Declaration of
the International
terre des hommes Youth Network
Preamble:
Youths from different corners of the world gathered from 22 September
2011 to 3 October 2011, representing the countries of South America, Central
America, Africa, South East Asia, Germany and India where they discussed
different problems related to children's rights and ecology. One of the most
shameful incidents is that many children in different countries still do not
have a citizenship, which means right from the beginning of the life the
children are deprived of their basic fundamental rights. So we feel that to
ensure ecological child rights, citizenship of all children is a precondition.
Thus all the country governments should ensure that all children have a
citizenship.
The youth network further discussed the precondition of a healthy
environment for good living of generations today and tomorrow. Again reality is
far away from this situation. Our environment is affected and exploited each
moment in each and every corner of this world. This feeling was strengthened by
the depositions from different members coming from different corners who have
witnessed situations directly or indirectly. Common issues which emerged from
all regions were- industrialisation at the cost of people, displacement,
exploitations and pollution from mining, destruction of culture and
biodiversity, deforestation, effect of harmful chemical pesticides,
exploitation of fossil fuels, and many others. Hence as tdhyouth network we
felt the need to express our opinion regarding these situations and demand for
improvement from the respective governments through this declaration.
Our demands include:
·
Any new development project by the government or the
industrial companies should be made subject to public opinion and debate before
it gets approved, where child and youth participation is made compulsory. The
processes should be open, transparent and to ensure accountability.
·
Governments should ensure standards of healthy
environment during development projects initiated by them or promoted by them
and also that all means should ensure 'PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT'. Where damages have been already caused the
victims should be properly treated and rehabilitated through the government
infrastructure.
·
The governments should integrate ecological education
in its regular academic curricula and so create green job opportunities.
·
Governments should finance public policies of health,
education, environment, etc and ensure that the services provided are of good
quality and useful for society. These services should be monitored and
evaluated at regular intervals for the enforcement of the policies.
·
Development should ensure regeneration and
rejuvenation of natural resources to ensure livelihoods sustainability of
future generations.
·
The respective government should appoint an
OMBUDSPERSON to investigate the burden of development on the future generation
immediately in respect to ecological imbalances (like pollution, contamination,
climate change, etc).
·
Ownership of natural resources should remain with the
local people of the land. Land that has been taken away forcibly should be
given back to the original owners with proper compensation.
·
The states must respect diversity of indigenous people
and fulfil the ILO convention 169, the UN Declaration of the rights of
indigenous people and the declaration of MOTHER EARTH of the WORLD CLIMATE
CONFERENCE.
To Conclude:
All these demands should be realised for the benefit and best interest
of all children regardless of religion, gender, age and legal status with
proper compensation
Signedbythe regional representativesofthe international tdhyouthnetwork:
Nawaal Domingo ( South Africa)
Maria José Salazar ( South America)
Sudipta Pramanick ( India)
Thongchai Chakatprasit ( South East Asia)
Anja Stanowsky ( Germany)
3rd October 2011
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