Youth Participation In World Summit On Information Technology (WSIS) By: Maitreyi Doshi Representative Of The Youth Caucus WSIS Prep - Com 1

What is WSIS??? World Summit on Information Society 1 st Geneva2 nd – 2005 Tunis Aim Address issues associated with Information Society - Broadly clustered into 3 main areas: Vision Access Applications Organised by : United Nations Who is Participating? Government Civil Society Private Sector UN Family

The WSIS Process The Preparatory Committees (Prep Coms) 1 st - 5 th July 2002 Geneva 2 nd March to 4 th April 2003 Geneva 3 rd July-September 2003 (not decided) Regional Meetings - Africa - Europe - Asia Pacific - Latin America Aim: 1.Agenda of Summit 2.Modalities of participation 3.Draft declaration and Action Plan 4.Target specific issues related to region World Summit On Information Technology Deliverables 1.“Declaration of Principles” 2.Action Plan to achieve goals of Information Society

Importance of Youth Participation in WSIS Young people today : ARE The leaders of Information Technologies Web Developing to Information access Growing up with Technology ARE : Innovators Entrepreneurs SEE technology as a tool for: Communication Education Solving social issues

Importance of Youth Participation in WSIS Problems faced by young people: 1.Lack of main stream support Funding Recognition 2.Lack of participation in decision Making Policy development Framework Support and Legitimacy Sustainability Policy implementation 3.Lack of communication Fragmented effort Uninformed Unconnected Not motivated 4. Lack of continuity Valuable expertise is lost New people have to relearn

Importance of Youth Participation in WSIS Why Should we participate: WSIS one of the key decision making forums Young people cut across all spheres Young people major stake holders in WSIS Young people need to put forth their problems Help solve some of the problems Getting involved in the decision making

WSIS Overview: 65+ young people comprised the youth caucus from 40 countries 10 attended the WSIS Prep-com 6 courtesy of funding through the GKP Aim of the youth caucus is to ensure: Young people recognised as key builders of the information society Priorities identified by young people included in the WSIS Perspectives of young people UNABLE to attend the WSIS meetings incorporated into the process That the WSIS action plan is implemented

WSIS What did we do there? 1.Provided a framework for procedure Youth Participation cuts across all spheres Youth a Major Stake holder Right to speak in plenary and sub- committees Simpler Accreditation mechanisms Innovative mechanism to facilitate full and effective participation 2.Youth Position Paper on the thematic groups Drawn from previous declarations Includes a broad category of issues under Information Society 3.Fund raising 4.Lobbying with government delegations 5.Presented Youth Creating Digital Opportunities 6.Working on Individual themes

What we expect from WSIS Young people want WSIS to ensures that it is: 1.Relevant to young people 2.Allows participation of all young people 3.Is sustained 4.Is heard 5.Includes follow up activities 6.Creates a platform for youth involvement in decision making

WSIS And youth employment The 5 basic principles: 1.Promoting youth Entrepreneurship 2.Promoting public-private partnerships 3.Targeting vulnerable young people 4.Bridging gap between digital economy and informal sector 5.Putting youth in charge Taking IT Global + YES Vital Forums for pushing ICT & Youth Employment. TIG chairing YES

WSIS And youth employment through ICT’s UN, World Bank and ILO Recommendations: 1.Employability Government investment in education Vocational training 2.Equal opportunities to girls 3.Entrepreneurship Easier process to start and run enterprises More and better jobs for young women 4.Employment creation Centre of macroeconomic policy Problems of Developing Countries 1.Access 2.Expensive infrastructure 3.English dominates WSIS Youth Lobbying Civil Society Regional and Prep -Coms WSIS Action Plan

Expectations from Other Youth Organisations Work with us Help us lobby for the decision making How it will help you? You will be heard Sustainability Receive mainstream support Involved in decision making

How to get involved? Participate in the WSIS prep- coms, regional conference, and the Summit Participate in the online discussion at ict.takingitglobal.org Join our mailing list – Fund youth participation in the Prep-coms, regional conference, and the Summit Write about us in the media

– Special Thanks to GKP for Sponsoring me to come here And also at the WSIS Special thanks to the WAY organisers