The Global Redesign Initiative aims to improve international cooperation on the pressing challenges of the 21st century.
Join Young Global Leaders to explore “open source” innovations in:
- Engaging youth in policy-making
- Mainstreaming the MDGs
- Rethinking intellectual property
- Ensuring rights to public information
- Restoring the health of oceans
- Fostering the “missing middle” entrepreneurs
Key Points
• Outreach would be greatly approved for each cause through greater media attention to generate public awareness
• Each idea would benefit from piggybacking on the success of existing players in its cause, ranging from NGOs in good governance to major investors in Africa
• Social networking and online tools can also stimulate more vibrant public support
Synopsis
Young Global Leaders presented initiatives on a range of issues and brainstormed in concrete ways to build support for these projects.
Engaging Youth in Policy-making
This initiative convenes town hall meetings for young people and offers online tools for hosting these sessions. Meetings have taken place around the world – from Colombia to Lebanon to Uganda. Participants discussed ways to help policy-makers access the ideas of these young people, and suggestions included having a youth representative on boards and leadership committees.
Mainstreaming the MDGs
The Millennium Development Goals have a deadline of 2015, and President Barack Obama has called for the creation of an action plan by 2010 to ensure these objectives are met on schedule. This initiative calls for a “People’s Plan of Action” – including civil society and ordinary citizens – to ensure that diverse voices are not only heard, but also translated into concrete action.
Rethinking Intellectual Property
The existing patent regime hampers innovation for a market where ideas are most needed: people who suffer from malnutrition or live on less than a dollar per day. A “global responsibility license” would create a niche in the intellectual property regime that protects an idea’s commercial potential and preserves access to the “humanitarian market”. Moving this idea forward will require cooperation with major constituencies such as NGOs and legal, scientific and business communities.
Ensuring Rights to Public Information
Recent legislation to improve access to information has affected India profoundly. For approximately US$ 0.05, Indian citizens can request data, ranging from attendance records of teachers to committee meeting schedules. These requests typically prompt swift action from government officials, and such accountability should become even more widespread. This initiative will draft a “Model Act” on which other nation’s public information laws could be based. Text will be posted on a wiki and translated in a number of languages, so that citizens around the world can help push for greater government accountability.
Restoring the Health of Oceans
From overfishing to the great Pacific “garbage patch”, the world’s oceans are suffering environmental abuse. This pressing environmental cause needs an “Al Gore” to galvanize public attention and avert crisis. Social networking as well as partnerships with large corporations can also be used to build momentum around this growing problem.
The rise of microfinance has provided considerable start-up financing to small-scale entrepreneurs. However, a huge gap remains between microfinance and private equity scale ventures. Creating vibrant economies in the developing world will require greater attention to this type of business, which currently lacks support. Brainstorming focused on finding mentors for leaders of small businesses and strengthening ties to prominent investors who might contribute to smaller funds.
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