Youth Cabinet - Lebanon

In preparation for the Cabinet meeting, UNICEF held a five day workshop with the Youth over a period of two weeks, during which the youth articulated their concerns and feasible solutions and the role they could play in affecting the necessary change. The problems, solutions, and supporting documents were presented together with the agenda in portfolios modelled after the adult Ministers. The agenda comprised 25 priorities (of which three were chosen during the 'Say Yes' campaign) addressing social issues of concern to the country's youth. Among the priorities were:

• amending the law on free and compulsory Education to reach the age of 15instead of 12 and issuing procedures for implementation,
• raising the age of the working child from 13 to 15 and monitoring thelaw implementation,
• lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 years (especially given the factthat the obligatory military service is at 18).

The Youth Cabinet meeting had a very wide media coverage, including press interviews given by the Prime Minister and the participating Youth, TV talk shows with the participants, etc.

Youth, Rights, Political Development

This is the first Youth Cabinet ever held in Lebanon and it sets the stage for future involvement of the Youth in Lebanon's public affairs.
The Prime Minister approved 15 recommendations out of the 25 listed priorities. The approved items were sent to the concerned administrative and legal bodies for action. One of the decisions reached which ensures a continuous participation of the Youth was the formulation of a High Youth Committee within the Ministry of Youth. The function of this committee will be to follow up on the items approved by the Prime Minister and see that it is put into action, create a network among all NGOs working with Youth and among Ministriesconcerned.