Youth Participation In World Summit On Information Technology (WSIS)

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

2. What is WSIS??? World Summit on Information Society 1st - 2003 Geneva 2nd – 2005 Tunis Organised by: United Nations • Aim • Address issues associated with Information Society - • Broadly clustered into 3 main areas: • Vision • Access • Applications • Who is Participating? • Government • Civil Society • Private Sector

3. Regional Meetings - Africa - Europe - Asia Pacific - Latin America The Preparatory Committees (Prep Coms) 1st July to 5th July 2002 Geneva 2nd March to 4th April 2003 Geneva The WSIS Process • World Summit On Information Technology • Outcomes • “Declaration of Principles” • Action Plan to achieve goals of Information Society Aim: Agenda of Summit Modalities of participation Draft declaration and Action Plan Target specific issues related to region

4. 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

5. Importance of Youth Participation in WSIS • Problems faced by young people: • Lack of main stream support • Funding • Recognition • Lack of participation in decision Making • Policy development • Framework • Support and Legitimacy • Sustainability • Policy implementation • Lack of communication • Fragmented effort • Uninformed • Unconnected • Not motivated • Lack of continuity • Valuable experience taken away • New people have to relearn

6. 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

7. Youth @ WSIS • Overview: • 15 young people comprised the youth caucus • 7 selected from online mailing list of young people from 40 countries • They were Funded by Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) • Aim of the youth caucus is to ensure: • That Young people: • Are heard • Are on the WSIS agenda • Are able to participate in the decision making • All young people are involved • Connectivity with previous outcomes and recommendations from other youth forums into the WISS • That WSIS is a Sustained process for young people • That the WSIS action plan is implemented

8. Youth @ WSIS • 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 What we did there? • Youth Position Paper on the thematic groups • Drawn from previous declarations • Includes a broad category of issues under Information Society • Fund raising • Lobbying with government delegations • Presented Youth Creating Digital Opportunities • Working on Individual themes

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

10. WSIS And youth employment • The 5 basic principles: • Promoting youth Entrepreneurship • Promoting public-private partnerships • Targeting vulnerable young people • Bridging gap between digital economy and informal sector • Putting youth in charge

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

12. 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

13. 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 – wsisyouth@yahoogroups.co • Fund youth participation in the Prep-coms, regional conference, and the Summit • Write about us in the media

14. Special Thanks to GKP for Sponsoring me to come here Thank you Email - maitreyi_doshi@yahoo.com