KENYA YOUTH STRATEGY MEETING 2011

NAIROBI DECLARATION
Friday 14th October 2011

Preamble We - the delegates to the Kenyan Youth Strategy Meeting for Rio +20, Gigiri Campus, Nairobi, 13th and 14th October 2011, hosted by UN Habitat, Peace Child International, Youth Alive! Kenya and the Organisation of African Youth Acknowledge the African indigenous knowledge of the sacred value of the environment to the well-being of humanity and biodiversity; Commit ourselves to promote innovations that will develop a green economy that results in the eradication of poverty Take note of the past declarations towards environmental sustainability both at the African and the Global level, and share their sense of the urgent need for structural and infrastructural interventions in policy formulation to enable the implementation of the policies they propose. Recognize the current global environmental challenges, particularly climate change, which impact on our common future and wellbeing. Taking account of the above, we commit to pursue intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms that 1. Support good governance and transformative leadership. 2. Promote Education, information exchange, communication and awareness; 3. Achieve sustainable agricultural practices that reduce hunger, starvation and enhance food security for the long-term. 4. Develop and implement a policy on sustainability towards a Green Economy. 5. Encourage investment in, and the promotion of, eco-friendly entrepreneurship. 6. Develop sustainable green cities and rural villages 7. Promote public engagement and participation through culture and volunteerism. 8. Promote Youth Development and Capacity Building.

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Signed: - representatives of the following organizations commit to this declaration: 1. Peace Child International 2. Organisation of African Youth 3. Youth Alive! Kenya 4. Earth Charter Initiative 5. African Youth Initiative on Climate Change 6. Catholic Diocese of Nakuru Youth Office 7. Wareng Youth Initiative for Peace and Development. 8. Kenya Girl Guides Association. 9. International Youth Council- Kenya 10. Indigenous Information Network 11. Kenyatta University Environmental Club 12. Cordio East Africa. 13. The Young Congress. 14. Green Africa Foundation. 15. Tembea Youth Center for Sustainable Development. 16. Kenya Climate Change Working Group 17. Jane Goodall Institute Roots & Shoots-Kenya 18. Youth Federation for World Peace-Kenya 19. Ibuka Trust. 20. East Africa Social Enterprise Network. 21. Rongai Youth Initiative. 22. The Youth Assembly. 23. Sustainable Development for All. 24. Global Peace Youth Corp- Kenya. 25. East African Community Youth Organization. 26. YMCA Kenya 27. Be the Change Academy- Kisumu. 28. UNESCO Youth Forum.

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1. Good Governance and Transformative Leadership We recognize the central role good governance and transformative leadership plays in the effort to achieve sustainable development. It is a form of governance and leadership that is Participatory accountable, transparent - and implementable - at international, national and county levels. We seek forms of governance which promote and build green economies that engender human well-being and social equity + respect for the natural environment, and the value of biodiversity and eco-systems, guided by, and accountable to, a new World Environment Organisation situated here in Nairobi, with universal membership of all UN Member States. We also call for practical mechanisms in new institutions that allow for youth participation in decision-making. Youth need to be involved in policy formulation and development of institutional frameworks at all levels of governance. Additionally, youth participation should be integrated in the discussion and establishment of green economy benchmarking and local, national and international assessments of progress towards a green economy. 1. Promote Education, information exchange, communication and awareness We demand the inclusion of green economy and sustainable development education courses at all levels of education and public training. Whatever governments do, we, the youth, intend to achieve this by creating various information sharing methods to all sectors of society. We acknowledge that education underpins awareness; and awareness is critical to the spread of sustainable development principles through every level of society. The role of education is vital to the communication of, and the raising of public awareness about, sustainable development. Schools and colleges should be considered as hubs for community learning and understanding about the green economy. Such hubs should be carefully monitored to ensure the information provided is accessible, relevant and accurate. The new Curricula should also build an understanding of the intersection of business, environment and society. It must educate all people, especially the Youth, about the facts critical to the achievement of sustainable development.

By 2014: Action: Introduce the Green Economy to the heart of the national curriculum in
the country to educate all youth about the imperatives of a green society.
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By 2013: Action: Educate students in primary and secondary schools on the green

economy by creating incentives that allow NGOs, student groups or CBOs to serve as ambassadors for education of the green economy. By 2018: Action: Build a monitoring service from the information-discovered. Discovery

of information should be an integrated process involving key stakeholders with a special emphasis on Youth. Progress towards sustainable development goals should be identified as key thematic working groups, using poverty alleviation and institutional reform as output goals, and involvement of youth and CBOs as an inherent part of the process.

2. Achieve sustainable agricultural practices to reduce hunger, starvation and enhance food security. We call for the implementation of humane and sustainable agricultural practices including livestock production systems to reduce hunger, starvation and enhance food security, and promote green energy technologies to enhance affordable agricultural production Whereas recognizing the interrelation between our national forest cover and agricultural productivity we recommend the following measures;

By 2015: Action: Increase our national forest cover to 10% from the current 2% through

creation of green parks, promoting agroforestry and sustainable agribusiness. By 2014: Action: Phase out hazardous chemical fertilizers in arable farming; By 2015: Action: Promote green energy technologies to enhance affordable agricultural

production. 3. Advocate for the development and implementation of sustainable development policies to build a Green Economy. Develop sustainability indicators against which government programmes can be measured. Advocate for legislation on sustainable development policies, green taxes and subsidies that regulate private sector adherence to accelerate the transition to green economies.

By 2013: Action: Ensure that approximately 25% of the annual government development

budget goes to sustainable development initiatives, with clear indication on targets towards
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green growth in community development and individual technological entrepreneurship. 30% of the 25% funding should be geared towards mobilizing and benchmarking activities to demarcate marginal change of youth involvement in the green economy. 35% of it should be geared towards supporting renewable energy and zero-carbon activities that are both sustainable and demonstrably financially viable.

By 2015: Action: set up a World Environment Organisation that can hold UN member

states accountable for reporting their pathways and transitions towards a green economy. By 2015: Action: Ensure youth are represented on Kenyas National Land Commission.

4. Promote public engagement and participation through culture and volunteerism. We recognize that indigenous culture and knowledge have embraced a green economy and developed sustainably through agro-forestry, organic fertilizers and other practices, and that further conservation and renewable energy founded on indigenous knowledge. To achieve a rapid transition to a green economy and sustainable development towards, we require selfless, political willingness from all levels of governance, private sector and the volunteer spirit of individual citizens. In this regard, it is necessary to promote exchange of information, green growth skills and other technologies to ensure communities, especially youth, are equipped to operate in a green economy. Volunteerism will be a means to inculcate community ownership of sustainable development initiatives. Governments must engage the public and Youth volunteers to benchmark then monitor the progress of their different departments and private sector corporations towards sustainable consumption and practice.

5. Encourage investment in and promote eco-friendly entrepreneurship:

By 2013: Action: Establish institutional mechanisms in business schools and other colleges to teach and promote green entrepreneurship and growth to all students. Set up an independent fund to provide start up financing for green enterprises by youth Promote technological, business and social innovation through creating enabling policy environment and platforms

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Invest in business models that promote green community development Sensitize youth at all levels on green entrepreneurship through different channels such as new media Create enabling business and policy environment for green entrepreneurship through, for example, tax waivers for youth green enterprises

6. Attain sustainable green cities and villages Establish awards to recognize and celebrate the effort of cities and villages that take rapid and effective steps to transform themselves into green cities and villages. Develop comprehensive waste management systems by: o Placing increased emphasis on waste separation and recycling systems; o Establishing dug-in landfills where compostable materials are put to decompose; Once composted, the material can be used as organic manure. Regulate transportation to reduce congestion by establishing: o dedicated lanes for public transport vehicles o more mass transport systems such as rail transport o congestion charging for city centres; Develop an independent institution to assess business models for micro-enterprises and their suitability for green tax benefits and other incentives to regulate and ensure that microenterprises do not compromise environmental sustainability.

7. Promote Youth Development and capacity building In order to facilitate the further building of the capacity of youth to fully engage in and drive the rapid transition to a Green Economy in the country to address the above priority areas, we call upon our government and all relevant stakeholders to: A. Adopt a Youth Development Index as an indicator of the welfare of the youth in the country and as a measure of youth participation in decision-making. B. Review existing, and develop new, policies and legislation to: i. Promote youth innovation and entrepreneurship through structures such as: Talent and Technology Academies Business incubation centres. ii. Protect these innovations through structures and measures such as: Strong and easily accessible Intellectual Property protection Moderate and supportive tax regimes

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C. Promote youth participation in international forums by i. Including youth in national delegations to UN conferences ii. Providing funding for youth to participate at such conferences; D. Incorporate youth in National policy formulation and implementation E. Develop and strengthen national and local structures to provide support and training for youth organizations with emphasis in the areas of: i. Establishment of community and youth-led organizations ii. Leadership and organizational management iii. Strategic Planning iv. Project Management F. Require all government ministries to establish youth offices which develop and implement youth engagement strategies to mainstream youth participation in the work of the ministries. G. Convene national and local youth forums to discuss matters relevant to youth and make recommendations for action in support of youth development by state and non-state actors. H. Improve youth access to information especially in rural communities and informal urban settlements, through the establishment of online community ICT Digital Villages Conclusion We, as young people, this is what we declare and recommend our government, individuals, businesses, development organizations and all stakeholders to undertake ahead of Rio+20 and beyond. Any action to be taken affects us and our future generation to a greater extent. We care about our planet and we will all work together in creating a more sustainable era. Green Economy Now! is Achievable.

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