Call for Expression of Interest for programme sessions as part of the Global Forum for Adolescents (GFA) in October 2023

Background

In October 2023, PMNCH will convene the world’s largest-ever event for adolescents - the Global Forum for Adolescents (GFA). The GFA will serve as a key galvanizing moment within a multi-year campaign – 1.8 billion young people for change - to promote and foster a global movement for the well-being of young people.

The GFA, a key two-day long milestone in the campaign will take place on 11-12 October 2023. It will consist of a global virtual mainstage with a broad range of programming exploring the five domains of the Adolescent Well-Being Framework; champion and political engagement events; product launches; an Innovation Marketplace; youth awards and capacity building programmes; and a captivating digital media and creative arts programme.

The global mainstage will include highlights and key messages from campaign events and activities from dozens of partner countries organized by PMNCH partners in association with the Global Forum.  Connecting global programming with local programming will enable partners to share experiences and resources with each other, sending a powerful, inclusive message of action everywhere for adolescent well-being. The GFA Programme is being developed by the GFA Programme Action Group, co-chaired by UNICEF, UNFPA, and youth leadership.

The GFA Programme

The GFA’s five programmatic tracks are based on the new and agreed Definition and Conceptual Framework for Adolescent Well-being (1), a 15 technical papers on Programming to Promote Adolescent well-being and the Adolescent Wellbeing BMJ Collection developed by PMNCH in partnership with UN H6+ Technical Working Group alongside youth-led and youth-serving organizations. The short and expanded definition of adolescent well-being, are underpinned by five interconnected domains:

• Domain 1. Good health and optimum nutrition;
• Domain 2: Connectedness, positive values and contribution to society;
• Domain 3: Safety and a Supportive Environment;
• Domain 4: Learning, competence, education, skills and employability; and
• Domain 5: Agency and Resilience.

Each Conference Programme track is divided into multiple track sessions. All programme session partners will be requested to choose one parent track and one session within the parent track as part of the submission process. Partners will also be asked to outline the cross-cutting thematic areas t hat this track will address. Partners may express their interest in more than one session but must fill out an individual expression of interest form for each session.

Cross-cutting thematic areas include the following:

• Conflict
• Climate change
• COVID-19 (recovery)
• Financing
• Rights and equity

Programme Tracks

Track A: Good health

• Good health includes both the absence of disease and malnutrition as well as the capacity to deal well with daily tasks and maintain functioning in difficult situations. This track will explore the intersection of health and Universal Health Care Coverage (UHC) as well as drivers of major disease burdens and mortality in adolescents (substance misuse, suicide, maternal mortality, injuries, road accidents).
• This track will consist of two core sessions:
  • Track A: Session 1: Health and UHC
  • Track A: Session 1: Substance misuse, injury, road safety

Track B: Connectedness, positive values and contribution to society

• Connectedness, positive values, and contributions are essential building blocks for adolescent well-being. This programmatic track will focus on improving adolescent well-being through improving connectedness and exploring the role of interpersonal skills and relationships, the role of parents, peers and the community under the overarching umbrella of “mental health”.  
• This track will consist of three core sessions of the same name:
  • Track B: Session 1: Contribution to Society: Youth leadership and breaking the stigma and silence on mental health
  • Track B: Session 2: Climate, Conflict, COVID-19 (recovery) and their impact on well-being.
  • Track B: Session 3: The role of Parents, Caregivers, Schools, Communities and Well-being

Track C: Safety and a supportive environment

• The transition to healthy adulthood is facilitated through a safe and supportive environment. In such an environment, adolescents are physically and psychologically protected from all forms of violence, abuse, exploitation, and injury; their material needs are met; they are treated fairly and have equal rights, they are free to practice their beliefs and express their identities, they have privacy, and the resources and opportunities to thrive.  This track will consist of four sessions focused on SRHR, self-identify, gender identity, and disabilities.
• This track will consist of four core sessions:
  • Track C: Session 1: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI), (Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE)
  • Track C: Session 2: Violence (bullying, peer to peer violence, GBV, IPV, DPV)
  • Track C: Session 3: Deconstructing masculinities to improve well-being
  • Track C: Session 4: Disabilities 

Track D: Learning, competence, education, skills and employability

• Education has long been recognized as a powerful determinant of health, well-being, and economic outcomes. Quality education provides learners with social, psychological, and higher-order thinking skills. This track will explore the role of schools in fostering well-being and the intersections between education, and nutrition, as well as focus on the importance of access to education, skill-building opportunities for future employability and their impact on well-being.
• This track will consist of two core sessions:
  • Track D: Session 1: Transitions: skill building, further education and employment
  • Track D: Session 2: Schools and non-school-based interventions as intersections of health, nutrition and education

Track E: Agency and resilience

• Agency is defined as the capacity to make choices and the power to act on those choices, especially to claim and voice rights. This track will explore the agency and resilience of adolescent and youth as part of adolescent well-being, and the importance of meaningfully engaging adolescents and youth in the development and implementation of all policies, programs, and processes that affect them as well as the role of digital technology and its intersection with the five domains of adolescent well-being.
• This track will consist of three core sessions:
  • Track E: Session 1: Civic engagement, political participation and Meaningful Adolescents and youth engagement in decision making spaces (MAYE)
  • Track E: Session 2: Digital Technology
  • Track E: Session 3: Agency, Resilience for adolescent well-being

Session Structure

• Each session of the programmatic tracks can range from 45 minutes to 90 minutes in length.
• Programme sessions should include linkages to cross-cutting themes: Conflict, Climate change, COVID-19 (recovery), Financing, Rights and equity, a problem statement, regional focus, lived experiences of young people and solutions and recommendations.
• We encourage programme sessions that introduce new ideas, concepts and research, and deepens understanding in the field, including analyses of both successes and failures. If partners would like to utilize the Global Forum for Adolescents to promote a new report, video or other assets related to adolescents and adolescent well-being but are not in the position to host a full session, please make sure to note this in your expression of interest form.

Criteria, Guidance and Conditions

• Programme sessions must be relevant to the GFA mandate and its programme of work.
• Priority will be given to sessions that reflect PMNCH’s partnership model and include different PMNCH members and constituencies. Gender parity, geographic diversity is highly desired.
• Youth presence is a MUST. 2-3 of the speakers should be under 30.
• A maximum of 5-6 speakers including chairs is recommended.
• Proposals are encouraged to highlight the differing needs of adolescents: early adolescence, middle adolescence, and late adolescence/young adulthood as well as disabilities.
• Sessions should maximize interactivity with a minimum of 20% of the total time allocated for interactivity with the audience (Examples of interactivity include: Word clouds, Polls, Q & As, quizzes, etc.)
• In the event that two or more expression of interests are received on a similar theme, the organizers may be asked to merge their proposals. Partners are requested to be flexible if this occurs.
• Sessions may be conducted in English, French or Spanish. Sign language and interpretation will be available.

Expression of Interest Form and Selection Process

• In order to be considered for a programme session, you are requested to complete the expression of interest form by Sunday, April 30th 2023 at 23:59 CET. The Session Event Focal Points listed in the form will be notified of the result of their request by 3 May 2023.
• Successful partners should publicly advertise their sessions- with full details including all speakers confirmed, no later than Sunday, 24 September 2023. PMNCH will provide guidelines and communications materials to ensure alignment with the #1point8 campaign.

Expressions of interest will be reviewed by the Programme Action Group after the due date and focal points of selected sessions will be contacted via email. PMNCH may request a follow up conversation to discuss your expression of interest/previous experience/interest in leading a session. Please note the following:

1. If PMNCH believes that your proposal is in line with the GFA’s vision and objectives but does not fit the overall structure of the core session, partners will be invited to lead on a side-event.
2. If the proposal is found to be in line with the GFA’ vision and objectives but does not seem suitable for a 45-90-minute time slot, partners will be invited to present their work as part of a core session, or a side-event in collaboration with other partners.

Organizations and representatives must be committed to improving the well-being of adolescents. Organizations including young people (under 30 years of age) across different regions are strongly encouraged to apply.

In case of any questions, please reach out via email pmnch@who.int with Kelly Thompson: kethompson@who.int  and Sophie Marie Kostelecky kosteleckys@who.int in copy.

Read this guidance on filling out the form