Youth Leadership: A Vital Contributor to a Sustainable and Inclusive Future for All

At a time of accelerating global crises and transformation, the question is no longer whether young people should be at the table, but how power is being shared with them. With more than 2.6 billion people aged 15–35 worldwide, this generation is not only the largest in history, but a decisive force in shaping a more sustainable and inclusive future.

The ECOSOC Youth Forum continues to serve as a key platform for young people, civil society, decision-makers and partners to engage and contribute to global discussions on sustainable development.

Yet as Felipe Paullier, ASG for Youth Affairs and Head of the UN Youth Office, reminded participants, "Too many young people who should be in this room are not with us — because of conflict, because of displacement, because of visa restrictions, and because of growing inequalities, many voices have been left out of this space.” He emphasized that this is not simply a logistical challenge but a question of fairness and whose voices are included in global decision‑making.

During this year’s forum, the plenary session, themed Youth leadership: a critical force in shaping a sustainable and inclusive future for all, explored how young people engage in shaping policies and influencing outcomes, particularly in challenging contexts, and how civic action can translate into institutional change. In today’s world, youth participation is increasingly visible across policy and development spaces. However, a critical gap remains between participation and actual influence. While young people actively contribute through civic engagement, community initiatives and advocacy, their ability to shape outcomes remains limited and fragmented.

This raises an important question: how can youth participation move beyond representation toward real influence and shared power?

Bringing these issues into conversation, the plenary featured speakers from across youth advocacy, multilateral institutions and public leadership, including Luis Mojica Perez, Founder and CEO of The Project to Decolonize Coffee; Rodrigo Cardoso, Youth Leader for the European Region within Amnesty International’s Global Youth Collective; Laurel Patterson, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Communications at the UNDP Crisis Bureau; Lena Goings, Member of the Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change; Ms. Federica Onori, Vice Chair of the OSCE PA Network of Young Parliamentarians and Special Representative on AI; and Rena Kawasaki, Founder and Director of Earth Guardians Japan.

Rodrigo, Youth Leader for the European Region within Amnesty International’s Global Youth Collective, responded to this challenge by emphasizing the importance of both self-confidence and intentional inclusion: “Do not shrink yourself to fit the room. Once you enter it, you own it and you belong to it. And to the policymakers and ministers in the room: if you truly believe in leaving no one behind, do not just invite young people in. Be intentional about who you invite, whose realities are represented, and who is still missing.”

Youth Leadership in Challenging Contexts

The plenary session highlighted the realities of youth leadership across different parts of the world, including in crisis areas and challenging contexts, where young people often operate under structural and political constraints. Even in these environments, youth are active contributors, leading grassroots initiatives, supporting social cohesion and responding to local needs.

Despite this, significant barriers continue to prevent many young people from accessing formal decision-making spaces. Limited opportunities, restricted civic environments, weak feedback mechanisms and a lack of institutional support hinder their ability to meaningfully contribute and influence policies and outcomes.

At the same time, youth are developing adaptive ways to engage. Through networks, community-led initiatives and alternative platforms, they continue to create opportunities for participation, even when formal systems remain inaccessible.

These experiences underline a key message: youth leadership is present and active but often underrecognized within institutional processes. Addressing this gap is essential to ensure participation is not only visible but meaningful.

From Civic Action to Institutional Influence

The session also explored how youth engagement can progress toward genuine institutional influence. As many participants noted, while young people are active in civil society and advocacy, the transition into formal decision-making spaces and power sharing processes remains uneven.

Discussions emphasized the need to strengthen pathways for youth to influence policy, including through political participation, representation and engagement with institutions. Digital tools were also highlighted as key enablers, expanding opportunities for participation and amplifying youth voices.

Yet access alone is not sufficient. Meaningful influence requires accountability, inclusive processes and a shift toward engaging youth as partners rather than just beneficiaries. Rena Kawasaki, Founder and Director of the NGO Earth Guardians Japan, stated, "[To] organizations that are in this room, delegations that are in this room, I think in order to create intergenerational collaboration... recognizing these people who aren't able to be in these rooms is crucial to a step forward...And I think that when we walk out of this grand hall today and we go out there and we do all of the amazing things... I hope we never forget the power and the privilege that we had in walking into this room."

Bridging the gap between civic engagement and institutional influence is critical to strengthening youth leadership and ensuring lasting impact.

The Way Forward

This year’s ECOSOC Youth Forum, through this plenary session, reaffirmed that youth are already contributing to solutions across diverse contexts. The priority now is to ensure that this engagement translates into meaningful influence on decision-making at all levels.

Moving forward, strengthening accountability, expanding inclusive participation pathways, and fostering genuine power sharing between youth and institutions will be essential to advancing youth leadership in practice.
 

This article was first published on the UN Youth Office's website.