The Forum was held for the first time from 21-22 November 2016, in Room XVII at Palais des Nations in Geneva. Resolution 28/14 decided that the theme of the first session of the Forum would be ‘Widening the Democratic Space: the role of youth in public decision-making’.

Mr. Ahmad Alhendawi, UN Secretary General's Special Envoy on Youth and H.E. Mr. Daniiar Mukashev, Permanent Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United Nations Office at Geneva were Co-Chairpersons of the first session of the Forum.

• Chairperson’s report: Summary of the discussions of the Forum A/HRC/34/46
• Annotated Provisional Agenda A/HRC/FD/2016/1
• Programme of work
• Final list of participants
• Biographies of panellists and moderators
• Short video story: ’Youth and Democracy’
• Summary of recommendations

Videos

• Opening meeting
• Creating an enabling environment for the effective participation of youth in public decision-making
• From formal to transformative participation of youth
• Participation of youth in sustainable development and human rights protection in specific contexts
• Moving the global youth agenda forward: the role of youth in shaping the agenda of the United Nations and regional organizations 

Inputs received

The views and/or opinions expressed in the contributions listed below are those of the contributing organizations and do not reflect in any way the views and/or opinions of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). OHCHR is not responsible for the content of the organizations’ views and/or opinions. The use and posting of the contributions do not provide any legal and/or other status to the contributing organizations or association with OHCHR.

Statements

• Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association UK
• Amnesty International
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• Council of Europe
• European Youth Forum
• Finland 1 | 2
• Human Nations
• International Association for Political Sciences Students
• Italy 1 | 2
• Joint written submission by Child Rights Connect, Child Rights International Network (CRIN), Defence for Children International (DCI), International Catholic Child Bureau (BICE), Plan International, Save the Children, Terre des Hommes International Federation (TDHIF), and World Organization Against Torture (OMCT)
• Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie
• World Uyghur Congress

Submissions

These submissions were received in response to the call for inputs on the topics to be discussed during the first session of the Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law.

Member States

• Permanent Mission of Burundi
• Permanent Mission of Chile
• Permanent Mission of Cuba
• Permanent Mission of Romania
• Permanent Mission of Tunisia
• Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with Slovenian United Nations Youth Delegate Mr Andraž Šiler

National Human Rights Institutions

• Iranian Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC)
• National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India

United Nations mechanisms, bodies and specialized agencies, funds and programmes

• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

International and regional organisations

• Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
• International Development Law Organization (IDLO)

NGOs

• Association pour la défense des droits de la femme en Mauritanie
• At-sik-hata Nation of Yamassee-Moors
• Center for Social Activism (CSA), Bangladesh
• Child Rights International Network - CRIN
• European Youth Forum
• Le Cercle de Recherche sur les droits et les devoirs de la personne humaine (CRED)
• Istituto Internazionale Maria Ausiliatrice (IIMA) and VIDES International – International Volunteerism Organization for Women, Education, and Development
• Organizing for Zimbabwe Trust
• Pune Model United Nations
• Save the Children
• Society for Human Advancement and Disadvantaged Empowerment (SHADE)
• The Cambodian Center for Human Rights
• The Youth Center Foundation for Human Rights
• World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA)
• World YWCA

Academics and experts

• Commentary by Mr. L. C. Backeron
• Angie Cruickshank L.
• Jacob J. Lumier
• The Foundation for Law and International Affairs and the Coalition for Peace and Ethics (FLIA and (CPE))