Adolescents and youth are a priority in UNFPA’s mandate and in all advocacy efforts and programmes worldwide. According to the 2023 Population and Housing Census preliminary results, 73% of the Namibian population are young people, aged below 35 years. The Namibian National Youth Policy places a commitment towards prioritising the needs of young people with respect to education, health and well-being, economic participation and social cohesion.
Over the years, UNFPA has worked in close collaboration with other UN agencies, the government, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), including youth in mobilizing global commitment to respond to young people’s realities and needs in the area of gender and sexual and reproductive health and rights. UNFPA’s Strategic plan recognizes that young people’s health, education, skills-building and overall development are of utmost global urgency for sustained socio-economic development. Investing in young people’s development is the most strategic (and cost-effective) intervention for achieving all the global development goals. Young people’s human rights, security and well-being are central tenets in ensuring that their present as well as their future life becomes productive and fulfilling.
UNFPA is committed to strengthen young people's leadership and meaningful participation to ensure the organisation is relevant for the most marginalized and those furthest left behind especially adolescent girls.
Purpose of the Youth Advisory Panel
To establish a mechanism for open dialogue and exchange between UNFPA, UN Agencies, government and youth groups and youth-serving groups and to advise UNFPA and all other developmental stakeholders on the strategic opportunities and actions to address adolescent and youth issues within the organizational mandate.
Specifically, the objectives of the Panel are to:
● Facilitate the exchange of information and knowledge-sharing about best practices and lessons learned from youth policies and programmes as well as on major opportunities and challenges for moving the youth development agenda forward including gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights; ● Represent the voices of youth, advocate for and facilitate the meaningful engagement of young people by various youth development role players in policy and programme development forums;
● Enable greater understanding among UNFPA, government, youth groups and youthserving partners on UNFPA’s policies and programmes, and how adolescent and youth concerns can be more effectively addressed in various political and socio-cultural contexts;
● Advise UNFPA and its partners and government on how to ensure meaningful youth participation in the development of its policies, programmes and activities across the areas of its mandate;
● Identify emerging issues in young people’s reproductive health and rights (including gender issues, cultural practices, etc.)
● Convey information and messages on critical youth issues (gender equality, SRH, HIV, human rights) from regions and national forums back to constituencies and communities.
● Provide guidance and monitor the implementation of youth related policies and programs to ensure they meet the needs and expectations of young people and are contributing to the overall youth development in the country.
The expected result from having the Youth Advisory Panel is:
Overall improvement in the youth-friendliness and responsiveness of UNFPA’s mandate and programmes, to young people’s rights and needs.
Roles and Responsibilities of YAP members
● Participate in Quarterly Youth Advisory Panel meetings
● Make recommendations on priorities for UNFPA’s programmes; collaborate on reviews of progress on key UN Conferences and national reviews;
● Identify strategies or mechanisms to ensure youth friendliness of UNFPA policies and programmes ;
● Develop joint advocacy initiatives and provide practical guidance on youth participation; and other outputs which will be determined through the process of deliberations of the Panel;
● Support UNFPA programme implementation through facilitating access to networks, providing youth-specific feedback and inputs, and participating in activities where possible ● Promote ICPD related public engagement opportunities within the community;
● Provide quarterly reports on YAP activities.
Period of membership YAP members will serve for a period of two years, from date of installation, subject to a yearly performance review by UNFPA. 2 young people will be selected per region ( in total the YAP will consist of 28 members)
Remuneration
● Membership of the Youth Advisory Panel is purely voluntary and there is no remuneration
● UNFPA will cover the costs of travel and accommodation for members to attend meetings of the Youth Advisory Panel or any other engagements as per UNFPA’s request.
It is expected that Panel members will benefit from participation in forums and processes that seek to improve the situation of young people; from improved understanding and knowledge of sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equality, HIV prevention and youth development; from updates regarding emerging global development frameworks guiding the international community’s work in this area; increased access to information and other resources that they may share with their organizations and networks; and from contributing to shaping, and to following up on, the partnership with UNFPA and the Panel’s recommendations. UNFPA is expected to benefit from the advice and recommendations of the Panel, and Panel members’ communities will benefit from the increased capacity of its adolescents and youth and by having exposure to development forums.
Applications for YAP Membership
The UNFPA Country Representative invites applications for membership of the Youth Advisory Panel from young people who meet the following criteria:
● Aged 18-30 as at annual inception period of each advisory cycle
● Resident of the region the applicant is applying for.
● An active member of your community with a passion for youth development
Criteria for selection A panel convened by UNFPA will review all applications and select shortlisted applicants for interview. No correspondence will be entered into. Preference will be given to applicants who are active in their communities. Applicants will be chosen to represent a diversity of interest groups including those from marginalised groups and the furthest left behind, networks and constituencies, and preference will be given to applicants with teamwork qualities, leadership experience, communication skills, innovative approaches and commitment to furthering youth development.
How to apply
Interested applicants are requested to submit the following to venokulavo@unfpa.org
● Letter of motivation, outlining why candidate want to be part of the YAP and previous work in youth leadership and advocacy, particularly youth health and wellbeing.
● Curriculum Vitae (CV), including references
Closing date: 9 August 2024
Communication with prospective applicants
After the above-mentioned closing date, communication will be limited to shortlisted applicants only. Should you not hear from us after two weeks from the closing date, kindly consider your application as unsuccessful. For any enquiries regarding these terms of reference please do not hesitate to contact Kakuna Venokulavo: venokulavo@unfpa.org.