Welcome to Group of Partners for Youth Affairs

In September 2024, Member States will convene for the Summit of the Future - a moment being described as a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity to deliver on a breakthrough in multilateralism and getting us back on track to realise the 2030 Agenda.

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In recent years, the UN has gone from 'talking the talk' on meaningful youth engagement to beginning to 'walk the walk'. The establishment of the UN Youth Office, implementation of Youth 2030, the UN's strategy on youth, and the recent recommendations provided by the Secretary General in his Policy Brief on 'Meaningful Youth Engagement' signal the progress we have made. 

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​Yet, pervasive systemic and structural barriers continue to prevent children and young people from being valued partners at decision-making. At all levels, young people, especially young people facing multiple forms of discrimination and marginalisation, including young women and girls, continue to be excluded - their rights undermined and their engagement overlooked. 

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Many structures dedicated to youth engagement exist across the UN system, feeding into UN processes across the world. We are not here to duplicate processes. 

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The Group exists as a collective to connect young people to existing structures, convene spaces to feed directly into key intergovernmental processes, and look more broadly at the implementation of Youth2030, the Secretary General's Policy Brief on Meaningful Youth Engagement, and Chapter 4 of the Pact for the Future (outcome of the Summit of the Future on 'Youth and future generations'). 

 

Importantly, the Group seeks to leverage our experience, expertise, and positions as current and former UN Youth Delegates. We commit to actively ensuring that the recommendations, lived experiences, and calls to action of grassroots children and young people inform the decisions that our Capitals and Missions make at the UN - at all levels. 

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At the core of our work is the importance of co-leadership, accountability, transparency, and intergenerational partnerships. 

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The Group welcomes all to support our efforts as we embark on this journey to a common goal of truly institutionalising meaningful youth engagement across the UN system, and beyond. We look forward to continuing to constructively work with all stakeholders to translate such commitments into concrete actions.