A new chair and leadership team for the Commonwealth Youth Council (CYC) will be elected on April 18, 2018 at the Commonwealth Youth Forum and nominees have been outlining in their manifestos ways in which they think the Commonwealth can become fairer, more sustainable, more prosperous and more secure
A new chair and leadership team for the Commonwealth Youth Council (CYC) will be elected on April 18, 2018 at the Commonwealth Youth Forum and nominees have been outlining in their manifestos ways in which they think the Commonwealth can become fairer, more sustainable, more prosperous and more secure.
The CYC represents the over 1.2 billion young people within the Commonwealth’s 53 member states and advocates on their behalf on issues such as access to education, climate change, employment and gender equality.
It was established in 2013 with support from the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Youth Programme and was endorsed by Commonwealth heads of government at the biennial Summit in Sri Lanka in 2013.
A key part of the Commonwealth Youth Forum is the General Assembly, where the Youth Council election takes place.
The Forum is jointly organised by the UK government, Youth Council, and Commonwealth Secretariat under the theme `Towards a Common Future’ and is attended by over 350 delegates aged 18-29.
A final shortlist of the 24 candidates has been announced on the election website by the Council and Secretariat, alongside each candidate’s manifesto.
The selection was made by the Returning Officer of the Commonwealth Youth Council and an Electoral Board representing each region of the Commonwealth.
Applicants were required to submit a manifesto, personal profile and other documentation, including proof of endorsement by a National Youth Council or Regional Youth Council, a regional or national youth-led organisation, or a registered international youth-led organisation.
Campaigning is about to begin for the nine seats on the Council’s Executive and will end on April 17, a day before the polls open for national delegates.
The Council’s current Chair, Kishva Ambigapathy, has encouraged young leaders to engage with the candidates and election, which will be held ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London in April.
Ambigapathy said: “The young people elected to the Commonwealth Youth Council in April will work in partnership with young people, national youth councils, national, regional and global youth bodies, governments and all stakeholders to advance the youth contribution to the prosperity, security, fairness and sustainability of the Commonwealth – the four main aspirations of this year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
“This election is an opportunity for young people from across the Commonwealth to engage in Commonwealth democratic processes, have their voices heard and have an impact on those relationships and partnerships with their choice of candidates.”
Layne Robinson, Head of Social Policy Development at the Commonwealth Secretariat, said: “The candidates elected to the Youth Council will become global champions for the Commonwealth Youth, putting their interests, goals and aspirations forward.
“The Commonwealth Youth Council is a dynamic and diverse youth-led organisation, representing young people from Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific, the Americas, Africa and Europe.
“Young people across the Commonwealth should make the most of this opportunity to elect a candidate who best represents their priorities.”
