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Koror Statement on Youth Empowerment for a Secure, Prosperous and Sustainable Future

The 4th Meeting of the Conference of the Pacific Community convened in Koror, Palau on 18 November 2005,

1. Reaffirming the SPC vision of a secure and prosperous Pacific Community, whose people are healthy and manage their resources in an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable way;

2. Recalling our deliberations around the theme of ‘Youth Empowerment for a Secure, Prosperous and Sustainable Future’;

3. Recalling the Pacific Youth Strategy 2005 adopted on 1 July 1998 at the 1st Conference of Youth Ministers of the Pacific Community held in Papeete, French Polynesia and recognising the efforts and contributions of individual countries and territories, non-government organisations, faith-based organisations, regional and international agencies and donors towards the implementation of the strategy;

4. Recognising the call by Forum Leaders for increased attention to the issues facing our young people in their Auckland Declaration 2004, and the Pacific Plan for Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Integration;

5. Further recognising the related conclusions of the Review of the Pacific Youth Bureau 2004, the Mauritius Declaration, the Pacific Tofamamao 2015 Declaration, the Pacific Youth Statement on the Pacific Plan, the Communiqué of the Bipartite Symposium on Environment, and their linkages to achieving the Millennium Development Goals;

6. Noting that 20 percent of the total population of Pacific Island countries and territories (8.7 million people) are aged between 15 and 24 years old which translates to approximately 1.7 million young people, 53 percent of whom are females and further noting that the youth population is projected to double by the year 2020;

7. Bearing in mind that the rapid rise in the number of young people will increase demand for essential social services like education and health, as well as for decreasing employment opportunities, housing and other basic services will put government budgets and programmes directed at young people under great pressure;

8. Recognising that inadequate educational opportunities in rapidly changing societies where the introduction of values that clash with traditional cultural norms leave many Pacific island young people faced with limited skills and life choices that in turn can undermine self-esteem and lead to anti-social and risky behaviours;

9. Recognising the need for enhanced partnerships to more effectively address youth issues, for example our joint production with the UNICEF office of ‘the State of Pacific Youth Report 2005 which highlights the situation of youth in the Pacific region’ and the increased focus on lifeskills and livelihood skills for young people with the UNFPA Pacific office;

10. Acknowledging that priority concerns for young people as well as parents in the Pacific region include:

1. facilitating improved access by young people to appropriate level of education through the formal, technical vocational and non-formal sectors,

2. investing in appropriate education and training facilities to develop the skills of young people across a broad range of competencies to enable them to engage effectively in economic and social development activities,

3. encouraging the participation of young people in entrepreneurial initiatives aimed at poverty reduction by providing incentives and support for young entrepreneurs to engage in business establishments and employment creation including bank loan schemes, business small-grant schemes, tax breaks, and establishment of technical advisory and support units to guide young people wishing to engage in entrepreneurship activities,

4. establishing infrastructure networks and support systems including market outlets for products and more efficient rural to urban transport systems to facilitate faster movements of products from producers in rural areas to markets in urban areas as well as export markets,

5. supporting the establishment of youth volunteer schemes which provide training for young people so they can engage effectively in community service at local, national, regional and international levels,

6. creating policy and legislative frameworks for ensuring social, labour and economic security for young people,

7. promoting healthy lifestyles for all young people including those with special needs to avoid non-communicable diseases, in areas such as sports and recreation, improving reproductive health through prevention of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections like HIV/AIDS, preventing substance abuse, addressing the causes of suicide and mental health issues,

8. increasing the participation of young men and women in nation building through active involvement in youth-oriented organisations such as the Boy’s Brigade, Girls’ Brigade, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides and nurturing responsible citizenship and civic consciousness, improving self-esteem, and preventing anti-social and risky behaviour,

9. protecting young women from all forms of exploitation and abuses, promoting their effective participation in all aspects of family and community life including facilitating access to social and economic benefits,

10. educating young people in their cultural heritage through the development of their cultural identities and expression, involving them in cultural preservation and spiritual development initiatives, improving their appreciation of ethnic diversity and managing the interface between traditional cultures and modern lifestyles,

11. engaging young people in advocacy programmes for environmental preservation and protection, long-term natural resource management and environmentally sustainable initiatives,

12. encouraging the use of information and communication technology by young people for positive networking, creative and productive enterprises, acquisition of useful knowledge, and informed decision making;

11. Considering the resources available to address youth concerns in the region towards the year 2010;

Having fully considered the circumstances mentioned above,

12. Acknowledged the need to further engage young Pacific islanders in contributing more productivity to their communities through the transfer of practical skills that are generally not available in school curricula (e.g. leadership, healthy lifestyle skills, management and project development) thereby helping them to take on leadership and advocacy responsibilities, recognize and capitalize on personal and community development opportunities, and make informed choices about their futures;

13. Further acknowledged that the search for solutions to youth issues at the national level needs to involve a range of Pacific regional stakeholders, including national and regional youth organisations, bilateral and multilateral donors, as well as draw as much as possible on the involvement and creativity of young people themselves;

14. Accepted the need to strengthen and maintain ‘youth-to-youth’ initiatives that are designed and managed by young people and their peers for their benefit;

15. Further accepted the need for more concerted collective action amongst youth organisations, faith-based organisations, non-government organisations, governments, administrations, regional and international organisations, and donors, to work together to address the problems and challenges affecting young people in the Pacific in a more holistic manner;

16. Reaffirmed the need for increased political commitment towards allocating resources for planning and implementing youth-led initiatives at all levels, collaborating with all stakeholders with an interest in youth at national and regional levels and building effective partnerships between development agencies and national and regional authorities;

Having deliberated extensively on feasible strategies for empowering young Pacific islanders to improve their quality of life, the Conference:

17. Agreed with the consensus reached by the 35th Meeting of the Committee of Representatives of Governments and Administrations held in Koror, Palau from 14–17th November 2005 that the SPC take the necessary steps to provide adequate resources to strengthen the Pacific Youth Bureau and expand its programme activities;

18. Commends to the 2nd Conference of Youth Ministers of the Pacific Community to be held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea from 5-7th December 2005 the proposed Pacific Youth Strategy 2010 (PYS2010) with its five thematic components including Accessing Integrated Education, Nurturing Sustainable Livelihoods, Promoting Healthy Lifestyles, Building Stronger Communities and Strengthening Institutional Capacity as a framework for addressing youth development challenges in our respective countries and territories;

19. Invites Youth Ministers of the Pacific Community to fully examine and formally adopt the PYS2010 as the regional framework for youth development in the Pacific region for the period 2006 to 2010 and beyond; and

20. Requests Youth Ministers to commend the strategy to our respective Governments and Administrations, and call upon all stakeholders in youth development in the Pacific region to make a concerted effort towards the implementation of this strategy.