About
The UN Youth Delegates programme gives young people the right to participate in the UN General Assembly, Commission for Social Development, High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and the Economic & Social Council. Youth Delegates also have increased access as part of the post-2015 negotiations. Youth delegates are the voice of young people and can play an unprecedented role in influencing a country’s official position and can be instrumental in supporting and developing an approach to the negotiations that places the interests of youth as a built in part of their government’s discussions. At the 70th General Assembly in September 2016, 27 countries are sending Youth Delegates: https://www.un.org/development/desa/youth/what-we-do/youth-delegate-programme/youth-delegates-at-70th-ga-session.html.
Participation
A youth delegate is a young person that is given formal negotiator accreditation as part of the country delegation. The youth delegate programme is coordinated by the Focal Point on Youth at the global level, but it is the responsibility of the Member States to establish a youth delegate programme at the national level, and to decide who will represent the young people of their country. For more information, see the UN guide to becoming a youth delegate: http://social.un.org/index/Youth/OurWork/Youthdelegateprogramme.aspx.
