Ukrainian Youth Delegate to the United Nations

Ukraine: All You Need to Know about the Mandate

 

Length of Term: 2 years (first year ­ participation in all the UN sessions, second year ­ mentorship)

 

Mandatory attendance:

United Nations General Assembly (October - ­November)

Appointed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 

Preferred attendance:

ECOSOC Forum (June)

ECOSOC Youth Forum (February)

CSocD (February)

International Youth Conferences

UN ­related conferences with a special focus on youth and/or sustainable development

 

Visa: 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine acts as a liaison between the delegate and the Embassy of the United States in Kyiv, Ukraine. MFA submits relevant documentations and passport of the candidate to the Embassy and as a result YD travels to the United States with G2 visa (in order to get accreditation from UN HQ), which is valid for one year and is multi­entry (for the purpose of attending ECOSOC Forum, for example). Upon arrival in UN HQ in New York, the YD is given a red D­badge which allows the Delegate to participate in the sessions of Committees, informals and consultations.

 

 

Before the General Assembly:

Before traveling to the United Nations, newly elected youth representative needs to commence the national consultation tour in order to meet with young people, NGOs, initiative groups nationwide both in rural as well as in the urban areas. Meetings will enable the youth delegate to gather solid information on what are the challenges and wishes that youth of Ukraine want to share with the world from the UN’s global platform. During the tour, one of the main objectives of the YD is to engage with the youth that come from marginalized groups. While having meetings with the young people nationwide, YD gathers information which can be communicated to various stakeholders which can result into certain issues being addressed. YD also informs youth on what are the possibilities of getting involved in various local and global initiatives for them. Communication with former YDs is very important in order to share experience and transfer the knowledge. Former YDs are great ways of getting information on best practices and tips for successful work. Newly elected YDs meet with the representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to become familiar with what are the resources that this state agency offers to the program. Delegates are also supposed to have a meeting at United Nations in Ukraine before departure. YD also makes a TV appearance, informing audience about the importance of youth participation in the decision­making process; ways of youth engagement at the United Nations and upcoming plan within the mandate years. YDs participate in Advocacy Training organized by European Youth Forum in Brussels. YD also joins other YDs in online consultations through social media for sharing experience on both their activities and the program itself. They can also plan side events to be organized at the UN.

 

 

When Returning Home:

After returning to Ukraine, YD engages into report­back activities: meets and initiates meetings where he/she shares his/her experience with working at the United Nations. YD also presents the project that he/she is going to work on during the mandate year based on the specific focus of YDs. YDs also makes a TV appearance and speaks about his/her experience as a YD at the United Nations and raises awareness on youth participation in the decision­making process. YD keeps official Facebook active throughout the year and uses it for keeping young people informed on activities and information which is important for them. YD shall also organize a youth conference/seminar and is free to choose the specific topic for it. YD is invited to number of events as a speaker.

 

 

Funding:

Costs related to national consultation tour, travel and stay in New York, youth related conference in 2014 - 2015 were covered by Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Charitable Foundation. Future Youth Delegates should be aware of the necessity to make fundrasing prior participation in the General Assembly of Comission for Social Development.