UN Team Event: A Girl's Journey to Success!

YUNGA Seeking Youth Advisory Council Members for World Oceans Day

YUNGA is seeking ten young leaders (ages 16-21) from around the world to serve on a new Advisory Council to help expand the reach and impact of World Oceans Day. Held annually on June 8th, World Oceans Day provides a unique opportunity to unite the world to protect and conserve our shared ocean. The Ocean Project has led global efforts to promote and coordinate World Oceans Day since 2002, as a way to raise the profile of the ocean in June, and continue to provide ways for people to become more engaged – no matter where they live – in protecting and conserving our shared ocean throughout the year. YUNGA works with a wide range of partners, from all sectors. For the last decade YUNGA has worked closely with World Ocean Network,WAZA, and AZA, among many others. In late 2008, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution officially recognizing June 8th as World Oceans Day and the worldwide celebration has been growing quickly ever since.

Advisory Council members will be instrumental in helping shape the development of World Oceans Day. YUNGA is seeking new and unique perspectives, ideas, and recommendations on developing this global event. Together, the Advisory Council and our network of partners, will work to expand opportunities for ocean conservation throughout the year. For more information go to: http://www.worldoceansday.org/world-oceans-day-youth-advisory-council-call-for-applications/

What is YUNGA?

Formed in 2009, the Youth and United Nations Global Alliance (YUNGA) is a partnership between United Nations agencies, civil society organizations and other entities that work with children and young people. YUNGA acts as a gateway for children and youth from around the world to participate in the activities and initiatives of the United Nations. YUNGA seeks to empower children and young people to have a greater role in society, raise awareness and become active agents of change. YUNGA aims to engage young people in activities of key environmental and social concern at both national and international levels.

WAGGGS Stay Connected Competition -- $3000 grant!

The Global Goals are 17 goals that world leaders signed onto at the United Nations to collaboratively work towards real issues like ending hunger, poverty, gender inequality, and environmental degradation. These goals are important for both developed and developing countries to make real changes in their countries, but they need the help of young people to make sure that people know about these goals and to get started on rolling them out! You can be a part of this important process.

Technology and innovation are key drivers that can help to make large and sustainable impact that last. Which is why Verizon has teamed up with WAGGGS to create this grant for Girl Scouts/Guides to come up with creative solutions to bringing the Global Goals to your community! Winners will receive a $3000 grant to execute the project.

Judging criteria:

• Relevance: How is this relevant to the Global Goals and girls' lives in your community? 
• Innovation: Is your idea a new one? 
• Effectiveness: How effective would your idea be in creating change?
• Impact: What is the impact your project could have on your community?
• Sustainability: How will your project be able to continue to have an impact once it's set up?

More info & apply: https://www.wagggs.org/en/what-we-do/stay-connected/

Opportunity to have YOUR Voice Heard at the UN!

This March, the U.N. will host the Commission on the Status of Women, or CSW, which brings together nations and "civil society" (or nonprofits and individual citizens) to review the current state of women and girls worldwide. For the first time ever, there will be a Youth CSW event. At the end of Youth CSW, a document will have been created to analyze the status of gender--by youth and for youth. This will then be read to key policymakers and UN representatives from around the globe to bring a voice to young people who often are not present and are unable to advocate at the UN!

YOU can be a part of this!

Join the CSW Youth Online Consultation

An online consultation will provide an opportunity for youth who are not able to attend the Youth CSW event to have their voice heard and presented in this document! This consultation will allow the voices and perspectives of diverse youth from all walks of life to be heard during CSW60. Youth will discuss the issues they face on local, regional and global levels and form a declaration to be read at CSW60. If you are interested in contributing, join us during the Youth CSW online consultation here featured on the World We Want website. Please register and contribute by 10 March 2016.

Participate on Social Media

You can contribute to the discussions on social media:
Facebook: CSW60 Youth Forum (https://www.facebook.com/CSW60/)
Twitter: @YouthforumCSW
Instagram: csw60
The following hashtags can be used:

• #YouthCSWForum 
• #YouthCSW 
• #Youth4GenderEquality 
• #genderequality 
• #High5 
• #SDG5

Last Minute Opportunity to be in a Music Video

Pop artist Tennille Amor is making a collaborative music video for her song "I Am A Girl!" The video will be featured at the UN Interagency Youth Forum. Tennille is looking for girls and women from around the world to record themselves dancing and singing her song.

If you are interested in participating, please email Tori (vlarson31@gmail.com) ASAP and she will send you the details, including recording specifications, a release form, and of course the song!

Please note the deadline is MONDAY, February 22, 2016!

Tune in to the ECOSOC Youth Forum!

Samar Mezghanni, writer and activist, speaks at the ECOSOC Youth Forum

Today and tomorrow marks the UN's ECOSOC Youth Forum. The Youth Forum brings young leaders from around the world to the UN Headquarters in New York. It is a platform for youth to engage in dialogue with Member States and contribute to policy formulation on global economic, social and environmental issues. The forum will discuss ways in which young people can play an active role in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It will also address how the youth can best communicate on the Agenda, bringing on board the innovative use of social media and communication tools.

Three members of the WAGGGS UN Team will be here at the event representing WAGGGS! Tune into the @WAGGGSDelegates on Twitter to follow us live, and you can watch on UN Web TV here: http://webtv.un.org/

You can check out more information on the ECOSOC Youth Forum here: https://www.un.org/ecosoc/en/events/2016/youth-taking-action-implement-2030-agenda-ecosoc-youth-forum

Follow the Youth Forum's hashtag at #Youth2030