MAPPING OF THE YOUTH INCLUSION IN STOCKHOLM +50

Background and mandate of Stockholm +50

In this sub-chapter, the stakeholder engagement, the purpose of the process, mandates and the structure of the coordination is briefly outlined. The information is taken form the Stockholm + 50 webpage; www.stockholm50.global/.

Stockholm + 50 (S+50)

“In May 2021, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to bring the global environmental community together in Stockholm, Sweden for a major international environmental meeting on June 2 and 3 2022, the week of World Environment Day.

[…] Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity” (Stockholm+50) took place five decades after the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. The event provided leaders with an opportunity to draw on 50 years of multilateral environmental action, to achieve the bold and urgent action needed to secure a better future on a healthy planet.

By recognising the importance of multilateralism in tackling the Earth’s triple planetary crisis – climate, nature, and pollution – the event sought to act as a springboard to accelerate the implementation of the UN Decade of Action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals, including the 2030 Agenda, Paris Agreement on climate change, the post-2020 global Biodiversity Framework, and encourage the adoption of green post-COVID-19 recovery plans.

The meeting also reinforced the messages and the outcomes of the event to commemorate UNEP’s 50th anniversary (UNEP@50), which took place in March 2022, in Nairobi. Stockholm+50 was convened by the United Nations and hosted by the Government of Sweden with support from the Government of Kenya.”14

The UN mandate

S+50 was mandated by two UN resolutions;

1. “Enabling resolution (A/RES/75/280 of 24 May 2021) laying the foundation for the international meeting by deciding on title, dates and location, stating that the purpose of Stockholm+50 is to contribute to the environmental dimension of sustainable development to accelerate the implementation of commitments in the context of the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development, including a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.“15

2. “Modalities resolution (A/RES/75/326 of 10 September 2021) providing the structure, format, preparations and organisational arrangements; specifying the themes of the three leadership dialogues; deciding that two Presidents (from Sweden and from Kenya) will be elected; and appointing UNEP Executive Director as the Secretary-General of the meeting.”16

14 www.stockholm50.global/about/about

15 Stockholm +50 overview, www.stockholm50.global/

16 Stockholm +50 overview, www.stockholm50.global/

Unep

“UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme) was the focal point for Stockholm+50 and coordinated substantive and practical support to the organisation of Stockholm+50 in close consultation with the co-hosts Kenya and Sweden.”17 Regarding the youth inclusion, in particular the UNEP civil society unit played an important role.

Host countries; Sweden and Kenya

The international meeting was hosted and prepared by Sweden with the support of the co-host Kenya. The government offices of Sweden set up a S+50 Secretariat to prepare the meeting. One “youth responsible” was assigned.

Leadership dialogues (LDs)

The thematical dialogues and discussions, making up the S+50 process, were organised through three parallel thematical Leadership Dialogues. Each of the LDs were presided over by two Co-Chairs. Discussions took place through Informal Working Groups (IWGs) in the months leading up to the international meeting in Stockholm, as well as inside the meeting itself. “The Leadership Dialogues contributed to the outcome of Stockholm+50 by yielding clear and concrete recommendations and messages for action at all levels. They aimed to mobilize the global community behind strengthened cooperation and accelerated innovative action.”18

Stakeholder engagement

“All relevant stakeholders, including women, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and local communities [were] invited to contribute to the discussions of the international meeting and their preparation through direct participation as well as through informal groups to support the Leadership dialogues and contribute in stakeholder consultations.”19

Youth priority

On the S+50 webpage, the commitment to a meaningful youth engagement is highlighted: “In the same vein as the 1972 Stockholm Conference, the engagement of civil society and a variety of stakeholders will be at the heart of Stockholm+50, with a particular focus on meaningful youth engagement.”20 Youth as a priority was also highlighted in speeches given by the host country government at ministerial and ambassador level continuously throughout the process. Wording such as “a high level/the highest level of meaningful youth inclusion” indicated an ambitious youth inclusion strategy.21

Key moments in the youth inclusion process

Figure 3 is a visual presentation of the main features of the youth inclusion strategy as outlined in textual presentations, in particular those found on the YTF web landing. These have been confirmed by the interviewees as the main features of youth inclusion in S+50, as a consequence the evaluation have focused on those.

17 Stockholm +50 overview, www.stockholm50.global/

18 www.stockholm50.global/processes/leadership-dialogues

19 A/CONF.238/3, UN Concept Note S+50

20 Stockholm +50 overview, www.stockholm50.global/

21 As referred by interviewees.

1. Key moments of the youth inclusion inside of the formal S+50 process Youth were included in the formal political process in S+50 at different moments. The key moments, as represented in the figure above, included;

The planning phase

Youth were involved trough advocacy and coordination at the initial stage of the planning as well as throughout the preparation phase.

Preparatory meeting at UNEA in Nairobi

Youth were present at the meeting and were also allocated speaking time with the opportunity to present their draft policy paper.

Informal Working Groups (IWG)

Virtual working groups were established, to prepare each Leadership Dialogue thematically. “Informal Working Groups were established for each of the three themes to guide the work leading up to the international meeting. This process aimed to reinforce the bottom-up cocreation processes for the Leadership Dialogues.”22 Youth were given speaker time at each of the 2-3 sessions held within each IWG.23

S+50 international meeting in Stockholm

Youth inclusion was to be ensured by presence at the meeting, speaking time in plenary and side events, as well as procedural/logistical input during the preparatory phase. 22 www.stockholm50.global/participate/informal-working-groups

23

2. Key moments/outputs inside of the youth led S+50 process

Youth themselves created a structure, methods, tools and activities for meaningful youth inclusion. The key moments and key features, as outline in Figure 3, encompassed;

The Youth Focus Group (YFG) and the Youth Task Force (YTF)

Youth platforms for engagement and facilitation of the youth inclusion created specifically for the S+ 50.

Youth events

Youth events such as the S+50 pre-events and the hybrid (online and offline) Youth Environmental Assemblies (YEA) in Nairobi and Stockholm

Global youth policy drafting

Development of a global youth policy paper through online consultations and a draftingprocess

Advocacy

Advocacy by high level meetings, advocacy opportunities, communication, coordination meetings etc.

Supporting tools for youth participation

Capacity building, a Tool Kit for local capacity building, dissemination activities etc.

Structure of the youth organisation

Youth organised themselves in a structure in order to enable a) universal participation open to global youth to participate, and b) facilitation of the youth participation in the process. Below, in Figure 4, the reader will find a visual presentation of the youth structure that was created for S+50 as well as a brief outline of the different elements.

The Youth Task Force (YTF)

The YTF was the entity responsible for facilitating youth engagement in the Stockholm+50 process.24 The YTF got its political approval from the Swedish government and was a key in the representation of youth in the process. As the YTF was central to the youth inclusion structure, it will be covered in depth in Part 2 of the report.

Focal Points – the coordinators of the YTF and the youth inclusion process

MGCY

– Major Group Children and Youth

MGCY was the focal point to UNEP in S+50. “The Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY) is the UN General Assembly-mandated and self-organised mechanism for young people to meaningfully engage in certain UN processes.25 MGCY organises global youth organisations through constituencies focusing on different themes and representing youth in relevant UN processes. In some cases, when a UN process runs across several of these themes, a Youth Task Force is created to focus particularly on this process, and with members from all relevant constituencies. The S+50 YTF builds on this format.

MGCY took on a key role in establishing the structure for the youth inclusion and also contributed with important thematic and procedural know-how in organising the overall process. MGCY started its preparations for S+50 as well as advocacy activities already 2019, two years before the meeting.

LSU – The National Council of Swedish Children and Youth Organisations

LSU was the focal point to the Swedish host country in S+50. “LSU gathers Sweden’s children and youth organisations to collectively improve the conditions for youths’ organisations, in Sweden and at a global level.”26 In this capacity LSU, together with MGCY, were approached by the host country Sweden to design and implement the youth inclusion strategy. LSU acted as the focal point to the Swedish host country, with whom it had pre-established trust/links/ cooperation with the host country. LSU also coordinated the regional representation of the Nordic/Baltic youth in S+50.

The Youth Focus Group as an open engagement platform

A Youth Focus Group (YFG) was established by MGCY as a working group to prepare for the S+50 process long before the process itself was mandated. It served as an open engagement platform where anyone wanting to get involved in the S+50 process – ranging from MGCY constituencies to local youth organisations as well as unorganised/non-affiliated youth – could do so.

Around 500 young people engaged themselves through the platform.27 Many were also involved in work streams convened and facilitated by the Youth Task Force.

Interviewees describe how the YFG contributed to the process by;

1. creating a space/working group for youth to prepare for the S+50 process at the planning phase;

2. approving the YTF and selecting its members;

24 YTF presentation: The entity responsible for coordinating youth engagement in the Stockholm+50 process.

25 www.unmgcy.org/about-overview

26 https://www.linkedin.com/company/lsu---the-national-council-of-swedish-youth-organisations/about/

27 The evaluator does not have an overview of size, outreach or nature of the engagement of the YFG. Besides, the evaluation does not have the ambition to provide any detailed analysis of YGF’s work per se.

3. enabling a bottom-up approach to policy making and advocacy by providing an open engagement base for the youth inclusion;

4. disseminating information about the possibility to participate (in consultations, policy drafting and local action trough the Tool Kit) and;

5. disseminating the outputs (Handbook, Tool Kit, Policy Paper as well as the conclusions of S+50) to a broader base of youth.