tangible efforts aiming at the assessment of needs and priorities of youth at the national
and internal levels (urban and rural), lack of statistical data on young people grouped by age, sex and
geographical distribution (rural and urban), and lack of youth-related research.

3. Lack of efforts aimed at building capacities of decision-makers in the formulation of national youth
policies, building the capacities of national officials, and allocating financial resources needed for the
implementation of youth-related activities and programmes.

4. Absence of a national vision to determine the role of young people in development and of well-
established coordination mechanisms between Government and the civil society.

Thus, ESCWA has devised a regional project aimed at strengthening national capabilities in the
formulation of national youth policies and plans. The project is being implemented at ESCWA headquarters
in Beirut, along with advisory services provided to member countries when needed, within an estimated
initial three-year period.

United Nations organizations, regional organizations, ministries and national institutions involved in
the formulation of policies and plans for youth are all taking part in this project. The project is addressed to
decision-makers involved in youth-related matters, experts in youth issues and policies, as well as data
producers and users. The beneficiaries of the project are divided into two groups: direct beneficiaries, young
people aged between 15 and 24 years; and indirect beneficiaries, the families of young people and the society
as a whole.

The expected project accomplishments are summarized as follows:

Expected accomplishment 1: Enhanced awareness of the importance of endorsing national youth policies.
Expected accomplishment 2: Youth issues studied and their priorities specified.
Expected accomplishment 3: Strengthened capacity of policymakers to formulate national youth policies in
line with the identified youth priorities.
Expected accomplishment 4: Strengthened capacity of policymakers to formulate a national plan of action
for youth that includes a national list of indicators to monitor progress in
World Programme of Action for Youth priorities.

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 REFERENCES

United Nations, General Assembly resolution, A/RES/50/81, Fiftieth session, 1996. World Programme of
Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond.

United Nations, General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, A/62/61/Add.1-E/2007/7/Add.1,

United Nations, General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, A/64/61-E/2009/3, Substantive Session of
2009, Implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth: progress and constraints with
respect to the well-being of youth and their role in civil society.

Bahrain, January 2004. Draft Operations Manual for the Formulation of the Bahraini National Youth
Strategy and Action Plan.

Jordan, December 2004. National Youth Strategy for Jordan, 2005-2009. Summary. Higher Council for
Youth.

Jamaica, 2003. National Centre for Youth Development. Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture.
National Youth Policy. Final Draft National Youth Policy 2003.

Philippines, 2004. The Medium Term Youth Development Plan (MTYDP), 2005-2010. Available at:
www.youth.net.ph.

،‫ ﺸﻌﺒﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ ﺍﻻﺠﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ‬،‫ ﻗﺴﻡ ﺍﻟﺴﻜﺎﻥ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ ﺍﻻﺠﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ‬،(‫ ﺍﻟﻠﺠﻨﺔ ﺍﻻﻗﺘﺼﺎﺩﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﻻﺠﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ ﻟﻐﺭﺒﻲ ﺁﺴﻴﺎ )ﺍﻹﺴﻜﻭﺍ‬،‫ﺍﻷﻤﻡ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﺤﺩﺓ‬
‫ ﺍﻻﺴﺘﺠﺎﺒﺔ‬:‫ "ﺘﻌﺯﻴﺯ ﺍﻟﻘﺩﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﻭﻁﻨﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻤﺠﺎل ﺼﻴﺎﻏﺔ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺎﺴﺎﺕ ﻭﺨﻁﻁ ﺍﻟﻌﻤل ﺍﻟﻭﻁﻨﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺸﺒﺎﺏ‬:‫ ﻤﺸﺭﻭﻉ ﻤﻘﺘﺭﺡ‬،2009
."‫ﻟﺒﺭﻨﺎﻤﺞ ﺍﻟﻌﻤل ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟﻤﻲ ﻟﻠﺸﺒﺎﺏ‬

‫ ﻋﻨﺎﺼﺭ ﻤﺨﺘﺎﺭﺓ ﻤﻥ‬،‫ "ﺩﻟﻴل ﺘﺩﺭﻴﺏ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺎﺴﺔ ﺍﻟﻭﻁﻨﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺸﺒﺎﺏ‬،2005 ،‫ﺍﻹﺴﻜﻭﺍ ﻭﺍﻟﻤﺠﻠﺱ ﺍﻟﺩﻭﻟﻲ ﻟﻠﺴﻴﺎﺴﺔ ﺍﻟﻭﻁﻨﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺸﺒﺎﺏ‬
.(‫ﺏ ﻏﻴﺭ ﻤﻨﺸﻭﺭ‬‫ )ﻜﺘﻴ‬."‫ﻤﺒﺎﺩﺉ ﺃﺴﺎﺴﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺎﺴﺔ ﺍﻟﻭﻁﻨﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺸﺒﺎﺏ‬

‫ "ﺒﺭﻭﺯ ﻓﺌﺔ‬،‫ ﻨﺸﺭﺓ ﺍﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ ﺍﻻﺠﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ‬،2008 ،‫ ﺸﻌﺒﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ ﺍﻻﺠﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ‬،‫ ﻗﺴﻡ ﺍﻟﺴﻜﺎﻥ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ ﺍﻻﺠﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ‬،‫ ﺍﻹﺴﻜﻭﺍ‬،‫ﺍﻷﻤﻡ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﺤﺩﺓ‬
.‫ ﺍﻟﻌﺩﺩ ﺍﻷﻭل‬،‫ ﺍﻟﻤﺠﻠﺩ ﺍﻟﺜﺎﻨﻲ‬،"‫ ﺘﺒﻌﺎﺕ ﺍﺠﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ ﻭﺭﺅﻴﺔ ﻤﺴﺘﻘﺒﻠﻴﺔ‬:‫ﺍﻟﺸﺒﺎﺏ‬

‫ ﻭﺭﺸﺔ ﻋﻤل ﺘﻌﺯﻴﺯ ﺍﻟﻘﺩﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﻭﻁﻨﻴﺔ‬،‫ ﺍﻹﺴﻜﻭﺍ‬،‫ ﺸﻌﺒﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ ﺍﻻﺠﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ‬،‫ ﺭﺌﻴﺴﺔ ﻓﺭﻴﻕ ﺍﻟﺴﻜﺎﻥ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ ﺍﻻﺠﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ‬،‫ﺒﺘﻭل ﺸﻜﻭﺭﻱ‬
18-17 ،‫ ﺒﻴﺭﻭﺕ‬،‫ ﺍﻟﺘﻘﺎﺭﻴﺭ ﺍﻟﻭﻁﻨﻴﺔ ﻭﻤﻨﻬﺠﻴﺔ ﺘﻭﺜﻴﻕ ﺍﻹﻨﺠﺎﺯﺍﺕ‬:‫ﻓﻲ ﻤﺠﺎل ﺍﻻﺴﺘﺠﺎﺒﺔ ﻟﺒﺭﻨﺎﻤﺞ ﺍﻟﻌﻤل ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟﻤﻲ ﻟﻠﺸﺒﺎﺏ‬
."‫ "ﺍﻻﺴﺘﺠﺎﺒﺔ ﻟﺒﺭﻨﺎﻤﺞ ﺍﻟﻌﻤل ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟﻤﻲ ﻟﻠﺸﺒﺎﺏ ﻭﺼﻴﺎﻏﺔ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺎﺴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻭﻁﻨﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺸﺒﺎﺏ‬،2008 ‫ﺩﻴﺴﻤﺒﺭ‬/‫ﻜﺎﻨﻭﻥ ﺍﻷﻭل‬

.2009 ‫ﺃﻏﺴﻁﺱ‬/‫ ﺁﺏ‬22 ،"‫ "ﺍﺴﺘﺭﺍﺘﻴﺠﻴﺘﻨﺎ ﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﺸﺒﺎﺏ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺭﺍﻕ‬،‫ ﻭﺯﻴﺭ ﺍﻟﺸﺒﺎﺏ ﻭﺍﻟﺭﻴﺎﻀﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺭﺍﻕ‬،‫ﺠﺎﺴﻡ ﻤﺤﻤﺩ ﺠﻌﻔﺭ‬
.baghdadtimes.net ‫ﻫﺫﻩ ﺍﻟﻭﺜﻴﻘﺔ ﻤﺘﺎﺤﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻤﻭﻗﻊ ﺍﻹﻟﻜﺘﺭﻭﻨﻲ‬