|Affirming the Rights of Young People at United Nations World
Summits and Conferences| A Guide for Youth Advocates The United
Nations periodically convenes world summits and conferences that
focus on important public issues and draw high levels of
political participation, including heads of states. Such summits
and conferences may mobilize governments, international
organizations, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and civil
society to act on urgent global problems. The meetings also
allow member states to agree to goals and commit to acting to
achieve those goals. Defining the goals and the commitments of
member states can be a lengthy process, involving a series of
consultations among member states and international and NGO
experts. While seldom binding, international agreements can set
global expectations that everyone will work towards certain
common goals. After a country has signed the agreement, it may
face internal and external pressure to make progress on the
commitments it has made. Sometimes, th