Embracing the World
  • About us
    • Who we are
    • About Amma
    • ETW The Movie
    • Our eBook
    • In the Media
  • How you can help
    • About our Volunteers
    • AYUDH Youth Volunteers
    • Get Involved
  • Real life stories
  • English
    • Danish
    • French
    • German
    • Italian
    • Spanish
    • Swedish
  • Basic Needs
    • Food
    • Shelter
    • Healthcare
    • Education
    • Livelihood
  • Emergencies
  • Environment
  • Research
  • News

AYUDH Europe participates in the UN’s first Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law

by Kim Romeo Lai

It was a historic moment: the United Nations’ first Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. The UN’s Human Rights Council invited spokespeople from all different sectors of civil society, especially those working with and acting in representation of young people.

AYUDH Europe co-organized the youth segment of the event, and members from England, Ireland, Germany and Spain joined young leaders and state delegates from all over the world at the gathering in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Human Rights Council, the responsible body within the United Nations system for the promotion and protection of human rights, succeeded in gathering at this Forum spokespersons from all different sectors of civil society, but especially those working with and acting in representation of young people.

"Strengthening youth participation in public affairs should be a core objective for any society aspiring to inclusiveness, democracy and respectful human rights," stated Choi Kyonglim, president of the Council, at the beginning of the first session.

The opening remarks introduced the purpose and objectives of the forum, highlighting the urgency for youth engagement in the public sphere. Kyonglim also invited all participants to share best practices and identified challenges and opportunities in their respective countries.

Co-Chairperson Mr. Ahmad Alhendawi, UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Youth, also took the chance to present at the Forum the global campaign Not Too Young To Run, aimed at promoting the rights of people between 18 and 30 to run for public office and improving the democratic representation of the younger generation.

The interactive sessions consisted of moderated discussions where a number of recommendations were offered and recurring topics were addressed from different perspectives. For example, delegates addressed the role of youth organizations as platforms for dialogue and progress and the need for legal frameworks to recognize their potential as such. Special emphasis was made on finding practical ways to implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals, a shared responsibility between governments and citizens themselves.

"Politics is not just an abstract concept, politics is about education, healthcare, and the life of society in itself; if youth are part of this life then they are definitely able to make decisions on these important issues," added Hajer Sharief with the Kofi Annan Organization.

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of groups like AYUDH to create cause-oriented engagement and spaces for real youth representation, as well as to establish the necessary collaborations with public stakeholders. Governments, on their side, need to learn to work not only for young people but also with young people, making institutions appealing and accessible to them.

Posted on: November 21, 2016
  • second-column:
Top


Embracing the World is a global network of
charitable projects conceived by the Mata Amritanandamayi Math
(an NGO with Special Consultative Status to the United Nations)

Social Media
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
Related Sites
  • Amma.org
  • Amrita University
  • Amrita Hospitals
  • Amrita Self-Reliant Villages
  • Amrita SREE SHGs
  • AmritaCREATE
  • Live-in-Labs
  • GreenFriends
  • AYUDH India
  • AYUDH Europe
  • AYUDH Americas
Stay in Touch
  • Local ETW groups
  • ETW in the Media
Downloads
  • ETW Humanitarian Overview (2020)
  • ETW eBook (2019)
  • Amma: Bio (2020)
  • Amma: Factsheet (2019)
  • Pray & Serve: Amma and the Tsunami (2007)
  • 40 Years of Amrita Yoga (2022)
  • AYUDH: Generation of Peace (2019)

Humanitarian Projects

Food
  • 10 Million Meals Every Year, India
  • Nairobi, Kenya
  • San Jose, Costa Rica
  • Cancun, Mexico
  • North America
  • Kenya
  • Sydney and Melbourne, Australia
  • Southern France
  • Granollers, Spain
Shelter
  • 100,000 Homes for the Homeless, India
  • Orphanage for 500 Children, India
  • Relocating Slumdwellers, India
  • Amrita Watoto Boma Children's Home
Healthcare
  • Amrita Hospital
  • Medical Camps
  • Satellite Hospitals
  • HIV/AIDS Health Clinic
  • Public Health
  • Telemedicine
  • Cataract Surgeries in Kenya
Education
  • 100,000 Scholarships for Children
  • Award-winning Adult Education
  • After School programs
  • School for Hearing Impaired
  • School for Differently-Abled
  • Amrita University
Livelihood
  • Empowering Women
  • Lifetime Financial Aid
  • Traditional Arts School
  • Industrial Training Center
  • Vocational Training Center
Environment
  • Planting Trees
  • Home and Community Gardens
  • Reducing, Reusing, Recycling
  • Clean India Campaign
  • Environmental Education
  • Sustainable Communities
Emergencies
  • COVID-19, 2020
  • Floods in Kerala, 2018
  • Cylcone in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, 2017
  • Earthquake in Nepal, 2015
  • Floods in Tamil Nadu, 2015
  • Floods in Jammu & Kashmir, 2014
  • Landslides in North and South India, 2013
  • Typhoon in The Philippines, 2013
  • Fire Disasters in South India, 2012
  • Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, 2011
  • Haiti Earthquake, 2010
  • Karnataka & Andhra Pradesh Floods, 2009
  • Cyclone Aila, 2009
  • Bihar Floods, 2008
  • Hurricane Katrina, 2005
  • Mumbai Floods, 2005
  • Indian Ocean Tsunami, 2004
  • Gujarat Earthquake, 2001
Research
  • Wireless Technology for Landslide Detection
  • Groundbreaking Nanotechnology
  • Human-Computer Interaction for Everyone
  • Fighting an Epidemic with Biotechnology
  • Virtual Laboratories
  • Wearable Technology for Health and Safety
  • Tablet-based Learning for Rural Children
  • Open and Distance Learning
Made with love by volunteers in canada, france, germany, india and the united states.

Embracing the World © 2023 Embracing the World / Terms of Use / Privacy Policy