Open call for Youth Delegate to Women Deliver 2019 Conference

Deadline to Apply: March 25, 2019 at 5:00pm AST

The Atlantic Council for International Cooperation (ACIC) invites applications for a youth delegate to the Women Deliver Conference 2019, which will be held in Vancouver, June 3-6, 2019. The youth delegate may also have an opportunity to participate in side events during and following the official conference. 

ACIC, in collaboration with the Provincial and Regional Councils for International Cooperation (ICN), and Women Deliver 2019 Mobilization Canada hosted by the Canadian Partnership for Women and Children's Health, is seeking a youth delegate to join a national ICN youth delegation to the Women Deliver 2019 Conference. Ten youth delegates from across Canada will be selected and supported in attending, through this delegation. Registration, food, transportation and accommodation costs will be covered for delegates.

This event is the world’s largest conference on gender equality and the health, rights, and the wellbeing of women and girls in the 21st century. It will serve as a catalyst for advocates working to achieve a more gender equitable world. It will present new knowledge, promote world-class solutions, and engage a broad spectrum of voices. It will focus on several issues from health, nutrition, education, economic and political empowerment to human rights, good governance, and agency.

Qualifications

Youth delegates will ideally:

• Have experience and knowledge of sexual and reproductive health, gender equality and international cooperation; 

• Be between the ages of 18-29 during the time Women Deliver 2019;

• Be bilingual in French and English; and

• Be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident.

The youth delegate is expected to participate fully during the Women Deliver 2019 Conference, from June 3-6, 2019, and to share their experience each day on social media, live streams and blog updates. Prior to the conference, delegates are expected to participate in 2 three hour webinars in April 2019 and self-driven document review work. The first webinar will be an opportunity to learn more about policy development and gender equality, and the second will gather your input for a policy document that will be presented at a side event during the conference. Upon return, the youth delegate is also expected to engage in or host at least one public engagement initiative to share their learnings and experience, in collaboration with ACIC. 

Why Youth Engagement is Important

Youth play an integral role in the international community’s effort of achieving sustainable development and gender equality.

With about 1.8 billion young people worldwide between the ages of 10 and 24, actively engaging youth in decision-making processes enables intergenerational collaboration to truly implement Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17 - inclusive partnerships that collectively seek solutions that benefit our society, the planet, and its inhabitants.

Strengthening intergenerational collaboration entails providing mentorship and education of youth, as well as valuing young people’s opinions and creative solutions. More importantly, by further promoting youth participation and engagement, we are creating a momentum of fostering stewardship and sustainable development values amongst the future designers, politicians, engineers, and architects of the world. Investing in the next generation of young leaders will yield positive results - long term and short term - that contribute to the global integration of the SDGs and more robust climate and social justice actions.

To apply

If you are motivated to participate, please submit to jackie@acic-caci.org by March 25, 2019 at 5:00pm AST. Please use the subject line: Women Deliver 2019 Conference Delegate Application + your name. Late and incomplete submissions will not be accepted.

Please submit your CV/résumé and a letter of motivation (max. 2 pages) containing answers to the following questions:

• What perspective or lived experience do you hope to offer to the group?

• What does gender equality mean to you?

• What do you hope to gain from attending the Women Deliver 2019 Conference and how will you bring back what you learn to your community?

• List any past and/or current experiences relevant to sexual and reproductive health, gender equality and international cooperation