Helping the world communicate ITU/BDT/SIS Children and Youth Special Initiative ITU-TELECOM YOUTH FORUM ASIA September 2008 Bangkok.

Helping the world communicate Children and Youth SI Background and Purpose  In accordance with Resolution 38 of the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC) held in Istanbul in 2002 reinforced in Doha in 2006, which recognises that the young people are the best promoters of ICTs and contributors in the World Information Society,  BDT created a dedicated Youth initiative integrating children and youth issues in the framework of its activities.  The Children and Youth SI is committed to widening ICT opportunities for children and young people, as key contributors to build an inclusive Information Society.

Helping the world communicate  Develop and strengthen actions to make ICTs accessible to children and young people, particularly the disadvantaged and marginalized ones, thereby bridging the digital divide;  Support the development of ICT capabilities of children and youth;  Increase the interest of children and youth in ICTs;  Integrate “children and youth” into the BDT programmes and ITU activities;  Involve children and youth in the promotion and dissemination of ICTs. Children and Youth SI - Goals

Helping the world communicate Children and Youth SI Activities 1.Create initiatives with emphasis on capacity building, education and work experience in ICTs, aiming at supporting young people, mainly from developing countries and those in transition to increase their knowledge in information and communication technologies; 2.Assure the follow-up of the Youth Forums through a project, taking into account the specific needs related to the promotion of the ICTs among the youth in a particular region or worldwide; 3.Develop and support actions and projects that promote access, use and knowledge of ICTs for children and youth.

Helping the world communicate Children and Youth SI Activities 1.Develop initiatives with emphasis on capacity building, education and work experience in ICTs to ensure the Junior professionals in ICT, better access to employment opportunities in this sector. 1.Develop initiatives with emphasis on capacity building, education and work experience in ICTs to ensure the Junior professionals in ICT, better access to employment opportunities in this sector. 1.1 YOUTH INCENTIVE SCHEME Internship initiatives aiming at responding to the young people ’ s need to integrate into the ICTs working area and to encourage and support the first job opportunities.  In partnership with ITU Regional Offices (AFR, AMS, ARB ASP and EUR) the Children and Youth SI offers to the selected Jr. professionals in ICTs, to achieve an internship for a period of a minimum of 6 months, with the ITU Regional Offices.  Several Sector Members joined this Children and Youth SI initiative and offered internship opportunities with their companies.

Helping the world communicate Children and Youth SI Activities 1.2 “ YES ” - YOUTH EDUCATION SCHEME Scholarship initiative aiming at supporting young people from LDCs or developing countries to complete their tertiary education in the telecommunication and related fields.  YES awards yearly scholarships amounting to a maximum of US$ 10,000 per student to cover tuition fees only.  To apply for YES, the candidate must :  Be between 20 and 30 years of age;  Provide a very good school curriculum (preferably top 10 of their class);  Provide written recommendations (preferably from professors) bear witness to the student motivation in pursuing her/his career in telecommunication or related fields;  To date, YES initiative has awarded one hundred (100) scholarships to future leaders in telecommunications and related fields..

Helping the world communicate Children and Youth SI Activities 2. ITU-TELECOM YOUTH FORUM - FOLLOW-UP PROJECTS Children and Youth SI implements after each ITU-Telecom Youth Forum, a follow-up project targeting the priorities and needs related to ICT development, expressed by the young participants in their Declaration and Action Plan.  Youth Forum - Asia TELECOM 2002, Hong Kong  Follow up Project: “ Digital Bridge ”  Youth Forum - World TELECOM 2003, Geneva  Follow-up Project: “ Young Leaders in ICTs Network ”  Youth Forum - Africa TELECOM 2004, Cairo  Follow-up Project: “ Enabling Internet Access in Swahili language ”  Youth Forum - Asia TELECOM 2004, Busan  Follow-up Project: “ Basic training course in ICT Emergency ”  Youth Forum - World TELECOM 2006, Hong Kong  Follow-up Project: “ Statistics on use of ICT by the world ’ s children and youth ”  Youth Forum - Africa TELECOM 2008, Cairo  Follow-up Project: “ Internet for schools ” (under development )

Helping the world communicate 3. ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS THAT PROMOTE AND FACILITATE THE ACCESS, USE AND KNOWLEDGE OF ICTs FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE 3.1 Through the Operational Plan of the ITU-BDT:  “ PTC 2004 Youth Panel ” held in Hawaii to lead constructive exchange in ICT development for youth through the Internet, 2004;  “ Partnership for young people and women through the ICTs in ASP Region ”, 2004;  Support “ Child Helpline International (CHI) ” to contribute in assuring ICT infrastructure including Internet access for children and young people from LDCs, 2004 ;  “ Entertainment Education ” support and rise awareness of the youth on the importance of computers, Internet and ICTs training, 2005;  “ ICT Training for Young Refugees in Liberia ” to enable development of an efficient and sustainable education in ICT including the Internet area, 2005, 2007, 2008;  “ ICT training centre for young refugees in Burundi ” to assist refugees back from asylum countries to acquire ICT skills, Children and Youth SIActivities Children and Youth SI Activities

Helping the world communicate 3.2 Through donations from Administrations or Sector Members for a specific activity or project:  Youth Education Scheme (yearly since 2003);  Development of the “ Global Portal for Children ”, 2006;  Development of “ Basic PC and Internet for young people of school-going age ” Kenya,  Development of “ Basic PC and Internet for young people of school-going age ” Uganda, 2007 Children and Youth SIActivities Children and Youth SI Activities

Helping the world communicate Children and Youth SI in the Implementation of WSIS  All the activities and projects developed within the framework of the Children and Youth SI are aligned with the WSIS statements highlighted in the Geneva Action Plan and in particular in the Tunis Commitment, Articles 24 and 25:  “recognises the role of ICTs in the protection of children and enhancing the development of children […].”  “reaffirms our commitment to empowering young people as key contributors to building an inclusive Information Society. We will actively engage youth in innovative ICT-based development programmes and widen opportunities for youth to be involved in e-strategy processes.”  “reaffirms our commitment to empowering young people as key contributors to building an inclusive Information Society. We will actively engage youth in innovative ICT-based development programmes and widen opportunities for youth to be involved in e-strategy processes.”  Recognizing the leading role of the young people in the Information Society, the Children and Youth SI in partnership with the WSIS Youth Caucus, has achieved a Declaration and Action Plan presented during WSIS in Tunis, requesting: “every government to present educative plans and projects to improve the use and access to the ICTs and with it help, to achieve the diminution of the digital gap”.

Helping the world communicate TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE !  The young people are the key contributors in building the Information Society. In responding to their needs and supporting their projects, we can bridge the Digital Divide faster and contribute to the development of the telecommunication sector as a whole. Contact: