Together We Stand

[ 40 ] and protection services. However, young people are also capable agents for change and possess unique, innovative and effective solutions that can contribute to improving humanitarian action. Youth, however, are also important actors in humanitarian response. Youth find themselves caring, protecting, coordinating, communicating and collaborating in times of crisis. Programmes which have acknowledged the important role of youth have drawn on their integrity, diversity, teamwork, conflict manage- ment, communication and commitment among other skills. Given these complex realities, the World Humanitarian Summit Secretariat (WHSS) believes that youth must be signif- icant and respected contributors in the run-up to Istanbul. The need for greater attention to youth and their engagement was consistently highlighted in the World Humanitarian Summit regional and online consultations. In the lead-up to Istanbul, the WHSS sought an opportunity to better bring in the youth voice to shape the future of humanitarian solutions with them as main participants at all levels. As a group that has at times been overlooked and neglected, through the WHSGYC young people were given a recognized role in the process; one which is bringing the global community together, including civil society, to commit to a new agenda for humanitarian action beyond 2016. ROTA’s hosting of the WHSGYC was in alignment with the organization’s aims of establishing and replicating models of youth-friendly spaces that attract youth to learn about and take action on global development issues. Building on established approaches to youth empowerment, the youth consultation provided linkages to new global platforms where youth can learn and discuss critical global issues. This high-level meeting consisted of representatives from prominent, youth-led and youth-focused organizations and federations, national repre- sentatives and youth selected by an open call in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY). Each participant had equal access to participation in all parts of the forum and their contribution to the consultations had equal influence on the event’s outcome. A key aim was to foster increased collaboration between youth organizations in reaching a resilient and sustainable society where their humanitarian needs are met. The consultations brought together youth from 84 countries with participating nationalities from different contexts and complex humanitarian settings such as Syria, Sudan and Yemen. This was an empowering experience as it engaged many from different backgrounds and experiences and provided a platform for discussions about where youth stand in the humanitarian landscape, their expectations, what they can provide to the field, how the world can better maximize their potential, and how youth can have a stronger voice in humanitarian issues. For two days, through a peer-to-peer approach they shared experiences, lessons learned and good practices as humanitar- ian actors, volunteers, survivors, researchers or champions. Discussions focused on how to respond to the specific needs of adolescents and youth in emergencies and humanitarian settings, including providing greater contextualization of programmes according to situations and age. This highlighted Image: ROTA – Mohamed Al Amri WHSGYC brought together youth participants from 84 countries T ogether W e S tand