During the 2022 Week for World Parliament, Young World Federalists gathered in cities across the globe to advocate a sustainable, just, and peaceful world through a democratic world federation. Beyond this long-term vision, the members and supporters of YWF also drafted the following declaration rooted in a desire to see immediate reforms to the way decisions are made at the global level. In an outstanding show of commitment to a fair global economy, the attendees of the Week for World Parliament event in Nairobi also submitted essays on the circular economy, energy transition, smart agriculture, digitalization, and the blue economy. You can find these essays in the declaration annex here.
2022 Global Youth Declaration
9th Annual Week for World Parliament
We, the global youth, declare the global governance system inadequate, unwilling, and incompetent to address contemporary global challenges. Deeply concerned about the rising number of overlapping global and regional crises, we strongly assert an indispensable need to change. Having studied the undemocratic and secretive nature of global decision-making, we demand a transformation of global governance. Guided by principles of liberty, inclusion, and empowerment, we demand a global democratic order replace the current model of competing and limited nation-states. Herein, we outline our demands for a united humanity:
WORLD CITIZENS’ INITIATIVE
The creation of the instrument of a World Citizens’ Initiative enables people to put forward
proposals on key issues of global concern for discussion and further action at the highest political level. Any proposal that reaches a certain threshold of popular support should be put onto the agenda of the UN General Assembly or Security Council. 👉Learn More
UNITED NATIONS PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY
The creation of a UN Parliamentary Assembly allows for the inclusion of elected representatives in the agenda-setting and decision-making of the UN. The assembly will act as a representative body and watchdog connecting the people with the UN and reflecting a broad diversity of global viewpoints. 👉Learn More
UN CIVIL SOCIETY ENVOY
Setting up the office of a UN Civil Society Envoy to enable greater participation, spur inclusive convenings and drive the UN’s outreach to the public and civil society organisations. This envoy should champion the implementation of a broader strategy for opening up the UN to people’s participation and civil society voices. 👉Learn More
GLOBAL HEALTH THREAT COUNCIL
A Global Health Threat Council should be established by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Animal Health Organisation (WAHO) to monitor global health risks and coordinate among states and non-state actors for preparation and prevention. It could help draft a Pandemic Framework Convention to clarify the responsibilities of Member States and international organizations and provide a template for future pandemic preparedness and response.
ANTI-CORRUPTION COURT
While Our Common Agenda stresses the need to “build trust” through combating corruption, a legal punitive response at the global level is missing. To combat illicit financial flows, which fuel both corruption and excessive income inequality, an International Anti-Corruption Court, based on the principle of complementarity with national jurisdictions, is urgently needed.
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM
The Security Council must reflect on today’s geopolitical realities and the multilateral principle of inclusive, collective action that is the UN’s cornerstone. The UN Summit of the Future, with impetus from wars, human rights violations, and atrocities around the world, can help generate political momentum and offer a much-needed deadline for progress on both issues: representation and misuse of the veto.
STRENGTHEN THE UNITED NATIONS YOUTH OFFICE
Taking forward UN75 Declaration commitment #11 and the Youth2030 Framework depends on expanding youth representation in politics and decision-making across the UN system, by strengthening the newly created UN Youth Office and building up a dynamic, representative, and strategic UN Youth Council, as an integral part of the new Office’s mandate.
GLOBAL DIGITAL COMPACT
Challenges such as the digital divide, increased cybercrime, and global disinformation underscores the need for a rules-based sustainable order governing all facets of digital life worldwide. Rooted in human rights, a Global Digital Compact could foster shared principles for addressing all aspects of the technological life-cycle — from its development to its accessibility and protection of rights online and offline.
RESHAPE TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL AS A STEWARD OF GLOBAL COMMONS
The global commons surrounds, supports, and sustains our world’s ecosystem and is vital to our economic prosperity. The international community should repurpose the United Nations’ all-but-defunct Trusteeship Council to exercise a new, carefully shaped role as a steward of the Global Commons, with a view to enhancing intergenerational equity and the well-being of future generations.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FUNDING COMPACT
Establish a Global Funding Compact with the participation of international financial institutions, governments, and the private sector that combines accountability tools with blended finance mechanisms aimed at increasing investment in Sustainable Development Goals. At the same time, continued debt relief for least-developed countries should be tied to commitments to fulfil the SDGs.
EMPOWER THE GREEN TRANSITION
Support a green transition through changes in policy and technology that reduces emissions, boosts adaptation efforts globally, halts and reverses biodiversity loss, responsibly uses natural resources, ensures that climate change is mainstreamed and taken into account in financial decision-making, develops nature-friendly domestic policies, and establishes challenging goals to stop ecosystem extinction, and generates more high-quality employment, raises wealth, and improves well-being, by taking advantage of innovation in order to achieve these objectives, and by welcoming and encouraging civic society, business, and regional organizations to take part, and including vulnerable populations and marginalized groups, in the green transition.
In particular, we assert the recommendations made during the ‘East African Week for World Parliament Summit for Green Transition in the East African Community’ in general, and for improvements and reforms in the blue economy, circular manufacturing, and smart agriculture sectors, and increased financing and digitalization for the switch to green energy, in the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo in particular, which are contained in the annex to this declaration.