Deadline: February 20, 2015
The Royal Commonwealth Society is invites applications for the Commonwealth Youth Gender and Equality Forum taking place in Malta on 13–17 May 2015. The forum will be a five-day residential programme which will bring together young professionals and experts in an inter-generational learning environment for the purpose of capacity-building the group. The interaction will develop knowledge in a range of areas, including on various gender issues, on effective advocacy, and on further practical skills.
The participants in the forum will form the inaugural members of the Commonwealth Youth Gender and Equality Network, which will focus on youth priorities for gender issues, and actively engage with Commonwealth processes to ensure youth priorities are reflected in policy and practice. The forum will take place six months ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), and will be a key opportunity to discuss gender equality concerns and priorities ahead of active
engagement in the Commonwealth Youth Forum, People’s Forum and Women’s Forum, which all take place in the wings of CHOGM.
Theme
Themes covered will include
- child marriage
- harmful practices
- domestic violence
- sexual violence
- access to education
- economic empowerment
- entrepreneurship
- leadership
- STEM
- LGBT rights
- sexual and reproductive health and rights
The workshops and discussions will be facilitated by trainers and experts, and will serve as a space to share knowledge and experience, as well as capacity-building the participants to be able to understand the issues more clearly in their global context, gain a greater idea of the ways in which they can effectively affect policy changes, and advocate more effectively at key moments, particularly within Commonwealth structures.
Background
Young people are able to actively participate in Commonwealth political processes through a number of platforms. The Commonwealth Youth Forum (CYF) is a chance for young people to debate their priority areas for further Commonwealth action, and to present this to Heads of Government. The Commonwealth Youth Council was established in 2013 to represent the voice of youth in the Commonwealth – with an elected executive of 12 representatives from national youth councils rotating every two years. However, there is no gender youth network to advocate for gender equality issues within the formal structures of the Commonwealth.
The RCS is proposing to contribute to filling this gap by launching the Commonwealth Youth Gender and Equality Network. Given its substantial work on gender issues the RCS is well placed, alongside a range of participating experts, to interact with young citizens of the Commonwealth, to work with them to develop a strong youth voice on gender and equality issues.
Eligibility
Applicants are subject to eligibility criteria; please tick the following statements as they apply to you. You must be able to check all of the following boxes to be eligible to participate in the CYGEF.
- I will be aged between 18 and 29 at the start of the event
- I am resident in a Commonwealth country (check here for a full list of member states and overseas territories)
- I am committed to upholding the Commonwealth values of good governance and sustainable development
- I am fluent in English – the working language of the Forum
- I confirm that I am medically fit to travel and participate in the Forum
- I am able to evidence professional or voluntary experience on gender equality issues
- I am willing to share case studies and highlight relevant aspects of my work
- I am willing to be an active participant and to spread the values and outcomes of the network in my home country
Applicants must have experience working on gender equality issues, either in the workplace, through studies or as a volunteer.
How to Apply
- Complete the Application Form
- Complete the application form fully
- Attach it to ONE e-mail with the subject headed ‘[Your Name] Gender Forum Application’
- Attach your supporting document(s)
- A recent CV or resume
- A letter of recommendation from a person knowledgeable about your professional career
- Email to communications@thercs.org by 20th February 2015
For more information, visit Commonwealth Youth Gender and Equality Forum 2015.
