During the week of 17-22 September, at the XXI Session of the Human Rights Council,  the International Institute of the Daughters of Maria Ausiliatrice (Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco) and VIDES International presented four oral statements during the discussion of item 6 related to the adoption of the Universal Periodic Revsion (UPR) reports on Ecuador, Brazil, Poland and South Africa.  In a general vision of youth envolvement and effective participation in the activities carried out by IIMA and VIDES International, four young people from Mexico, Republic of Korea and Italy, took the floor before  the Council as spokesmen of...

On the 18th of April, IIMA participated in a discussion on “Youth Employment” organized by the International Catholic Centre in Geneva (ICCG). The meeting featured Mr. Larry Kohler, member of the Executive Committee of the International Catholic Center of Geneva and former ILO officer, as well as the participation of representatives of some Catholic-based NGOs. Mr. Kohler painted a picture of the situation of youth employment around the world: over 75 million youth worldwide are looking for work and young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than...

The General Secretary of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon took part this Tuesday (11th April 2012) in an ongoing dialogue with the youth of the whole world. The participants represented all the continents. The six youngsters had been selected for the consultations between the UN, civil society and as representatives of the universities. They discussed different topics, such as youth unemployment, technology, and the rights of women, thanks to Google+.Ban Ki-Moon stated that his ears are always open to hear the voice of the youth, as he can learn a...

On 16th September 2011, VIDES International in collaboration with the Istituto Internazionale Maria Ausiliatrice (IIMA) organized a side event at Palais de Nations, Geneva. The event was co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions of Costa Rica, Italy, Paraguay, Uruguay, the Permanent Observer Holy See and the NGOs Platform on the Right to Education. The event, entitled “Young Volunteers and Human Rights” served as a response to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon’s request to “the international community to support youth as agents of change and development.” The panelist present at...

On the occasion of the European Year of Voluntary Activities Promoting Active Citizenship (2011) and the International Year for Youth (IYY), Vides international and Istituto Internazionale Maria Ausiliatrice (IIMA) are organizing a training course on the “Voluntary Service and Human Rights” to be held from September 9 to September 21.Committee on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families - CMW and to share their own experiences with the members of the many NGOs present in Geneva. In addition, they will enjoy the occasion to meet...

The new Head of the United Nations Population Fund, Babatunde Osotimehin, called the Member States’ attention on the largest global youth generation, especially now that it is estimated that world population will exceed 7 billion people.“Today, almost a third of the world’s population is composed by youth, with just below 90 per cent living in developing countries, a proportion that will enormously increase during the next 20 years”, he said. Hence, other important challenge is to face the situation of adolescents and youth living in developing countries.The head of the...