About YUNGA
What is YUNGA?
We are YUNGA! YOU are YUNGA!
Formed in 2009, the Youth and United Nations Global Alliance (YUNGA) is a partnership between United Nations agencies, civil society organizations and other entities that work with children and young people.
YUNGA acts as a gateway for children and youth from around the world to participate in the activities and initiatives of the United Nations. YUNGA seeks to empower children and young people to have a greater role in society, raise awareness and become active agents of change. YUNGA aims to engage young people in activities of key environmental and social concern at both national and international levels.
YUNGA partners are collaborating on a number of projects, ranging from YUNGA’s flagship educational series of Challenge Badges and Youth Guides, to capacity building programmes, international competitions, and programmes inspiring active youth participation. Find out more about these activities on our Themes page.
YUNGA is hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and based in FAO’s headquarters in Rome, Italy.
At the heart of YUNGA’s educational work are its Challenge Badges and Youth Guides: practical learning tools designed to help children and young people explore global issues through concrete action.
Vision
YUNGA partners share the same vision. We are:
Conscious that a One United Nations Approach is the best way to harness the full capacity of the UN system to provide development assistance and promote equitable and sustainable lifestyles.
Convinced that instilling environmental and social awareness at a young age is the best way to protect the environment and develop a better society.
Unanimous in the belief that children and young people are concerned, thoughtful citizens capable of participating in and changing the society they are a part of.
Regretful to note that children and young people, especially girls and young women, are the greatest victims of social injustices, poverty, food insecurity, lack of education, natural disasters and other adverse environmental conditions such as climate change.
Resolute that young people from all parts of the world should actively participate in all relevant levels of decision-making processes, as these affect their lives today and have implications for their futures. In addition to their intellectual contribution and their ability to mobilize support, young people bring unique perspectives that need to be considered.
Conscious that children and young people, in order to be able to contribute to society, need to be empowered; and that avenues must be created to allow them to reach their full potential as proactive citizens.
Aware that many national and international youth organizations have objectives which are similar to those of the UN, including creating a better world, working for peace, gender equality, respecting the environment, sustainable development, human rights, and the education of young people.
Determined that YUNGA, by providing a collaborative mechanism which allows partners to unite their efforts, can support all current and future initiatives addressing issues of environmental, social and educational concern more swiftly and effectively.
The UN and Young People
August 2010 - August 2011 was celebrated by the UN General Assembly as the International Year of Youth, drawing attention to the important role young people play in the world and, in particular, their potential contribution to realizing the goals of the United Nations Charter. In addition, Chapter 25 on Children and Youth in Sustainable Development of Agenda 21 also emphasizes that today's youth need to be involved in environment and development decision-making and in the implementation of programmes and activities.
The UN Programme on Youth (based in New York) coordinates the UN’s work on and with youth. It aims to promote young people’s rights and aspirations and build awareness about their situation globally. The Programme also works to increase opportunities for young people to participate in decision-making as a means of peace building and achieving development.
International Coordination and Action
Through FAO, YUNGA is an active member of a number of international partnerships which collaborate to educate, support and empower children and young people to become agents of change in their communities and the wider world.
The UN Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development (IANYD)
The IANYD was formally established in 2010, bringing together 40 UN entities whose work is relevant to youth. The Network aims to maximize the effectiveness of individual entities’ efforts by increasing collaboration and exchange between them. To this end, the IANYD coordinated the joint formulation of a System-Wide Action Plan on Youth (Youth SWAP), which was officially endorsed in 2013.
Learn more about the IANYD’s work here.
The UN Alliance on Climate Change Education, Training and Public Awareness
The Alliance was established in 2012 to promote meaningful, results-oriented and effective international cooperation on climate change education, training, public awareness, public participation and access to information on climate change. The Alliance supports Article 6 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).