YFIN and IPRAN submit comments on Draft Youth Charter of SAARC

7 Oct 2013

In response to call for comments from Nepal's Ministry of Youth and Sports, Youth Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (YFIN) Nepal and Indigenous Peoples' Rights Activists Network (IPRAN) have today submitted comments on the draft of SAARC Youth Charter.

YFIN and IPRAN drew particular attention of the Ministry to the following issues with regards to the Charter :

1. The Draft Charter largely ignores the diversity of peoples, and hence the youth, in SAARC region. We are particularly concerned about non-recognition of disadvantaged and marginalized groups in the region, including indigenous and tribal peoples, Dalits, sexual minorities, persons with disability, linguistic and religious minorities, among others, in the Draft. Youth from these groups have distinct identity than other youth and have specific needs arising from long-standing marginalization, discrimination, exclusion and oppression against those groups. Thus, we highly suggest, as reflected in our comments, that the Draft obliges State Parties to recognize such diversity, distinct identities of groups and their specific needs and take targeted actions to address those needs.
2. Further, the Draft Charter proposes for a national mechanism for the implementation of the Charter and a Youth Plan of Action to operationalize the provisions of the Charter. We strongly emphasize that such mechanism and plan of action should ensure full, effective, meaningful and inclusive representation and participation of youth from the country, including those from indigenous and tribal peoples and other disadvantaged and marginalized groups.

The organizations have urged the Ministry for continued consultation and participation with stakeholders in finalizing the Charter and the following implementation thereof.

Click on the link below to see the comments on the content of the Draft Charter.

Comments on TC-WYC06. 11 (Draft SAARC Youth Charter)