The Human Rights Approach to development acknowledges that under-18s have:"the right to express... views freely in all matters affecting (them), the views... being given due weight in accordance with (their) age and maturity..."
(convention on the rights of the Child, Article 12)
Meanwhile, with over half the world's population aged under 24 (closer to 3/4 in many developing countries) youth issues in development are more urgent than ever. Between 2000 and 2010 some 700 million young women and men will enter the labour force. And currently there are not 700 million new jobs available.
source: C YP
