Asian Youth Leaders Summit 2013, Youth leaders from 13 countries will participate in the this Summit to discuss about meaningful engagement of youth in democracy, governance and development processes.

We have represented India in this Asian Youth Leaders summit our Catalyst and Executive Director Mr.Dinesh Gajendran has been nominated as a panel Speaker in this summit.

Introduction:
The Commonwealth today comprises 54 sovereign states and approximately 2 billion people, making up almost a third of the world’s population. Representing every region of the world, it is built on its member countries’ shared commitment to certain core values and principles.

Since its inception in 1974, the Commonwealth Youth Programme has endeavoured to address youth issues and concerns through specific policies and programme interventions. Significant achievements through its programmatic and advocacy interventions have been recorded and acknowledged but gaps still remain to be addressed. Youth Ministries and the Commonwealth Secretariat realise that youth issues should be the concern and responsibility of a range of stakeholders and not just one agency.

In the year 2008, Commonwealth Youth Ministers endorsed the revamped Commonwealth Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment (PAYE) 2007-2015 which was later endorsed by the Heads of Government. This provides a guiding framework for action by member governments and other stakeholders in the youth sector. All Commonwealth Governments have also committed themselves to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, and the work of the Commonwealth is geared to assist them in doing so. By extending the PAYE to 2015, there is a commitment by governments and the Commonwealth Secretariat to mainstream youth development as a crucial part of this effort.
Background
The Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) has worked over the years to engage and empower young people to enhance their contribution to development through effective participation. Advocating for and supporting the establishment of structures such as National Youth Councils to facilitate and promote youth participation has been one of the important planks of this strategy. The mechanism of Regional Youth Caucus and the Pan-Commonwealth Youth Caucus through which designated country representatives used to participate in meetings of senior officials and the Youth Ministers is another example of the CYP’s efforts towards promotion of youth participation. More recently, youth from the Commonwealth countries were provided with the opportunity of having a dialogue with Ministers and the Heads of Governments on the sidelines of their meetings through what has been known as the Commonwealth Youth Forum. Participation of youth leaders in the Commonwealth Election Observers’ Mission has also been another notable example in this direction.
The International Year of Youth (2010/11) provided an opportunity for the young people of the Commonwealth to examine their role and contribution in advancing the values and objectives of the Commonwealth. At the Commonwealth Youth Leaders’ Conference in Chandigarh, India (December 2010), Commonwealth Regional Youth Caucus representatives (RYCs) deliberated on the way forward for effective youth participation in governance in the Commonwealth. The conclusion was that existing structures and processes were not strong enough to ensure meaningful participation of young people in the governance process and that a revamp of the framework of the Regional and Pan Commonwealth Youth Caucus was urgently required. The Conference appointed a working Committee to research and develop a framework that would lead to a stronger youth voice in the Commonwealth, to coordinate a consultation process in each region and to work to deliver a final draft constitution that would be submitted to the Youth Ministers their meeting scheduled for 2012. The decision to establish a Commonwealth Youth Council meant the end of the current RYC structure, which has been perceived as being too elitist and not aligned within larger national democratic youth structures. The CYC was seen as paving the way for youth governance in the Commonwealth to be effectively driven and supported by National Youth Councils and National Youth bodies.

Rationale
The consultative process for the creation of the Commonwealth Youth Council (CYC) has been ongoing since 2010 through various mechanisms. The draft was recently uploaded via Facebook and blogs. This more inclusive round of consultations is expected to harnesses the support of Youth Ministries and Youth Councils. The findings will contribute to the final consolidated Asia position on the CYC for incorporation into the framework document for presentation to the next Commonwealth Youth Ministers’ Meeting, now shifted to April, 2013.
Against the above background, the British Council and the CYP Asia Centre decided to jointly organise an Asia Youth Summit to discuss the entire gamut of issues involved in youth engagement/participation and also critically examine the draft constitution of the Commonwealth Youth Council. Since capacity building of youth leaders is perceived as a sine qua non for their effective participation, it was decided to use the opportunity to also organise a capacity building workshop for the assembled youth leaders on leadership and advocacy. This is considered particularly relevant in the context of the Commonwealth Asia Region where National Youth Councils either do not exist or do not function effectively. This is expected to enable the youth representatives to effectively advocate for the establishment of democratic youth governance structures in their respective countries. The proposed summit will, thus, have the following components:

1. One day seminar on Youth Participation: opportunities and challenges
2. One day consultation on the CYC draft constitution
3. Two-day capacity building programme for leaders on leadership and advocacy

Goal:
The goal of the Asia Youth Summit is to sensitise all stakeholders, including young people themselves, about their role in democracy, development and decision-making processes and developing the capacity of a select group of motivated youth in leadership and advocacy.

Objectives
1. To understand, share and recognise young people’s contributions to democracy and development.

2. To discuss debate and understand issues and challenges of youth participation and youth mainstreaming
3. To advocate with the stakeholders for strengthening/institutionalising a democratic mechanism for youth participation by establishing National Youth Council
   4. To facilitate horizontal sharing of good practices and peer learning on National Youth Council and youth participation structures/mechanisms in the region.
4. To review the draft constitution of the Commonwealth Youth Council with meaningful engagement of young people.
5. To empower youth as an agent of change by developing their capacity on leadership and advocacy to influence policies and programmes related to youth and their communities and in creating an enabling environment for youth participation

Outcomes

1. Broader understanding about young people’s contributions to democracy and development.
2. Broader understanding about the issues and challenges of youth participation and youth mainstreaming in the region.
3. Broader understanding about the stakeholders’ commitment for institutionalising a democratic mechanism for youth participation by strengthening/establishing National Youth Council.
4. Enhanced knowledge about good practices on National Youth Council and democratic structures/mechanisms for youth participation in the region.
5. Clarity of Asia region’s position on the draft constitution of the Commonwealth Youth Council.

Enhanced leadership and advocacy skills of the youth leaders to influence policies and programmes related to youth and their communities and in creating an enabling environment for youth participation