UNFPA in Uzbekistan established a Youth Advisory Panel in 2006 to create a platform for an open dialogue and exchange between the Fund and young people. The objective of the Panel is to increase participation of the youth networks and organizations to provide recommendations on the strategic opportunities and actions to address adolescent and youth issues within all areas of the Fund's mandate.
UNFPA Uzbekistan Youth Advisory Panel
On 5-6 March UNFPA CO Uzbekistan brought together 20 most active Y-PEER volunteers/ representatives from youth serving NGO’s, youth networks, student unions from selected regions across Uzbekistan and Tashkent city to launch UNFPA Youth Advisory Panel meeting 2013 (YAP).
The ICPDB14/Post2015DA session was given a high priority to discuss with the most proactive young people represented by the Y-PEER network in the country. One of the active Y-PEER volunteer Mr. Jamshid Kayumov who recently has participated at the Youth Multistakeholders Meeting on post 2015 in Bali, has presented the ICPD and MDG post 2015 Development Agenda. He gave information about the history of ICPD and its development through the times until now; why ICPD matters after all and why young people should be involved in the development of the idea. Most of the participants expressed their opinions positively; stating Uzbekistan’s achievements in the sphere of Education, Health and Economic wellbeing. At the same time, young people brought many examples from their life experiences and learning to tell their peers that certain minor issues can escalate to a wider scale if ignored by the society at the earlier stages; ignorance of women’s empowerment, gender equity and access of citizens’ to quality education or any knowledge that would prevent certain unwanted cases and improve lives after all. The youth highlighted several points where the government and international arena should put stress;
- The government has to continue its commitment to the provision of equal rights and opportunities for its citizen with particular focus on women and young people; it is obvious that young people’s voices are heard today in Uzbekistan but occasionally no actions are taken or the recommendations followed by the decision-makers at local levels.
- On the other hand, young people admitted that young people should be creative and adaptive to the changing world in order to better plan their lives, not blame the government and society only for some challenges they are facing in their daily lives.
In conclusion, young people agree that they are both beneficiaries and implementers of the ICPDB14/Post2015DA. The current youth’s lifestyle, education and employment opportunities represent the reality and are subject to young people’s pro-activeness and commitment. At the same time government and civil society institutions to be held more accountable for more youth policies applied in practice for more concrete results. Policies are great in papers but with less application in young people’s daily lives. Despite the significant progress, Uzbekistan should work more on making its educational youth friendly. Overall, youth are confident that ICPDB14/Post2015DA is viable and have positive visions about it in Uzbekistan.
