Making the voices of young people heard in the process of environment and health policymaking and on official committees

The youth environment and health network is preparing its participation to the Fifth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health which will take place in Parma, Italy, on 10-12 March 2010. One of the objectives is to extend the youth network to all 53 countries in the European Region and  have a representative in each country delegation.

Milestones

• Budapest, 2004: Gathering of Youth Parliament and 30 official youth representatives from Member States at the Fourth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health.
  A Youth Declaration was presented to the ministers, calling for youth representation on the EEHC and on the Task Force for the Children's Environment and Health Action Plan for Europe (CEHAPE).
• Vienna, 2007: Youth Conference held in parallel to the midterm review of progress made since the Budapest Conference. 
  Six delegates elected for youth representation, presentation of youth views and a youth-friendly version of the CEHAPE during the review meeting. The Conference gathered 51 young people from 28 countries.

"Our health cannot be negotiated. It is a precondition of our personal development and happiness. Nobody should make money on the back of other people's ill health. We need and deserve a fundamental human right to a clean and healthy environment. We also need access to information and education to most effectively take care of our health."
Budapest Youth Declaration, 24 June 2004

Photos (left to right):
- a youth delegate making a speech at the 2004 Fourth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health in Budapest;
- the Youth Parliament;
- young people from the Elvika project, a joint project between Finland and Georgia on life after conflict.