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As young people, we often feel that we cannot contribute to policy processes. While it is extremely difficult, there are some successful examples of young people getting heard. The report "Youth and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - Challenges and Opportunities for Implementation" is one of them.

The Millennium Project and Youth

In 2002 UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan invited a large group of development experts to form the Millennium Project. Headed by Professor Jeffrey Sachs, a well-known economist at Columbia University in New York, the Millennium Project set out to create a concrete action plan for how the MDGs can be achieved. On January 17, 2005, the Millennium Project Report was released, and it concluded that it is possible to achieve the MDGs by 2015, but not if we continue on today's path. The report outlined a number of steps the world needs to take if we are serious about our ambition to end poverty and human suffering.

Young people have a special interest in seeing the recommendations of the report transformed into real action. In 2015 many of us will be adults with families and children, and the actions of the world leaders in the next couple of years will do much to determine how the world will look in 10 years. So, how can we as young people get involved with the MDGs? A group of young people has tried to answer that question, after being challenged to do so by Professor Sachs.

In April 2004 the UN Commission on Sustainable Development held its annual meeting at the UN Headquarter in New York. The Commission meets to review the progress towards sustainable development and then to make recommendations on how we can make that progress better and quicker. It consists of politicians and government officials from member countries of the UN, and members of civil society are invited to join the discussions. A group of dedicated youth from around the world has formed a Youth Caucus through which they participate in the annual Commission meetings in order to ensure that the voices of young people would be heard. During the Commission, Professor Sachs attended a meeting on the MDGs. The Chair of the Youth Caucus asked him how the Millennium Project was going to involve young people as partners. He replied: You tell us.

As young people, we often feel that we cannot contribute to policy processes. While it is extremely difficult, there are some successful examples of young people getting heard. The report "Youth and the Millennium Development Challenges and Opportunities for

Down here in Nigeria we went into five universities in the eastern part of Nigeria (Imo State University Owerri, Federal University of Science and Technology Owerri, Abia State Polythenics, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus and Nnamdi Azikiwe University Akwa, Anambra State).

We gathered from some students’ information about the Millennium Development Goals and their involvements .We found out that about 30% have heard about the Millennium Development Goals and don’t know what is all about and about 18% knows what is all about. The result was not encouraging since the youths have a big role to play. Because of this, we slated events to commemorate INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY

Implementation" is one of them

INTRODUCTION:

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If you want to learn more about the content of the report and how it came about - then read on!

At the Millennium Summit in September 2000 the largest gathering of world leaders in history adopted the UN Millennium Declaration, committing their nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and setting out a series of time-bound targets, all with a deadline of 2015, that have become known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the world's time-bound and quantified targets for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions-income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion-while promoting gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability. They are also basic human rights-the rights of each person on the planet to health, education, shelter, and security.

 Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Hunger and Poverty

 Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education

 Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

 Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality

 Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health

 Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases

 Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

 Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

Young people have a special interest in seeing the recommendations of the report transformed into real action. In 2015 many of us will be adults with families and children, and the actions of the world leaders in the next couple of years will do much to determine how the world will look in 10 years. So, how can we as young people get involved with the MDGs? Because of this GYM wants to sensitizes about Hundred thousand young people on their Role in attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The objective of this campaign is stressed on;

1. To consider the potentials of young people and women as key stakeholders on issues of conflict management, resolution and transformation.

2. Offer opportunities for capacity building and skill development to develop youth talents.

3. Analyze and disseminate best practices, issues and lesson learnt

4. To nurture dynamic and progressive leadership within the youth.

5. To operationalise the recommendations of the festival.

Themes to be discussed
 

HIV/Aids§
 

Youth empowerment and participation§
 

Volunteerism§

§ Unemployment

 Gender§
 

Information Communication Technology {ICT}§

§ Education

 Drug abuse§
 

Constitution and fight against corruption.§

§ Disability

 Conflict and violence§

NB these are as in line with the MDGs

ACTIVITY

The activity will come in the form of street rally, media presentation and workshop.

STREET RALLY: this will come in form of street match with interment session to draw the attention of people to crate avenue for us to briefly drop what we have and throw out elaborate booklets on MILLENNIUM PROJECT AND YOUTHS. Here we are estimating reach about five thousand people in the five tertiary institutions.

MEDIA PRESENTATION: with support from Cosmofm, which is the biggest radio station in the eastern part of Nigeria we shall be taking on the MILLENIUM PROJECT AND YOUTHS. This will be done by experts and diplomats. Here we are estimating to reach about fifty nine thousand or more on air through their interactive discussion segment HAKUNAMATATA.

WORKSHOP: This would entail the presentation of papers discussion and information campaign in the support of young people. All issues will be based on the caption (millennium projects and youths) Here we are estimating to reach one thousand young people.

In all we are expecting to reach about one thousand young people or more.

PROJECT SCHEDULE

Day one

8. 00 am - 9. 00 am                                          Presentation at the cosmofm Enugu

11.00 am - 3.45 pm                                         Rally/Street match in Enugu, Enugu                                                                                State

Day two

10.00 am - 2.00 pm                                         Rally/Street match in Owerri, Imo State

3.00 pm - 4.30 pm                                           Rally/Street match in Aba, Abia State

Day three

10. 00 am - 12.00 pm                                     Rally/Street match in Awka, Anambra                                       State.

Day four

11.00 am - 3.00 pm                                         workshop/celebration.