UNESCO
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Over the
past two years (2000-2001),
INFOYOUTH made a significant progress in assisting Member States in
their effort to create specific information space and networks on youth
related issues. The
following major initiatives aiming at bridging the Digital Divide were
designed and implemented in the framework of the Network: Content Production
The research aspect was
successfully developed namely through the elaboration of specific tools
and guidelines and the publication of books and CD ROM on the status of
youth in different Members States and in the world. Thus, two more
publications were funded - the book Youth in Tunisia on the status of
youth at national level and the Paraguayan
Youth Today, both aiming at providing a better understanding of the
current situation of youth to decision-makers in the process of
conceiving and perfecting their respective national youth policies. The
publication of a CD ROM on the European
Youth The
existing INFOYOUTH database was strengthened and the creation of
national web sites became the basis for elaborating national Internet
portals on youth related issues. Networking
In the
framework of INFOYOUTH, several regional encounters, consultations and
training sessions and workshops were held: -
a first Youth, Information
and Democracy Forum for the MERCOSUR countries took place in
Paraguay (October 2000); - In the Caucasus, a first regional training
course for web designers and Internet training for young information
specialists, representatives of youth NGOs and decision-makers at
regional level (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia) was organized. Moreover, in Georgia, INFOYOUTH organized the first Regional Consultation
in South Caucasus on the theme Youth,
Information Policy and Sub-Regional Networking for Development and Peace
(January 2001). - A sub regional training workshop for youth leaders in the use of
information and communication technologies for development and poverty
alleviation was organized in India in July 2001. The workshop stressed
the potential of interconnecting youth NGOs, experts and specialized
bodies in the field of ICTs. Setting up of
Information Structures and Training in ICT
Reflecting the major concern to secure better
conditions for young people to access information, support was given for
the establishment of various information
structures such as the Learning and Educational Centre created in
Baghdad together with the UNDP, and the national youth information
centre established in Georgia. Several other national information
structures were created upon the request of Member States (Azerbaijan,
Egypt). The
creation of Information Technology Community Centres was a high
priority. Such centres, providing to youth practical information and
training in IT skills were set up in Brazil, Armenia, Vietnam and
Honduras. An Information Technology Community Center was also
established in Hebron (Palestine). By collecting and providing
information concerning the different youth activities and projects, the
Center is thus meeting the constantly increasing need of young people
and youth NGOs for updated and reliable information. In South Africa, in
co-operation with CISCO, was established the first UNESCO/CISCO local
Academy providing specialized IT training thus considerably empowering
youth when facing the new requirements of the labour market. The
partnership with the private sector also allowed to boost the programme
of recycling second-hand computers and other IT equipment. Thus,
computers were sent to Palestine, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Gabon, Togo,
Zimbabwe, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Uganda, Estonia, Lithuania, and
two Internet central servers were donated to a Technical College in
South Africa. Support
was also given to the regional Network for Eastern Europe - Eastlinks (www.eastlinks.net)
for the organization of several regional consultations on the future
modalities of expansion of the network. It was combined with the organization
of staff training seminars, of regional camp leaders
information and training workshops and of several field visits and
inter-regional exchanges and subsequently, a sub-regional information
network for the Baltic States was created. In the
Balkans, INFOYOUTH contributed for the establishment of two Internet
Educational Centres for young people - one in the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia and one in Albania. The centres collect and
provide information concerning the different youth activities and
projects (and namely on regional youth exchanges, voluntary service
activities, training workshops and seminars, etc.). Training in ICT
is also provided as part of the effort to develop models of good
practices that use modern technology for learning and cross-border
collaboration. Computer
literacy and Internet training
for young leaders and disadvantaged youth was an on-going activity
successfully implemented in Brazil, Honduras, India, South Africa and
China. A project on training in ICTs for youth was launched in December
2001 in Iran by establishing a Youth Information Center in the ancient
city of Varamin, southeast of Tehran, in close cooperation with the
Science and Arts Foundation and Sharif University of Technology. It will
provide young people with access to information on youth activities and
education opportunities and projects, and will offer them training
courses in ICT literacy to improve their capacities to access quality
information. Through the Varamin Schoolnet project, over 5,000 school
children from high schools in underprivileged areas are expected to use
the new computer facilities with access to the Internet. In Peru,
for the fifth consecutive year, the national INFOYOUTH competition Haz realidad tu negocio, was organized
for young people willing to launch their own enterprise. The
Peruvian INFOYOUTH member is providing factual information and selected
training in entrepreneurial skills to the winners. The initiative,
coping with youth unemployment was successfully “exported” to other
countries from the region. In Argentina, INFOYOUTH supported the digitalization
of the available archives and documents in order to improve the
collection and consultation of youth related information and organized training courses in computer and Internet skills for young leaders,
decision makers and staff of the Youth Directorate of the Ministry of
Social Affairs, thus contributing to improve the process of elaboration
and management of youth policies and programmes. Collaboration
with the civil society was successfully enhanced. Thus, a Youth Media
Network was set-up in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Internet Job Schemes
for young people were launched in Armenia and Bulgaria. In co-operation
with the Foundation of America (USA), International Youth in Action Awards
were granted to outstanding initiatives designed by young people using
information and communication technologies in their effort to contribute
to social development. A new programme element
during the current biennium was the involvement of the INFOYOUTH Network
in UNESCO’s HIV/AIDS preventive education scheme specifically directed
to youth. Thus, AIDS prevention and information projects were
successfully launched and implemented in Burkina Faso, Romania, India,
South Africa and Tunisia. Moreover, INFOYOUTH organized the holding, in
September 2001, of a first Regional Conference on Voluntary Service Organizations and
AIDS prevention. The event, attended by representatives of some
fifteen countries from Central and Eastern Europe, underscored the
necessity for an increased use of ICTs in the overall preventive effort
in favor of youth. |
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