WORLD - The United Nations has made progress in giving young people a greater role in its work, but gaps remain in ensuring that their participation leads to real influence over policies and decisions, according to the 2026 Youth2030 Global Progress Report.
The sixth edition of the report assesses the first year of the second phase of Youth2030, the UN system-wide Youth Strategy covering 2025–2030. It looks at how UN agencies and country teams are working with young people and whether youth participation is being built into their policies, programs and decision-making processes.
The report reviews progress across the UN system, identifies areas where implementation remains limited, and highlights ways the organization can work more effectively with young people to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
More UN Entities Strengthen Youth Participation
One of the report’s key findings is an increase in the number of UN entities strengthening their policies and processes for youth participation.
The share of UN entities that improved their institutional policies and processes in this area rose from 14% in 2021 to 42% in 2025. At the UN Country Team level, processes for meaningful youth participation also improved by 20 percentage points.
The findings show that more parts of the UN system are putting formal structures in place to involve young people in their work.
The progress comes as Youth2030 moves into its second phase. While the first phase, covering 2018–2024, focused on establishing the strategy across the UN system, the second phase aims to accelerate implementation and strengthen measurable results.
Participation Remains Uneven
Despite this progress, the report points to differences in how youth participation is implemented across the UN system.
The UN Youth Office has stressed that having policies and participation mechanisms in place is only the first step. These mechanisms also need to be used consistently and give young people opportunities to contribute to decisions that affect them.
The report therefore looks beyond whether young people are being consulted. It also considers whether they have meaningful opportunities to influence UN policies, programs and decisions.
This distinction is important because youth participation can take different forms, from being invited to discussions or consultations to taking part in the design and implementation of programs.
From Consultation to Decision-Making
The report places greater emphasis on making youth participation a regular part of how the UN operates, rather than relying on individual initiatives or staff members.
UN officials and youth representatives have called for participation to be consistent, inclusive and sustained across the organization.
The report also links this work to the Pact for the Future, adopted by UN Member States in 2024, which includes commitments to strengthen meaningful youth participation in policymaking and decision-making.
With less than four years remaining to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the report says stronger engagement with young people can help ensure that youth priorities are reflected in efforts to advance sustainable development.
The 2026 findings show that the UN has expanded the structures for involving young people in its work. The next challenge is ensuring that these structures translate into meaningful opportunities for young people to shape policies, programs and decisions.
