SUMMARY

The City Summit (Habitat II Conference) was a cornerstone for the United Nations, national governments, local authorities, and especially for the Non-Governmental Organizations and Community-Based Organizations since the preparatory process and the conference itself was a great opportunity to involve and incorporate the views and demands of the stakeholder groups (partners) in the human settlements development field in the formulation of the Habitat Agenda. Sustainability, participation in the decision making processes, gender equality and social interaction were identified as main principles of human settlements development in these interactive processes, where Youth was acknowledged as a partner particularly in a forward looking perspective in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda.

Youth For Habitat International Network is an umbrella organization, which was first initiated as a working group during the Social Development Summit held in Copenhagen in 1995. Currently, Youth For Habitat International Network (YFHIN) has an operational secretariat, member youth organizations in more than 50 countries and several regional focal points and resource persons.

In the context of improving living conditions in human settlements, Youth is working to take part in the formulation/implementation of policies and strategies particularly related to Habitat Agenda and Agenda 21. This situation is recognized and promoted in paragraph 120(a) of the Habitat Agenda. Principle 25 of the Rio Declaration and paragraph 120(b) of the Habitat Agenda foresee youth to play an active and creative role in building sustainable communities. Paragraph 182(n) of the Habitat Agenda further stipulates that youth should be accepted as a key partner for the implementation processes.

In May 1998, YFHIN and UNCHS (Habitat) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to organize a framework for cooperation and in this relation the Secretariat of YFHIN joined forces with UNCHS (Habitat) to execute the youth-related element in the Centre’s 1998-1999 work programme which foresees the preparation of a report on the youth contributions to the implementation of the Habitat Agenda.

This present report has been prepared jointly by the YFHIN Secretariat and UNCHS (Habitat) to achieve the above objective and is based on information and data presented through seven national youth reports prepared in Brazil, Colombia, India, Kenya, Pakistan, Senegal and Turkey. The report comprises of two parts. In part one information is presented on the background of this initiative; a general evaluation is made on common issues, priorities for action and recommendations to YFHIN. Recommendations for future action are also formulated. The second part of the report comprises of seven national reports. All these national reports and the first part of the publication are presented as were prepared by the youth organizations/individuals with only basic editing.