10%

Caribbean Youth - Key Actors and Champions of Sustainable Development

GEF-UNDP/UNEP IWEco project

By IW:LEARN

October 16^th, 2019

Originally published on IWEco:Link.

“The participation of youth as architects and enablers of the Region’s development is a goal that must be continually strived for. The Caribbean as a principal global proponent of sustainable development must remember that sustainable development is nothing more than a meaningless theory if young citizens, the leaders and shapers of the future are not allowed to fully engage and participate in the process.”

- Caribbean Youth Environment Network, 2019

The majority of the Caribbean’s population is under thirty years old. From 12 – 13 August 2019, the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) held its 13th Congress and celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a Silver Jubilee Commemorative Session, in Georgetown, Guyana.

Youth leaders and young development practitioners whose work focuses on environment gathered to develop a strategy and formulate a road map that would allow for greater and more meaningful engagement and participation of young Caribbean citizens in environmental management and the implementation of the SDGs. Among its participants were lively representatives of the various CYEN country chapters, students from UWI, including the UWI Youth Development Programme, and, interested youth. Young people (ages 15 – 32) of various backgrounds make up CYEN’s membership and those participating in the meeting included young farmers, lawyers, teachers, accountants and students of various disciplines.

Plastics and marine pollution, Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and Biodiversity were on the Agenda. CYEN members shared presentations on their collaborative work in the areas of marine litter, IWRM and biodiversity.

In addition, representatives of UN ECLAC, and regional elected advocates, introduced the Escazú Convention, the region’s first ever legally binding treaty on environmental rights. The Agreement is about Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters.

Following closure of the Youth Summit on Tuesday 13th, CYEN hosted a Town Hall at the National Public Library featuring the Escazú Convention, highlighting the fact that Guyana is the first country to ratify the Convention. It was quite well attended and a great example of youth advocacy.

IWEco’s Communication Specialist, Donna Sue Spencer, represented the Cartagena Convention Secretariat, in particular its work on Marine Litter, and also introduced the IWEco Project to CYEN with a presentation in the Session on IWRM on 13 August. CYEN has expressed interest in collaborating with the Project on a regional education or public awareness activity in 2020, as well as in some of the National sub-Projects and activities.