The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) gives special attention to adolescents and youth through their participation in a variety of activities, initiatives and programs designed to build on their skills, knowledge and enthusiasm. This includes provision of inputs policy decisions not only to boost their self-confidence but also to encourage them to exercise their rights and responsibilities of citizenship. UNFPA recognizes that young people’s health, education, skills- building and over- all development is of utmost global urgency for sustained socio- economic development.
Following the discussions and recommendations agreed upon during its initial meeting in April 2004, the Global YAP was established and meetings are held each year. In October 2007, YAP Philippines started its formal operation. The establishment of the Youth Advisory Panel is part of UNFPA’s commitment to young people’s empowerment. The contributions pf the Panel will assist the organization’s priority-setting in this core area of its mandate, and involve young people and youth-serving organizations in suggesting innovative approaches in the design of youth-friendly policies and programmes.
From the year of its creation, in 2007, the Panel was able to formulate and recommend to UNFPA relevant recommendations on UNFPA’s work for young people. Recommendations on how to strengthen the Adolescent Health & Youth Development Programme, a checklist on services of Adolescent Friendly Health Services, strategies on ensuring equal safety services of young people in migration and employment, and how to improve life skills based education programme of UNFPA thruDepEd were some of the panel’s contribution to UNFPA. The panel also complements YPEER Pilipinas’ efforts on strengthening peer education in the country by ensuring that a supportive policy and programme for education is in place.
This 2011, marks the end of the 6th Country Programme, the panel was invited to sit as one of the consultants in series of consultations for the framework of the 7th Country Programme. This will help ensure that all issues and needs of young people are included and considered in the development of the 7th CP framework.
This year, eleven members of the panel will end their term, while the remaining four will remain. As such; this is a Call for Application to the UNFPA Philippines YAP to ensure the continuity of the panel’s thrust in the development of the 7th Country Programme framework. Interested parties must read the attached Terms of Reference and complete the form. Along with a letter of recommendation from the head of the organization represented, send the completed form to Ms. Albano of the UNFPA Philippines Country Office on or before 30 June 2011 with the address shown below.
Attention: Ms. Emee Lei E. Albano
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
30/ F Yuchengco Tower 1, RCBC Plaza
6819 Ayala cor. Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue
1229 Makati City
Form and terms of reference may also be downloaded from the website (http://www.unfpayap.org/ and http://www.unfpa.org.ph/yap_downloads/) . For further inquiries, please call (02) 901 0331/ +639178593531 or email albano@unfpa.org
