Restless Development Looking for UN General Assembly Youth Advocates

Via a notice from Restless Development:

We are recruiting for ahead of the opening of the General Debate for this year’s United Nations General Assembly. Restless Development is collaborating with the Permanent Mission of Denmark to the United Nations to help embed youth-led accountability at the heart of the 2030 Agenda. To do this, we will be jointly implementing a high-level side event that showcases how young people are already engaging formally and informally in the follow-up and review of the SDGs, specifically looking at Goal 5 and tackling gender inequality.

For this year's high level opening of the general debate of the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Restless Development and the Permanent Mission of Denmark to the UN are jointly recruiting six youth advocates to attend the General Assembly high-level week, taking place in New York from Tuesday 19th - Saturday 23rd September.

We are looking to support six young people with a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences in youth-led monitoring and accountability for sustainable development as well as fighting for gender equality. Please see the below application form for a full list of criteria, and we will be ensuring that the group of youth advocates attending the UNGA reflects our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Preference will be given to young people who have experience at the grassroots and national levels on tackling gender inequality in all its forms, as well as those young people from countries that have committed Voluntary National Reviews at the UN High Level Political Forum in 2017 or will be conducting a review in 2018. Please see here for more detail regarding those countries who have conducted a Voluntary National Review https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/hlpf

If you, or someone in your network, are interested in being a Youth Advocate for Restless Development and the Permanent Mission of Denmark, please fill out the below application form before the deadline of Thursday 3rd August at 9pm BST. We will not unfortunately be able to consider applicants who have submitted forms after this time.

2017 UN General Assembly Youth Advocate Application Form

Along with other certain criteria which we are looking for in applicants, please note this opportunity is available only to those aged between 18-29. If you have any questions or are unable to fill out the form, please contact jack@restlessdevelopment.org.

Young Professionals SWERVE Charity Ride

The Young Professionals (YP) of the Metro NY Chapter of the US National Committee for UN Women will be riding alongside young professionals from other non-profit organizations to encourage leadership and political participation on Saturday, June 24 from 1pm to 3pm at SWERVE Fitness Midtown. Attendees will have an opportunity to listen to Jolly Amatya, Youth Chair of the Youth Assembly at the United Nations, as well as Claire Chapman, the President of Forward March, formerly Women's March NY Chapter, on the topics of leadership and political activism for Young Professionals, followed by a networking session with other charities. In addition, we will be providing delicious snacks like Bakerly and Girl Scout Cookies (yes, Girl Scouts will be in attendance too), along with refreshing beverages from Hint Water.

ABOUT THE RIDE

SWERVE is a team-inspired, indoor cycling studio that use teamwork and technology to create the best cardio workout. The class is a 45-minute rhythm ride and the bikes are arranged into three teams (Red, Green, and Blue); 56 seats total in the studio. The high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout includes sprints, hills, and upper body exercises for an incredible full-body workout that's designed for all levels. Our teams for this event are:

BLUE TEAM: Metro NY Chapter Members

RED TEAM: YP members of other non-profit organizations

GREEN TEAM: Non-member supporters

SEAT COST

$30 for Metro NY Chapter members and YP members of other non-profit organizations

$35 for non-members

$50 for front-row, premium seat

If you're interested in becoming a member of the Metro NY Chapter of the US National Committee for UN Women, click here. To donate to our organization, click here. Remember to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

We'd like to thank our sponsors Pospislaw.com, Hint Water, and Bakerly for their contribution to this event.

Tickets are available here: https://www.tickettailor.com/checkout/view-event/id/98174/chk/2b6e

UNA-USA Hosting an Advocacy Training Webinar

UNA-USA Advocacy Training Webinar:

How to Make the Case for the UN!

TODAY: Tuesday, May 30 at 8 p.m. ET

AND: Tues. June 6 at 4pm ET

with

Micah Spangler

Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs for the Better World Campaign 

and

Mel Boynton

UNA-USA National Advocacy Chair, Pomona Valley, CA 

*Register here*

*****

Please join UNA-USA for a one-hour advocacy training webinar with Micah Spangler, Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs for UNA’s sister organization, the Better World Campaign; Mel Boynton, UNA-USA National Advocacy Chair; and special guests. Whether you plan on participating in UNA’s Lobby Day next month in DC or you’re simply interested in organizing your own in-district meeting, this webinar will detail how to plan and execute an effective dialogue with your Members of Congress and their staff. Over the course of the hour, our presenters will share tactics to help you influence your elected officials, provide helpful resources, and answer any and all questions you have! If you’re unable to attend this webinar, please join us for a repeat webinar on this same topic on Tues. June 6 at 4pm ET. Email membership@unausa.org with any questions. We hope you can join us!

Chatham House Sponsors Video Competition on Gender

#SheCanWeCan Video Competition
Are you aged between 18 and 25? Have you ever thought about what you can do to make the world a better place for women? Enter our video competition and you could join decision-makers from around the world in London to discuss gender equality at the 2017 Chatham House International Policy Forum on 10-11 July 2017.

What you need to do

Create your own video of no longer than one minute explaining what you would do and the impact you think it would have

Upload your video to YouTube by 26 May 2017 - only video submissions via YouTube will be eligible for consideration. However, given restricted access to YouTube in certain areas, format such as YouKu and QQvideo will also be accepted

Ensure your video is set to Public for viewing

Fill out this official entry form and send it to IPFvideocompetition@chathamhouse.org

Please note, only the contents of the video will be used in the selection process. No additional information will be considered by the judging panel.

What we are looking for

Your video should explore ideas or actions which would make the world a better place for women around the world. It should explain why it is important for all of us - regardless of gender - that the world becomes a better place for women and what you would do to make sure that it becomes that way.

Remember you have only one minute to grab attention, so try to focus on something meaningful such as a unique idea, experience, or recommendation.

Make sure we can hear and see you clearly, but don't spend time rephrasing the question or introducing yourself.

Please read the competition rules carefully and follow each one.

You can also look back to last year's competition winner.

Good luck and please share with friends, using the hashtag #SheCanWeCan

Full website here: https://www.chathamhouse.org/shecanwecan-video-competition

United Nations Global Youth Video Competition

The Competition

If you are between the ages of 18 and 30 we want to hear about the inspiring actions you are taking to combat climate change in a compelling and concise maximum three minute video. We would like you to showcase for us a project or campaign you are involved in which relates to one of this year's categories.

Category 1: Climate friendly and resilient cities

3.5 billion people live in cities today and their populations will continue to increase in the coming decades, especially in developing countries. Cities account for 60-80% of energy consumption and 75% of carbon emissions.

Developing sustainable cities and communities is one of the key components in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the inevitable impacts of climate change. We are asking young people to submit videos that showcase activities which contribute to climate friendly and resilient cities.

We are looking for videos which showcase:

the implementation of climate friendly solutions/ideas about how to promote sustainability in urban areas/communities; including clean energy, clean transportation, community gardening, stepping up recycling and waste reduction, and other projects to reduce emissions;
building resilience to climate impacts such as heatwaves and floods, for example through tree planting, increasing green spaces and creating flood defenses;
actions to increase public awareness, and to advocate change at the policy level regarding the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to build resilience.

Category 2: Oceans and climate change

Oceans contain 97% of the planet’s water, employ over 200 million people and are the primary source of protein for 3 billion people. The degradation of oceans therefore present serious threats to many countries.

Oceans absorb much of the temperature rise and 30% of the carbon dioxide produced by humans, this is leading to higher levels of acidity. Sea levels are also on the rise and threaten many coastal communities. We are asking for videos on actions youth are taking to address challenges related to oceans and waterways.

We are looking for videos which showcase:

• the restoration of wetlands and mangroves which protect against storm surges and saltwater intrusion;
• the construction of dykes and other defenses against sea level rise;
• the increase of scientific knowledge to improve ocean health;
• activities which increase public awareness about the need to build resilience with regard to oceans and ways to reduce CO2 emissions so that oceans are better protected.

How to enter

Make an engaging maximum of three minute video, using whatever type of camera you have available, about your activities and submit in online to tvebiomovies.

The Prizes

A round trip to COP23 in Bonn, Germany this November 2017
Position as a youth reporter at COP23, where you will assist the UNFCCC Newsroom team with videos, articles and social media posts.


Start date: 10 May 2017
End date: 18 August 2017


The competition is co-organized by the UNFCCC and the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme, and implemented by Television for the Environment-tve.


View the full information here: http://unfccc.int/cooperation_and_support/education_and_outreach/youth/items/10291.php

Be the Next US Youth Observer to the UN

UNA-USA, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, is looking for the next U.S. Youth Observer to the UN. The U.S. Youth Observer is a critical role aimed at bringing the voice of youth to the world’s table. If you are (or know someone) age 18-25 who is driven to engage young people in international affairs, please apply today!

Applications are open now for the year-long term, which begins in July 2017, and American youth ages 18-25 are eligible to apply before May 21. This year’s Youth Observer will have exciting opportunities to engage with youth across the nation and the international community.

A few highlights include:

• Attending events in NYC during the opening week of the UN General Assembly; 
• Traveling around the United States and inspiring young people to be a part of solving global challenges; 
• Diving into digital media to be a correspondent between U.S. missions to the UN and American youth;
• Meeting with youth delegates from around the world to foster international cooperation for our generation. 

UNA-USA and the Department of State are looking for a vibrant and passionate young leader to fill this role. Sound like you or someone you know? Submit your application by May 21!

More details about the position here: http://genun.unausa.org/could_you_be_the_next_youth_observer?utm_campaign=yo_app_2017_1&utm_medium=email&utm_source=genun

UN Women's CEDAW for Youth Helps Young People to Explore Women's Rights

Just before Christmas, UN Women launched its new youth-friendly version of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women, also known as CEDAW for short (pronounced "see-daw"). CEDAW protects core human rights for women and girls and was signed by the UN General Assembly in 1989. This treaty is recognized by international law as a binding agreement and you can read the treaty in full here. CEDAW has been signed by 191 countries, as highlighted in blue below:

Light blue indicates countries that have signed but not ratified the treaty (only the US and Palau), dark blue indicates countries that have signed and ratified the treaty, orange indicates countries that have not signed the treaty

According to UN Women: 

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is an international legal instrument that requires countries to eliminate discrimination against women and girls in all areas and promotes women’s and girls’ equal rights.

CEDAW is often described as the international bill of rights for women, and is one of the key international agreements that guides the work of UN Women in achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. CEDAW for Youth is a youth-friendly version of CEDAW, that was authored by a young woman and young man. 

This resource explains why CEDAW is important to youth, describes CEDAW’s impact in advancing gender equality and human rights for women and girls around the world, and summarizes the articles of CEDAW, including the specific forms of discrimination that must be ended and how CEDAW is implemented and monitored.

Using the Youth-Friendly Report

The youth-friendly CEDAW resource is available here and is a great overview of CEDAW. I recommend it for a troop meeting where young people can read it and learn about their rights under international law. After reviewing the youth summary as a group, some activities you can do:

• In small groups, different groups can have a different article that they are meant to "market." How would you explain and promote this right on TV, radio, or in print? Create a full-page ad or TV/radio sketch as a group, and present it to the rest of your troop.
• Have a reflection moment where girls can write down thoughts about international standards for rights for girls. How does it make them feel that 191 countries have signed the treaty? Why is it important to have a treaty? How did this exercise help them to realize their own rights? This exercise can also be an opportunity to use the creative arts, such as poetry: ask girls to translate their thoughts/feelings/reflections into a freeform poem. At the end, girls who volunteer to can present their poem to the troop (do not pressure girls to perform their poems, as they can be deeply personal in nature; if no one volunteers, perhaps a troop leader can volunteer to go first). 
• Pretend that your troop has been asked to draft an "alternative report" to the CEDAW committee on the status of girls rights in your community and country. What are some of the issues you would want to discuss? What are some things that your country is doing well and what are some areas of improvement? What kind of evidence would you use, or how would you strategize to find the evidence you need to prove your point?
• For US Girl Scouts: The United States has not ratified the treaty, meaning that it is not subject to review by the CEDAW treaty body. Do you think the US should? Why do you think the US has still not ratified the treaty? What do you think is the value of being subject to review? If you think ratifying the treaty is a good idea, what would you do to advocate for ratification? Create an advocacy action plan/strategy, such as talking to local representatives, create an ad campaign, write a report that you can publish online, write op-eds for your local paper, etc. As a troop pick at least one idea and do it!

UNICEF also has a youth-friendly CEDAW document which I highly recommend as well. You can check it out here to decide what works best for the age level of your troop.

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

YUNGA Climate Change Badge in Now Available

The Climate Change Challenge Badge is designed to help children and young people understand the vital role our climate plays in supporting life on Earth and how our daily lives impact the Earth’s climate.

Most of all the Challenge Badge will help you better understand why climate change matters and motivate you to take action and become positive drivers of change in your communities and within international arenas.

What are you waiting for? It is time to start acting for climate! Find it online at: http://www.fao.org/3/a-i5216e.pdf

Other languages will soon become available (including Spanish, Russian and Hungarian and others will follow shortly).

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.

More about YUNGA here: http://www.fao.org/yunga

What are the Challenge Badges?

Developed in collaboration with United Nations agencies, civil society and other organizations, YUNGA Challenge Badges aim to raise your awareness, educate and motivate you to change your behaviour and become an active agent of change in your local community. The series can be used by teachers in school classes as well as by youth leaders, especially Guide or Scout groups. Challenge Badge activities are both educational – and fun! More info about Challenge Badges here: http://www.fao.org/yunga/resources/challenge-badges/en/

Join the WAGGGS Thunderclap!

Support WAGGGS' efforts to raise awareness about violence against girls and showing that #GirlsAreValuable by joining the Thunderclap:


Or follow this link to sign up: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/34586-girls-are-valuable?locale=en

Also, the UN Women Twitter account has been sharing many great updates from around the world about the 16 Days of Activism, or Orange the World (#16Days #OrangeTheWorld). Here are a few about WAGGGS:

#VoicesagainstViolence uses education to prevent violence: https://t.co/Hg0EW8Jwer #orangetheworld #16days pic.twitter.com/BwMwCumjTF

— UN Women (@UN_Women) November 28, 2015

Meet a Girl Guide who prevents violence through education: https://t.co/cU4WHS8TWa #16days #orangetheworld pic.twitter.com/ErGSuWeXCc

— UN Women (@UN_Women) November 27, 2015

Nov. 25 through Dec. 10: UNiTe to End Violence Against Women & Girls

Every month, on the 25th of the month, is "Orange Day"--a day to mark the continual struggle to end violence against women and girls. November 25th is the flagship day, known as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and is coupled with December 10, International Human Rights Day. The 16 days between November 25 and December 10, known as the 16 Days of Activism, are recognized by the UN as key days to push women and girls' right to live free of violence.

Read more about the campaign here: http://www.unwomen.org/~/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/what%20we%20do/orange_the_world2015_unite_toolkit.pdf

Take Action in Your Troop

WAGGGS has launched a 16 days of activism virtual "backpack," which contains activities for all age groups, taken and tailored from the Voices Against Violence curriculum. Voices Against Violence is the campaign that WAGGGS has taken to address the disproportionate effect violence has had on girls (you can read more about the Voices Against Violence program here). These activities can be run in a 90 minute evening with your unit or troop to help you and your troop explore issues around gender stereotypes and inequality.
More info about and download the backpack here: https://www.wagggs.org/en/what-we-do/stop-the-violence/get-involved/raise-awareness/16-days-activism/16-days-activism-2015/

Take Action in Your Community

Take the UN's call to action to "Orange Your World"! Here are a few ideas from the UN Women Toolkit:

• Light and decorate in orange your country, city, or communities’ iconic buildings, landmarks and statues. 
• Make orange advertising spaces on billboards, screens or in magazines to spread the message.
• Organize an orange march through the centre of your city, town or village and declare the space an ‘orange zone’.
• Organize orange marathons, flash mobs, dance parties, or bicycle rides. Find out from your local authorities whether there is a space you could arrange to be decorated with orange graffiti and messages! 
• Find out what relevant meetings or conferences are taking place in your country during the 16 Days of Activism and invite the organizers to orange the meeting spaces and dedicate an item in the agenda to a discussion about violence against women and girls.
• For more inspiration, look back at how we oranged our neighbourhoods last year: https://www.flickr.com/photos/unwomen/sets/72157649322853638/

Social Media

Take to social media and spread the word about violence against women and girls and the 16 Days of Activism. Here are some sample posts you can do:

TWITTER

• This #OrangeDay we're preparing for 16Days of Activism 25Nov-10Dec. What will you do to #OrangetheWorld? http://bit.ly/1zU9QUJ @SayNO_UNiTE 
• Happy #OrangeDay! How will you mark the 16 Days of Activism 25Nov-10Dec? Time to start planning! http://bit.ly/1zU9QUJ @SayNO_UNiTE 
• Will your village, town or city go orange to support an end to #VAW for 25Nov-10Dec? It’s time to start planning! http://bit.ly/1zU9QUJ 
• Calling on youth! Last #OrangeDay you spoke out against #VAW&girls. Now it’s time to start planning to #OrangeTheWorld http://bit.ly/1zU9QUJ 

FACEBOOK

• From 25 November to 10 December, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women will “Orange the World” to raise awareness and inspire action on the issue. This #OrangeDay, find out how you, your organization and your community can start organizing to be a part of this global campaign. http://bit.ly/1zU9QUJ 
• Calling on youth! Last #OrangeDay, your voices were heard all over the world speaking out against gender-based violence. This month, the UN Secretary-General’s campaign UNiTE to End Violence against Women calls on you to start planning how you, your organization and your community will help to “Orange the World” during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, 25 November to 10 December. Check out the UNiTE campaign’s toolkit and organize a planning discussion in your community. http://bit.ly/1zU9QUJ

Apply by Nov. 13 to Represent Girls Around the World at UN CSW in NY

Did you know that the World Assn. of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) sends representatives to major UN conferences to advocate on behalf of girls worldwide? Girls can also provide support from their home countries as well. (Please note this is an opportunity for girls 18-30 years old.)

This spring (March 14-24), the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will bring women, girls, and their allies from around the globe to discuss the issues they face and the policies, programs, and support needed to address these issues. At the conclusion of the commission, world leaders attending the event create a resolution to look at how they can address these needs in the coming year(s). This year's theme for CSW will be "Women’s empowerment and the link to sustainable development." Leaders and advocates will be reflecting on how women's empowerment can be engaged in the new Sustainable Development Agenda (which comprises of the new Global Goals).

Please note this is a competitive application process and you will be competing with girls around the world. Only serious applicants over the age of 18 should apply, and you should be available to attend the whole event from March 14-24, 2016. Applications are due by November 13. More info available here: https://www.wagggs.org/en/what-we-do/speak-out/60th-commission-status-women/ and applications are available here: https://www.wagggs.org/en/what-we-do/speak-out/60th-commission-status-women/apply-now/

If you are in the NYC area from March 14-24 but aren't selected to represent WAGGGS (or cannot commit to the whole conference), there are additional ways for you to engage in the conference. Throughout the time there will be parallel events held outside of the UN compound throughout NYC. These events will be open to the public. In February these events will be announced. We will keep you posted!

More info on CSW generally is available here: http://www.unwomen.org/en/csw
Info on CSW 2016 is available here: http://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw60-2016
Info on the Global Goals is available here: http://www.globalgoals.org/

Global to Local: UN Team Hosts Workshop on New WAGGGS Material

The WAGGGS UN team event, held yesterday in New York City, brought together troop leaders from Staten Island, Manhattan, New Jersey, and Heart of the Hudson! This workshop in particularly aimed at exposing troop leaders to the latest materials from WAGGGS: the new World Thinking Day materials (Connect 10 Million) and the very recent International Day of the Girl materials (10 Million Voices). The WAGGGS UN

Team worked to ensure that the workshop was especially interactive and exciting, allowing the troop leaders to discuss and explore the brand new Global Goals, which World Thinking Day and International Day of the Girl focus on.

What are the new Global Goals? Released on September 25, they are a set of priorities for all countries around the world that will help to address hunger, poverty, and social injustice. Each of the 17 goals focuses on one of the four themes: people, planet, peace, and prosperity. In 2017, each country will have national indicators that will help the public and non-profit organizations to hold their governments accountable to their commitments. As a result, it is essential that all people--young and not-so-young, girls and boys, parents and their children--learn about the goals so that they can be a part of this process and work towards a better world for their fellow citizens and the world.

Below are the resources discussed in the workshop, as well as some additional resources related to the Global Goals and the UN. I will also add these resources to the "resources" tab on this blog so you can find them again in the future!

Resources: 

WAGGGS International Day of the Girl 2015 (great activity ideas you can do right now!): https://www.wagggs.org/en/resources/international-day-girl-10-million-voices/

WAGGGS World Thinking Day (WTD isn't until February, but it is important to start thinking about it now with your other troop leaders, and there are many activities you can use at any time too!): https://www.wagggs.org/en/what-we-do/world-thinking-day/

Kid-friendly (elementary-level) activity book on Global Goals: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?page=view&type=400&nr=1616&menu=1300

Global Goals Lesson Plans: https://www.tes.com/worldslargestlesson/lesson-plans/

World’s Largest Lesson Video: 6.5min https://vimeo.com/137728737 

Global Goals comic book (great resource to discuss the Global Goals with your children! Please note this is a work in progress!):  https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kfpfgt1jpu5zl0x/AAClx23QyCi_MeZiYxIQ5N1va?dl=0

Youth Gateway: The UN Youth Envoy has created a “youth gateway” to get youth involved in the Global Goals and holding their governments accountable to the indicators. To be continued as we’re waiting for the indicators to com out (around January), but it is good to sign up now to get their emails and get involved: www.youthgateway.org

Global Goals Background Resources

The following are great resources for troop leaders to learn more about the Global Goals, or for having your girls use to do their own (or small group) research:

Sustainable development goals: changing the world in 17 steps – interactive: Interactive "map" that shows the differences between the MDGs (the goals set for 2000-2015) and the new Global Goals. Click on the Global Goals and it will bring you to a description of the goal: http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/ng-interactive/2015/jan/19/sustainable-development-goals-changing-world-17-steps-interactive

Sustainable Development Goals: All you Need to Know: This is a great overview of the goals. Please note that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the "technical" term for the Global Goals: http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/jan/19/sustainable-development-goals-united-nations

UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (under "Key resources" they list some great resources that might be helpful to leaders to look at before working with girls, or to have older girls themselves look at to do research if needed): http://unsdsn.org/news/2015/10/06/world-leaders-adopt-sustainable-development-goals-sdgs/ 

Other UN-Related Resources: 

This is a comprehensive list of UN teaching resources shared by the UN and its agencies: http://www.unis.unvienna.org/unis/en/resources/teaching_resources.html

Model UN Resources: http://unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un/for-educators/resources 

Guardian Article: “How to teach… the UN”: http://www.theguardian.com/education/teacher-blog/2013/sep/09/united-nations-teaching-resources

Committee on Teaching About the UN (CTAUN) Resources: http://www.ctaun.org/teacher-resources/

International Day of the Girl Action Opportunity: ACT NOW

 Tomorrow is the official International Day of the Girl! Please spread the word by joining in the Thunderclap--we still need over a hundred more people to sign up! If we have 250 people sign up, then on the International Day of the Girl, a wave of social media will go out with the following message:

SIGN UP FOR THE THUNDERCLAP HERE: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/32324-happy-idg2015

What is a Thunderclap?

If you sign up for the Thunderclap, you can have the message shared on your Facebook, Twitter, and/or Tumblr page! If enough people sign up, then Thunderclap will push out the message at the same moment on all registrants' social media accounts (only the ones that they signed up with!). Thunderclap will ONLY push messages that you sign up for and they will only do it to accounts that you have told Thunderclap it can push to.

SIGN UP FOR THE THUNDERCLAP HERE: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/32324-happy-idg2015

What is International Day of the Girl?

The Day of the Girl Summit brings girls and girl-serving organizations together to celebrate the International Day of the Girl. The Summit has become a movement; a year-long, action-oriented virtual platform for change makers to leverage community resources in support the advancement of girls’ human rights. This year, thousands more of girls, boys, adults, teachers, leaders, politicians and hundreds more of organizations, will show their support for the celebration of the unique and special role girls play in the world.

More info on the International Day of the Girl can be found here: http://dayofthegirlsummit.org/about/

Major Group on Children & Youth (MGCY) wants your success story!

Please see below for the MGCY call for submissions! Sorry for posting last minute:

We are extending our open call for success stories until October 8th, at 23:59 GMT/UTC.

What is this project about?

We want to hear your story about your project in humanitarian action! The UN MGCY WHS Youth Working Group is opening a call for success stories, which will show the world that youth are ready and capable to change our own society and future, through their contributions to and rethinking of the humanitarian architecture. We are looking for examples where you, the young people of the world, have started up a project that addresses a disaster or armed conflict. This can be a local project within your own community, but it can also have a larger scope.

We are not looking for projects focused on development or eradication of poverty, but actions linked to relief or response, as well as preparedness and resilience. Most importantly, your initiative has in an innovative way addressed needs that you see in a sustainable way.

The UN MGCY WHS Youth Working Group aims to share selected stories widely, as an example of young people’s contributions within humanitarian actions.

What is in it for you? 

If selected, your project will be broadcasted within our working group (which has already over 2,000 members!) on our social media channels reaching thousands of external partners, on our frequently visited website and we will also feature it during the Global Consultation for the World Humanitarian Summit in Geneva in October. This event will gather over 900 actors in humanitarian relief: NGOs, organizations and governments!

How can you submit your own project or initiative? 

 You will submit your success story by sending us an abstract of maximum 400 words at whsdop@childrenyouth.org. Please include in your abstract all the following information: how your project is run and what is its objective; who (for example individuals or an organization) and how many are running the project; who and how many benefits from the project; what are the results so far; and what the follow-up actions are. Any pictures, videos or other documentation that you have showcasing your story can be attached to the abstract using this form.

Engagement Opportunity: UN World Humanitarian Summit

YOU can help choose the priorities for the World Humanitarian Summit! Show your support for the actions needed to transform humanitarian action!

Under the "Dignity" section, there are two options that might be of particular interest to those following this blog: "Guarantee protection and education for children, and engage youth as partners in emergency preparedness and response," and, "Close the gender gap by ensuring funding and programming enables women and girls to realize their rights, including protection from gender-based violence." If these options resonate with you, it would be great if you could take the survey and select them to show that women/girls and children/youth are important parts of the humanitarian process when responding to crisis!

Click HERE: http://voices.worldhumanitariansummit.org/ Share this with all your friends and networks to show our leaders, and the agencies and organizations that WE care about YOUTH and GIRLS and want more support and more youth leadership in humanitarian action!

Event hashtags: #WHSyouth #ReShapeAid

More Info on the World Humanitarian Summit

The UN's first World Humanitarian Summit will be held in Istanbul on 23 and 24 May 2016 and will bring together governments, humanitarian organizations, people affected by humanitarian crises and new partners including the private sector to propose solutions to our most pressing challenges and set an agenda to keep humanitarian action fit for the future.

World Humanitarian Summit Data Visualization Competition

Join the #VisualizeChange challenge

In the lead-up to the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit convened by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, we have consulted thousands of people worldwide and collected their ideas and recommendations to reduce human loss and suffering from crisis.

Together with Unite Ideas we are inviting you to join our #VisualizeChange challenge to build an info-graphic or dynamic visualization featuring the World Humanitarian Summit consultation data collections.

The winner will be invited and sponsored to travel to present their work at the Global Consultation in Geneva, Switzerland on 14-16 October 2015 and the best visualizations will be showcased on the World Humanitarian Summit website, the Unite Ideas website and at related events worldwide. Please share this invitation with colleagues and friends and don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or ideas related to the challenge: visualizechange@whsummit.org

Find out about criteria and how to participate here: bit.ly/VisualizeChange

The deadline for submissions is 30 August 2015.

What is the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS)?

An initiative of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, managed by UN OCHA, the first World Humanitarian Summit will be held in Istanbul on 23 and 24 May 2016 and will bring together governments, humanitarian organizations, people affected by humanitarian crises and new partners including the private sector to propose solutions to our most pressing challenges and set an agenda to keep humanitarian action fit for the future.

WAGGGS #YouthDay Initiative: #IToldMyStoryTo

Want to get involved in International Youth Day on August 12? WAGGGS is hosting a social media campaign to raise awareness about the actions girls worldwide have taken in their communities!

What have you done in the past year to contribute to your community? How are you engaged in your neighborhood or with global issues?

Opportunities, especially for young women, to be involved politically, economically and socially in their communities, countries and on a global level are few and far between. International Youth Day is an opportunity to acknowledge the achievements of girls and young women as agents of change and as volunteers on the ground. It also gives us the chance to celebrate girls' contributions to development of their communities and governments.

Tell your story! 

Did you do the Global Action Theme (GAT) badge? Did you participate in or organize a World Thinking Day event? Did your Gold, Silver, or Bronze Award address issues such as hunger, poverty, or social injustice? All of these actions contribute to civic engagement and actively contributing to your community.

Help raise awareness that young people make an essential contribution to these goals! Share your story of civic engagement. You could tell your story to your school, your teacher, at an assembly with your community, your friends, your workplace, your local council, your Government! Share who you have told your story to on social media using the hashtags #Itoldmystoryto and #YouthDay and don’t forget to tag us @wagggs_world.

Youth in action: 12 stories of change 

Look out for 12 stories of change from Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from Member Organisations of all five WAGGGS regions, working towards the Millennium Development Goals, which were goals established by the UN in 2000 that are coming to a close now (you can read about the new Sustainable Development Goals, or Global Goals, here).

WAGGGS will be sharing a story of change every two hours starting Tuesday 11 August. This will end on International Youth Day 12 August with exciting findings from our research on the Global Action Theme badge, which focused on ways in which girls and young women helped to deliver the Millennium Development Goals.

 Follow the stories and our research results on our Twitter and Facebook pages and on our website here.

More resources and information are available here: http://www.wagggs.org/en/internationaldays/InternationalYouthDay