Draft INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE YOUTH PREAMBLE States Parties to this Convention, guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Internati...
Draft INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE YOUTH PREAMBLE States Parties to this Convention, guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on Human Rights, as well as other international human rights treaties, considering that, in accordance with the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, the recognition of the inherent dignity, equal and inalienable rights of all members of society is the basis for ensuring freedom, justice and peace, considering that, the parties of the UN have affirmed faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person in the Charter, and are determined to promote social progress and better living conditions with greater freedom, recognizing that in all countries the youth is one of the basic human resources necessary for development goals, and is also the main vehicle for social transformation, economic development and technological progress, considering that the current social and economic conditions as well as the well-being and living conditions of future generations will depend on the way in which the problems of the youth are addressed and their potential opportunities are realized in the framework of the policy, recognizing that in all regions of the world young men and women seek full participation in society, considering that young people are agents, beneficiaries and victims of major changes in society in the context of globalization and rapid development of information and communication technologies; recognizing that, in all countries of the world there are young people living in extremely difficult conditions and that they need special attention and support; considering that the youth makes up a significant part of the world’s population, and that ways to solve problems and issues of unleashing the potential of young people will affect socio-economic conditions as well as the well-being of the future generations and ensuring their livelihoods, proceeding from the conviction that educating the young generation in the spirit of peace, mutual respect and understanding between nations can contribute to improving international relations and strengthening peace and security, that the youth shall be confident in their future, that peace, freedom and justice are one of the main guarantees of implementation of their aspirations for a happy life, and that the young generation shall know, respect and develop the cultural heritage of their country and all of the humanity, taking due account of the importance of the traditions and cultural values of each nation for the protection and harmonious development of the young generation, stating that a number of representatives of the young generation, due to various external and internal factors, being subjected to massive informational-ideological and informational-psychological influence, imposing alien values and false religious ideas, find themselves involved in terrorist, separatist and extremist activities, recognizing the importance of comprehensive international cooperation to improve the living conditions of youth in every country, have agreed as follows: Article 1. Purpose of the Convention The purpose of this Convention is to strengthen efforts made at the global, regional and country levels to meet the needs of the youth, to strengthen the capacities and expand the rights, freedoms and best interests of the youth in all their diversity around the world. Article 2. Definitions For the purposes of this Convention, the following definitions apply: youth (young people) – persons between the ages of eighteen and thirty, inclusive, who make up a special demographic group of the population; state youth policy – a system of national priorities and measures aimed at protecting and promoting the rights and freedoms of young people, creating conditions and opportunities for successful socialization and effective self-realization of youth, providing for the creation of the best conditions for wider access to quality education and health services, decent work, and participation in the management of the state and society, the socio-economic and cultural development of their country and the strengthening of national security. Article 3. Protection of youth from discrimination 1. States Parties to this Convention undertake to ensure that youth within their jurisdiction enjoy all civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights without discrimination, regardless of race, skin color, gender, language, religion, political or other beliefs, national, ethnic or social origin, property status, their parents or legal guardians, age, state of health or any other circumstances. 2. States Parties prohibit discrimination against the youth and take all necessary legislative, administrative and other measures to effectively exercise their rights, freedoms and interests. 3. States Parties shall take temporary special measures to ensure reasonable accommodation for young people that are not discriminatory against other categories of the population in order to promote equality and eliminate discrimination against young people. 4. States Parties shall take all necessary measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against female youth in order to remove all obstacles to ensuring equality between men and women as well as to improve the status and empowerment of female youth in ensuring their full and equal access to human rights of young people. Article 4. Obligations of States in the field of youth policy 1. Each state-party undertakes to implement the youth policy, which is a system of organizational-legal, socio-economic measures implemented by the state and providing for the creation of conditions for the social formation and development of the intellectual, creative and other potential of young people. 2. States Parties shall prioritize the respect for human rights and...