The African descent youth has always been part of this revolutionary breakthrough scenario;
however, within the framework of the International Year of African descent, we have taken a
major step towards a more visible and strong role, bringing together representatives of 44
countries to promote a plural gathering space, generated by and for young people to
exchange experiences, analysis and discussion on the current situation of youths of African
descent worldwide.
In that sense, the youth participants of World Youth Summit of African descent have
reaffirmed in the Declaration of San Jose various aspirations and demands that I will share in
this Forum:
1. Develop national strategic plans to combat structural and selective violence against youths
of African descent, particularly against girls, adolescents and young women of African
descent;
2. To promote equal opportunities for decent work and increase strategic and continuous
investment in development programs and projects for young people of African descent;
3. Guarantee sexual and reproductive rights as fundamental human rights, particularly
recognizing the autonomy and freedom of women and girls of African descent over their
bodies and their sexuality; as well as facilitating access to comprehensive friendly health
services without discrimination and with confidentiality;
4. Generate guidelines on agro, ecological and domestic; and national and foreign
investment in rural areas and in productive lands that do not harm the nature and
permanence of black communities, allowing the conservation of natural farming principles of
these peoples and communities that they have maintained for decades allowing their food
security;
5. Promote participation at all levels and the strengthening political articulation platform of the
African Descent youth. In this regard, we recommend to the various treaty bodies and special
procedures of the United Nations and its agencies, the incorporation of the study of the
situation of the Afro-descendant youth in their work, as part of its commitment to improve
coexistence among all peoples of the world.
Thank you very much!
i Angie Cruickshank is a lawyer and Costa Rican Deputy Senior Advisor Rodrigo Pinto;
General Coordinator of the World Summit Youth Afrodescendant - WAYS 2011.
Contacts: anchcl@hotmail.com / info@proyectocaribe.org