TRANSCRIPT
The United Nations say today's youth demographic, that's people aged 15-24, make up approximately 1.2 billion people - the largest youth demographic in history.
Nearly half of the global population is under 30, and while being young should be a time filled with optimism and plans for the future, the UN'S Youth Office says the reality for many young people is they continue to be left behind.
At the UN headquarters in New York, youth advocates from around the world have gathered to participate in the high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly.
Their meeting marked the thirtieth anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth.
Dr Felipe Paullier is the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs.
"From Gaza to Ukraine, from Haiti to the DRC, to Sudan, and so many other places in crisis, young people are being robbed of their education, their safety and their future. But they are not only victims — these same young people are first responses, peacebuilders, and innovators that find solutions even in the most challenging of the circumstances."
The Programme for Youth Action includes a framework that covers 15 priority areas.
These include: education, employment, hunger and poverty; health and the environment; globalisation, information and communication technologies; armed conflict and intergenerational issues.
Amina Alidi is a youth advocate from Malawi. She has urged world leaders to listen to young people.
"We, the young people remain steadfast in our optimism and determination to build a better future. What we ask of the United Nations and its member states is simple but urgent: Listen to us. Invest in us. And the most important of all: partner with us."
Guy Ryder is the UN Under-Secretary-General for Policy.
He says young people are on the frontline of climate action, digital innovation, building local solutions, and protecting human rights.
"And as we accelerate our work to realise the Sustainable Development Goals, let us spare no effort to make young people equal partners and equal decision-makers. By relying on their ideas, energy, and leadership – a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world is within reach."
Dr Paullier says when young people thrive so does humanity.
"True intergenerational partnership must be more than words. It must define how we deliver sustainable development, how we accelerate peace, how we defend human rights, and how we shape a future worthy of young people's trust. So let us act with urgency, with solidarity, but also with a lot of hope. Because when young people thrive, humanity thrives."
Prior to the event, more than 75,000 young people in 182 countries shared their challenges and hopes through what the UN calls a foresight activity - to plan for possible future scenarios.
James Casserly is a youth advocate from Ireland.
"The call of many young people today will be for meaningful youth participation. But what does that mean? To me, it is where people who have the power listen to us and take action because actions speak louder than words. It is more than a box ticking exercise. It is when we get to make our own decisions, and not just have other people make decisions on our behalf. As we always say, nothing about us without us."
The UN Youth Office also recently announced it was partnering up with what it called the Big Six.
It includes the World YWCA, World YMCA, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. They're all working to deliver youth-led programs, which the UN estimates have the potential to reach 2.5 million people.
