Youth Declaration Process

Youth Declaration consultation process

Transforming education can only be achieved if we, young people, are included in the processes of implementing policy and systematic changes to education stakeholders and governments. This is why youth must be engaged in critical events that will shape education’s future, such as the Transforming Education Summit (TES), which will take place in September 2022.

Developed by the Office of the Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth together with the Summit Secretariat hosted by UNESCO and a number of partners, the Youth Declaration will:

gather young people’s collective views on what transforming education should look like
outline young people’s collective recommendations to decision and policymakers, including governments, civil society, international organizations, the United Nations, and others on transforming education
highlight young people’s collective commitments and actions towards transforming education

It will be presented to the Secretary-General as young people’s inputs to the Chair's Summary of the Transforming Education Summit.

Young people all over the world are encouraged to shape and influence this crucial document.

Watch the introduction to the Youth Declaration by Jayathma Wickramanayake, United Nations Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth and SDG4Youth members Doris Mwikali and Sofia Bermudez at the Pre-Summit 28-30 June at UNESCO HQ Paris

Process

The Declaration must hear from youth around the world with different backgrounds and contexts. To this end, several public consultations are taking place between June and September 2022. In addition, the Youth Declaration will take into account outcomes of past consultations and various calls to action and other resources that have been developed in relation to the Transforming Education Summit. An independent consultant will be responsible for bringing all these resources together and ensuring that young people in all their diversity and worldwide will be engaged in a meaningful, diverse, and effective manner throughout this process.

Desk review of key resources and consultations

The Youth Declaration will be informed by the following key consultations:

World Largest Lesson’s Transforming Education Survey (Transforming Education Survey | The World's Largest Lesson - globalgoals.org)
UNESCO’s “Three questions to Transform Education” Survey - the survey can be found on the Futures of Education website in English | French | Spanish
UNICEF U-Report poll calling on all young people to share their views on Transforming Education: Messenger https://bit.ly/TEducationFB | WhatsApp https://bit.ly/TEducationWA | Viber https://bit.ly/TEducationVR

Other key resources include:

If you would like to submit key resources reflecting youth voices in transforming education for the Youth Declaration, please add them to this discussion board.

Youth Declaration Consultations

During the Pre-Summit, a Youth Consultation was held on June 29th 2022. The following takeaways can be highlighted:

To ensure youth can keep track of the commitments made by governments to transform education, an accountability mechanism must be established. This is critical to create structural changes and ensure countries put education on the agenda.
Young people not only need to be heard by stakeholders and governments, but if we really want to achieve SDG4 and transform education, they also need to be included in the process and play an active role.
Any proposal, action, or change we want for education in any field demands more financing. Countries must commit to transforming education not only by words but by concrete actions and funding. Otherwise, we will never be able to create structural changes and ensure access to quality education for everyone.

A second consultation was held online in July and a third in August.

Make your voice heard right here!

If you haven’t done so yet, it is not too late to share your thoughts:

Thematic Action Track 1 Inclusive, equitable, safe and healthy schools Thematic Action Track 5 Financing of education Thematic Action Track 4 Digital learning and transformation Thematic Action Track 3 Teachers, teaching and the teaching profession Thematic Action Track 2 Learning and skills for life, work and sustainable development

Comments (27)

Faatiha Aayat • 2 weeks ago

It is the high time for today's youth to raise their voice for Education Equality and Learning Justice. Otherwise none but them should swallow the bitter pill.

Sabine fijn van Draat • 2 weeks ago

Often children with special needs are forgotten. Like for example children with a visual impairment. Please pay attention to their special needs as they have the same dreams, ambitions and potential as any other child. Make sure that they will be included in the youth consultation. For more information see www.icevi.com or the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL24hlTbOHE

Pankaj Prabhu • 2 weeks ago

We should work for free education, and ask the government of nations that took part in the UN to add education as rights of human right for everyone.

Katia Alexandra Valoyes Ruiz • 1 week ago

Educación inclusiva

Katia Alexandra Valoyes Ruiz • 1 week ago

Las escuelas necesitan de docentes apasionados por enseñar y por aprender, que reten a los estudiantes y faciliten su aprendizaje. Un profesor es un agente de cambio y en realidad, el único objetivo de nuestro trabajo es que los estudiantes aprendan.