Volume 4 l Issue 9 l May 2013
This newsletter is a monthly effort from the Millennium Development Goals Awareness Project (MDGAP) to provide information on Millennium Goal developments around the world, related research and volunteer opportunities, funding and training options, and MDGAP events.
Congratulations to all graduating students!
In This Issue:
UN Focus on Youth: What is Your Role?
Have Your Say: What Will it Take to Get All Children in School
Add Your Photo, Help Eradicate Polio
MDG Related Volunteer, Internship and Employment Opportunities
MDGAP Refocused
Stay Informed
Visit the email version
UN FOCUS ON GLOBAL YOUTH: WHAT IS YOUR ROLE?
Half of the world’s population today is under the age of 25. Confronting devastating unemployment figures in North and South, East and West alike, politically disenchanted and sidelined, young people's voices often get lost in public discourse and decision-making.
Recognizing that global youth is facing daunting cross-border political, social and economic challenges unique to our generation, the UN Secretary-General identified “working with young people” as one of his top priorities. United Nations’ newly created youth initiatives seek to mobilize youth and utilize its energy.
Envoy on Youth: In January, Mr. Ban appointed Mr. Ahmad Alhindawi of Jordan as an Envoy on Youth with a capacity to advance the youth agenda globally and to address the needs of the largest generation of youth the world has ever known. More information.
UNV Youth Programme: UN Development Programme and UN Volunteers are working with the UN Inter-Agency Network on Youth to design and implement the new UN Youth Volunteers Programme with the mission to promote youth engagement and development around the globe. The new youth volunteers’ initiative aims to ensure leadership of youth volunteerism within the UN and enhance global partnership with youth partners. The initiative seeks to empower the largest generation of young people the world has ever known to realize their full social, economic and human potential and to gain a strong sense of civic engagement for transformational change in their communities. More information.
Youth Delegate Programme: Participation in decision-making is one of the key priority areas of the United Nations agenda on youth. One form of youth participation at the UN is through the inclusion of youth delegates in a country’s official delegation to the General Assembly and various functional Commissions of the Economic and Social Council.
The Youth Delegate Programme is coordinated by the UN Programme on Youth at the global level, but it is the responsibility of the Member States to establish such program at the national level, and to decide who will represent the young people of their country. The roles of a youth representative varies from country to country, but generally includes providing input to their delegation on issues related to youth and participate in their delegation’s general work through attending meetings and informal negotiations.
Youth Delegates and Member States represented vary with every General Assembly session. Many Member States have taken advantage of this opportunity and have send Youth Delegates in the past. Last year, a Boston College student was the first American to participate in the Programme as a US Observer. If you are interested in becoming a prospective delegate and you hold an American citizenship, join the United States Youth Delegate Initiative. To verify if your country is currently participating and for more information on the UN Youth Delegate Programme, click here.
NGO Youth Representative: In an effort to capitalize on youth activism and attract more young people to the work of the United Nations, the Department of Public Information/NGO Relations Section introduced in 2010 the concept of the NGO Youth Representative. The notion behind this initiative is that youth, most often university students, serve as Representatives of UN-affiliated NGOs at the UN Headquarters in New York, becoming “the eyes and ears” of their NGOs at the United Nations during the period 1 January to 31 August of every calendar year. The Representatives’ duties include: serving as NGO delegates, attending weekly briefings and other UN events, networking with other NGO representatives and UN officials on issues of interest to their NGOs. In the last two years, NGO Relations has seen the mushrooming of its youth outreach initiative to include more than 320 Youth representatives from 48 countries representing 207 NGOs.
Please, note that this appointment requires physical presence in New York City for prolonged periods of time. More information can be found here and here.
 HAVE YOUR SAY: WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET ALL CHILDREN IN SCHOOL?
Since 2000, the world has been striving to reach Millennium Development Goal #2: Achieving Universal Primary Education by 2015. The goal is to help children everywhere, boys and girls alike, complete primary school. Although there has been great progress in the last decade, 61 million children are still missing on primary school and many more leave school without having learned the basic skills needed to succeed in life and work.
Now, world leaders want to hear from you! Leave your ideas and comments here on this blog or Tweet using hashtag #educationfirst. More information on the UN Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative here.
ADD YOUR PHOTO, HELP ERADICATE POLIO
 At the Global Vaccine Summit in Abu Dhabi a couple of weeks ago, the international community pledged $4 billion toward polio eradication. Without this effort, 10 million children could be paralyzed in the next 40 years. Now, more than 1 billion children will be vaccinated against this devastating disease thanks to global partnership of governments, philanthropists, civil society and their pledges towards a new six-year polio eradication plan.
You can take action by showing your support for the new polio eradication This Close campaign. Join celebrities and be part of the World’s Biggest Commercial. Snap a photo of yourself making the This Close sign and upload it into the commercial. Show it to your friends and family and ask them to do the same. Your involvement will help convince world leaders that support for polio eradication is global. And then — do more. Learn more. Get involved. Write to your government leaders. You can get started here and here.
MDG RELATED INTERNSHIPS, VOLUNTEER, AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
UNO Charter School Network is seeking a Graduate Support Advisor. Position Summary: The Advisor works in a team setting with the Graduate Support staff, whose overall objective is to assist UNO Charter School students and families in selecting and applying to high-performing High Schools across Chicago and the county. Compensation: Paid. Time Period: Summer 2013. Location: Chicago, IL. Eligible Applicants: All Majors. Application Deadline: May 31, 2013. BuckyNet #61950 and #61949. Apply here.
Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) summer marine research internship available in the Altabet Biogeochemistry Lab at the School of Marine Science and Technology, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Duration: 12 weeks, starting in June with the start date flexible. Position Summary: Intern to conduct individual research project relevant to the larger project goals; to contribute to the on-going research efforts and, with training and guidance, to process samples and analyze data. Eligibility: Qualified, highly motivated undergraduate students with interests in marine science. Completion of a college level introductory chemistry course is essential and an oceanography course is desirable but not required. Compensation: $5000 stipend to cover living expenses. Application deadline: May 10. Find more information here.
United Nations Foundation is seeking Sumner Interns for the following paid positions in Washington, D.C. with closing application date May 19:
For more information and to apply, visit http://www.unfoundation.org/who-we-are/careers/
 United Nations Internships
Students enrolled in a graduate degree program are eligible to apply for internships at UN Offices around the world. Internship areas, duties and eligibility requirements vary. Listed below are four of the various unpaid internship opportunities at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Additional opportunities can be found here.
STAY INFORMED
The best way to stay apprised of MDGAP activities and to get involved is to “Friend” the project at: https://www.facebook.com/mdgap.uw. With recent Facebook changes, it is important to interact with the posts by liking, sharing, and commenting in order to continue to receive postings.
MDGAP REFOCUSED
With this issue, the Millennium Development Goals Awareness Project will be taking the summer off to reconsider its direction and focus in the fall. Plans are currently underway for the project to help bring a speaker from the UN to campus once again and to continue to host day-long service projects in the community related to the social justice and global health focus advanced in the Millennium Goals. UN related jobs, volunteer opportunities and internships will be posted in Access ISS, International Student Services’ bi-weekly e-newsletter and periodic quick announcements related to the United Nations, Millennium Development Goals, and opportunities related to these will go out over the MDGAP mailing list. If you would like to discontinue receiving notices of these efforts, please let us know by sending an email to mdgap@studentlife.wisc.edu. If you have ideas for the program, please share those at the same address.
In the meantime, MDGAP wishes all graduating students great success and all readers a marvelous summer.
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
MDGAP is a project of UW-Madison International Student Services, 716 Langdon Street, Madison, WI.
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