SOCIAL INJUSTICE, CLIMATE CRISIS, INEQUITY, DISSONANCE, PREJUDICE AND FEAR.
As the world becomes ever more fractured and divided, we need real, positive and powerful change more than ever. To rebuild. To heal. And to rise up.
At The Body Shop we’ve been standing up, speaking out and changemaking, since 1976. Speaking truth to power is in our DNA. We were born to fight.
Watch this short film to find out more; why the next 40 years of changemaking really matters; and why being seen and being heard has never been more urgent.
OUR LOCAL INITIATIVE ON REDUCING PLASTIC WASTE
Rethink Plastic is an initiative by Emirates Nature- WWF to help reduce plastic pollution in the UAE. In support of this initiative The Body Shop is selling a REUSABLE bag made of recycled material at cost across all The Body Shop stores in UAE.
Switch to Reusable Bags and play your part in reducing plastic waste.
WHAT ARE WE DOING LOCALLY?
We’re also launching a local campaign to empower youth with environmental leadership skills, in partnership with Emirates Nature-WWF.The World needs the change Young people want.Young people represent 50% of the UAE population, and they passionately want to take environmental action for the common good.Young people will shape our future – after all, they are our leaders of tomorrow.We believe young people have a vital role to play in the decisions that affect us all
WHAT ARE WE DOING GLOBALLY?
We’ve always operated outside of the beauty industry, seeking change where other brands saw risks. We are not afraid to challenge the status quo and to find the right solutions. This is not our first rodeo.We’re launching a global campaign to amplify youth voices in public life.The UN Secretary-General has identified working with and for young people as one of the organisation’s top priorities. We’ll be working in partnership with the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth. They are global advocates for addressing the needs and rights of young people around the world.
YOUNG PEOPLE ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION
We’ve never been cynical about the potential of the human spirit. As our founder Dame Anita Roddick once said, ‘cynicism is what passes for insight when courage is lacking.’ We believe young people have all the potential, but right now, they have none of the power.
The future of the world cannot be left to a bunch of bureaucrats in sharp suits. Young people are creative, open-minded and full of the right questions. We know they’ve got the imagination, energy and grit to stick up for what’s right. They are politically active, demonstrating time and time again that they are prepared to show up for our community, our planet and our future.
So why do we keep underestimating them? There has never been a more critical time for them to have a voice. We’re going to campaign hard to make sure they do
WE ARE ON A JOURNEY
WHAT’S THE GLOBAL PROBLEM?
The UN estimates that there are 1.2 billion people aged 15 to 24 worldwide. That means that one in every six people on Earth is a young adult. The results of the decisions being made about our world today will be inherited by them. So where on earth are they? The political picture is still very grey. Only 2.8% of parliamentarians worldwide are under thirty. There is a vast generational divide between those with the power of decision-making and those without it.
It’s clear that if we keep trying to solve problems with the same old solutions we will make the same mistakes. Young people have fresh eyes and a lot of skin in the game, yet are rarely invited to the table. We want to know, why not?
Young people, around the world, including millions of under 18 year olds are considered mature enough to have adult responsibilities. They can join the military, care for vulnerable relatives and serve time in prison, but in the same breath are denied the right to vote in most places. That doesn’t sit right with us.
GET INFORMED. GET OUTRAGED. GET INSPIRED.
We work closely with experts to plan all of our campaigns. We’d love for you to keep reading about these issues so here’s a list of resources.
To learn more about the facts and figures of youth participation in national parliaments globally, read this report from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). Not into report reading? Check out this infographic of the same info condensed.
Explore the UN’s Youth 2030 Strategy through visiting this one-stop-shop knowledge portal. Here you can pick up valuable tools and resources for supporting Youth 2030 implementation as well as track global progress year-by-year.
Want to know more about youth policy in your country? These handy factsheets from YouthPolicy.org will help.
Read this literature review from the EU Commission and Council of Europe for an overview of youth political participation in Europe.
This paper provides a breakdown of the different jargon and info used to discuss youth political participation.
This policy paper on Quality Youth Participation and Inclusion in Institutions from the European Youth Forum (EYF) could help you lobby your local institution on youth inclusion.
This from the Office of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth (OSGEY) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) will give you loads of info on how gender and representation intersect.
You could read this from First ASEAN Youth Development Index detailing youth development across the region (see Domain 4: Participation and Engagement).
The African Youth Leaders study is an international research project looking to develop a youth leadership movement and they’re always looking for people to get involved.
Want to stay across global efforts to allow young people to run for political office? Check out the here campaign.