The United Nations is committed to empowering youth and ensuring their engagement at all levels. Youth empowerment entails involving new generations in problem solving and in decision-making processes, as underscored in UNODC’s Strategy for 2021-2025.
Guided by this vision, UNODC’s CBRN Terrorism Prevention Programme designed an innovative initiative aimed at nurturing future leaders with the idea that they become advocates for the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT) in their respective countries. With the support of the Government Canada, UNODC held the first UNODC ICSANT Universalization Youth Academy in Vienna from 10 to 13 September 2024.
The event brought together 17 selected young participants (including ten females) holding key positions at the national level related to treaty adherence and representing the following 15 States not yet party to ICSANT: Andorra, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Ecuador, Gambia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Maldives, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and the United Republic of Tanzania.
The Academy was comprised of presentations, a case study on the Convention, a session on gender diversity and inclusivity, as well as a mentoring session featuring high-level officials from Member States, international and regional organizations and civil society. The programme also included interactive exercises devoted to the drafting of a cabinet memorandum on ICSANT through which participants could exchange good practices from their countries. Another session was devoted to the use of social media as an advocacy tool to promote the Convention.
As stated by the representative of Global Affairs Canada, Ms Julia Gibson, (Project Leader, Nuclear and Radiological Security, Weapons Threat Reduction Program) in her closing remarks,“the awareness that has been raised and knowledge shared on ICSANT and the need for universal implementation will support [participants] when [they] return home to speak with a voice of authority on [ICSANT], and hopefully has instilled a new sense of need to champion this cause for [their] countries.”
