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Global Issues:
Youth

In Buenos Aires, thousands of young people are gaining hands-on experience with the technologies and creative skills shaping the future of work. Three TUMO learning centres give students aged 12 to 18 free access to subjects including artificial intelligence, robotics, programming, animation, music and video game development. Designed to complement formal schooling, the centres emphasize self-directed learning and exploration. Around 20,000 students are expected to use the facilities each year, helping broaden access to digital education. For students like Lourdes, the programme is already helping them discover new interests, develop creative projects and consider future careers.

Young people in the Maldives are struggling with rising living costs, limited housing and insecure employment, making it harder to pursue careers, independence and family life. UNFPA is calling for more family-friendly workplaces and better opportunities.

With nearly half of the world’s young people living in rural areas, IFAD highlights how combining skills, finance, entrepreneurship and access to markets can help young people build lasting careers and businesses while strengthening rural economies.

From island nations to landlocked deserts, young people face different battles but fight for the same future. That's the powerful message of International Youth Day (12 August) 2026. It celebrates youth in the world's most vulnerable countries who are turning climate crises into action and isolation into digital innovation. Through an online campaign, , and a focus on shared challenges like climate change and digital access, the UN calls for collective action and global solidarity to ensure no young person is left behind. #YouthDay

Young people are at the forefront of global transformation. With more than 1.2 billion youth worldwide, their energy, creativity, and activism are vital to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet the challenges they face, from climate change and inequality to digital divides, transcend borders. Young innovators are stepping up, but to truly lead, they need access to future-ready skills. Their inclusion is not optional; it's essential for peace and prosperity. Discover how  are shaping a better, more just future for all.

The International Labour Organization () releases its report today (11 August), presenting the latest global and regional analysis of youth employment trends and prospects. The publication comes as youth unemployment stands at 12.4 per cent and 257 million young people are not in employment, education or training, according to the ILO’s report. It also examines emerging risks, including disruption related to artificial intelligence.

Young people are driving solutions to today's most pressing global challenges and their meaningful participation is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the Pact for the Future. On the sidelines of , the ����ר�� Youth Office is launching the Youth2030 Progress Report 2026—the first system-wide overview of the Phase 2 (2025–2030) implementation under the UN Youth Strategy.  at 1:15 pm EDT to explore how the UN system is advancing youth leadership, accelerating sustainable development, and strengthening collective action with and for young people.

Mental health is shaped not only by healthcare systems but also by environments, education, community, digital spaces, and opportunities for connection. This initiative by brings those elements together. Ahead of the 2026 Men's World Cup Final, the "One World, One Game, One Goal" event—hosted with UN Member States Friends of Football—unites global stakeholders, from youth leaders to athletes, to champion football as a driver of youth mental health and well-being. !

As the world of work undergoes rapid transformation driven by artificial intelligence, the green transition and increasing social complexity, young people need a broader range of skills than ever before. Marked annually on 15 July, World Youth Skills Day highlights the critical role of equipping young people for employment, decent work and active participation in society. Under the theme “Skills for a Shared Future,” this year’s observance emphasizes the importance of innovative learning opportunities that combine digital, technical and green skills with empathy, resilience, civic engagement and intercultural understanding.

Over 15 months, eight young people (12–19) from six countries worked to address gaps in the quality of child participation in global decision-making. Drawing on their experiences, surveys and a global consultation, they found children are often underrepresented and engagement is inconsistent. As the Children and Young People’s Task Group, they developed “ standards to ensure meaningful participation before, during and after events, grounded in Article 12 of the UN The guidance offers practical steps for inclusive, safe and impactful engagement, urging organizers worldwide to adopt them.

In southern Mauritania, visually impaired activist Zeine Moustapha is helping young people make informed migration choices through community awareness campaigns focused on the risks of irregular migration and local opportunities.

From 14 to 16 April 2026, young people will take center stage at the ����ר�� Headquarters in New York during the ECOSOC Youth Forum, considered the UN’s largest annual gathering of young people.

Rural young people are vital to global development, with nearly half of the world’s 1.3 billion youth living in rural areas and brimming with entrepreneurial potential. Yet they often lack access to opportunities that enable them to thrive. Targeted investments, through IFAD’s youth-sensitive programmes, are unlocking that potential — creating jobs, fostering agribusiness leadership and strengthening rural economies. By nurturing skills, providing access to finance and connecting youth with markets, initiatives like Agribusiness Hubs empower young people to build sustainable futures in their communities rather than migrating elsewhere. These success stories underscore why investing in rural youth is essential for food security, economic growth and lasting stability.

“Leaving young people at the sidelines of how we find solutions is not the way. It's really bringing them [in], because on many of the things, the solutions will come from them.”

A medical doctor by training, Dr. Felipe Paullier is a passionate advocate for young people. Two years ago, aged just 32, his life took a new turn when he became the first-ever Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, the youngest senior appointment in the history of the ����ר��.

“I've heard this from the Secretary General. You know, power, in essence, is not to be given, it's to be taken. ”

The UN Youth Office believes that positive change is rooted in empowering young people to meaningfully participate in decisions that impact their lives and futures. In this episode of Awake at Night, Felipe reflects on youth demands for peace and opportunity, on the stubborn barriers to change, and shares why he always prescribes reconnecting with nature as a cure for digital overwhelm.

Photo: ©YuWaah (GenU India)