Empowering Young People for Development and Peace

The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) recognises that encouraging the full potential of young people is paramount to achieving long-term social change. Young people have a critical role to play in the economic and social development of their country, including the achievement of the Cambodian Millennium Development Goals.

Social inequities such as poor education, high unemployment, discrimination, and poverty currently hinder young people from having a full stake in their society and from contributing to its growth and long-term prosperity.

To support the full and effective participation of young people in all levels of civic life the UNCT established a UN Youth Advisory Panel Cambodia.The UN Youth Advisory Panel provides a mechanism for the exchange of information between Cambodian youth delegates and the UN Country Team.

Ten volunteer youth delegates, representing 10 different youth associations meet regularly with the UN agencies to share their concerns, put forward their ideas, and speak about emerging challenges facing young people throughout the country. The Youth Advisory Panel participates actively in the review process of UN programmes and guide UN communications and advocacy campaigns targeting young people. In return, the UNCT seeks to build the leadership capacity of the panel members by broadening their understanding of development, peace building, human rights and poverty reduction.

The UNCT firmly believes that Cambodia's ability to meet its development targets will be determined by how sucessfully it can capture and harness the enthusiasm and determination of its youngest citizens.

The creation of the UN Youth Advisory Panel reaffirms the UNCT's commitment to youth empowerment and the right of young people to participate in decisions which affect their own lives.

The United Nations Youth Advisory Panel Cambodia is working to bring the voice of young people into development.

“It is high time we stopped viewing our young people as part of the problem and started cultivating their promise and potential. Let us all resolve to invest in and protect our most valuable resource, and give young men and women a fair and full stake in our society and its success”

Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary General
International Youth Day, 12 August 2007