Guidelines for future action for youth.

Guidelines for future action for youth

On 18 November 1985, the General Assembly, acting as the "World Conference for International Youth Year", unanimously adopted resolution 40/14, containing a set of guidelines for further planning and suitable follow-up in the field of youth. The text had been approved by consensus in Vienna in April by the Advisory Committee for the Year.

The guidelines reflect the experience gained at all levels--regional, national and international--during preparations for the Year. A primary objective of the Year has been to bring about widespread awareness of the situation of youth and increase recognition of their problems and aspirations, with a view to further integrating them into the mainstream of development.

"An assessment of the global economic situation, and its regional manifestations, indicate the renuous position of many young people", the guidelines state. They also provide specific recommedations for action on behalf of youth at the national, regional and international levels, identifying areas in which Governments may expect support from the United Nations and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. Regional and international action is intended to support and complement national action, through such measures as technical assistance, advisory services, dissemination of information and studies on specific youth issues and problems.

National action

Measures at the national level are earmarked for priority action. "Since the situation of youth varies from one country to another, policies and programmes for youth must be geared to the existing realities of each country", the text affirms. The guidelines provide a detailed framework for governments to develop policies appropriate to national circumstances and traditions. They also stress the importance of encouraging youth participation in all sectors and areas of national life, and underscore the need for continuous advocacy on behalf of youth and improved public awareness of their situation and needs.

Some guidelines relate to specific societal sectors; others to specific groups of vulnerable youth.

Employment, industry and other economic actvities: In this context, the guidelines suggest that Governments review labour policies affecting young people and promote policies to eliminate unemployment and create equal job opportunities for them. Measures to encourage self-employment and self-help activities are also recommended, along with...