The Influence of Youth

The Influence of Youth-Driven Social Movements on Diplomatic Relations and Global Governance

The influence and the role young people have both locally, nationally, and globally is indisputable. Young people are increasingly seen as powerful agents of change in various spheres and promoters of progressive ideas that reshape societies in profound ways. With the power of social media and digital platforms young people now have direct channel to shape national conversations which amplify their voices. These online platforms break down geographical barriers, allowing youth from different parts of the world to engage in discussions on issues ranging from climate change to racial injustice, gender inequality, LGBTQ+ rights, pushing for educational reforms thus fostering a more inclusive dialogue. From a practical standpoint youth-led NGOs and grassroots organizations are becoming more involved in global diplomatic initiatives. The UN Youth Delegates Program and Advisory Council on Youth within international bodies are examples of youth being given a voice in global governance.

1. The UN Youth Delegates Program

At the UN level, the UN Youth Delegate Programme is an important mechanism that allows Member States to engage, empower and include young people in global decision-making. Youth Delegates are young representatives selected by their Member States to participate as part of their delegation to international and regional meetings. These programs allow governments to choose youth delegates for a set term, fostering youth engagement and inclusion in global discussions. Youth delegates can serve as partners to communicate international agreements, like the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, to their communities at the local level. They bridge national structures with international processes, promoting greater ownership at the national level and supporting the implementation of global commitments.

2. “How Can Young People Contribute to Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution in Post-Conflict Societies?”

In 2015, the UN Security Council adopted a landmark resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security. For the first time, it formally acknowledges the “important role youth can play in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and as a key aspect of the sustainability, inclusiveness and success of peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts”.                                                              The resolution sets the framework for engagement with youth around five pillars: Participation, Protection, Prevention, Partnerships and Disengagement & Reintegration, highlighting the role that young women and men play in promoting peace and security. In 2018, UN Security Council resolution 2419 called for the meaningful and full inclusion of young people in negotiating and implementing peace agreements, as well as the inclusion of youth at decision-making levels.

In 2020, the UN Security Council resolution 2535 established relevant steps for the implementation of the Youth Peace and Security (YPS) agenda in UN peace operations settings. In the same year, the Security Council in its resolution 2553 recognized the link between Security Sector Reform and Youth, Peace and Security, acknowledging that youth should be engaged in peacebuilding efforts to reform security sectors.

In January 2022, the launch of the global strategic action plan for incorporating youth in peace processes, titled “We Are In This Together,” was presented. This five-year plan aims to transition from the “why” to the “how” of including youth in peace initiatives. It was conceived following the 2019 release of the policy paper “We are Here: An integrated approach to youth-inclusive peace processes” and the “First International Symposium on Youth Political Participation in Peace Processes.” This strategy serves as a roadmap to foster peace and mediation processes more attuned to and inclusive of young voices.

• Peacekeeping in Kosovo (UNMIK)

In Kosovo, a project by the Justice and Corrections Service of UNMIK helped reduce the backlog of cases before the Basic Court of Mitrovica through internship opportunities for young lawyers from different communities.

• Peacekeeping in Mali (MINUSMA)

Through its work with civil society and in support of the peace process, in 2019, MINUSMA strengthened the ability of 150 youth civil society organizations across Mali, leading to the establishment of ‘Peace Ambassadors’.

• Peacekeeping in Cyprus (UNFICYP)

In May 2020, UNFICYP launched Youth Champions for Peace and Environment. Through the programme, 20 youngsters from across the island participated in a challenging training programme and were supported by the mission to launch their own environmental campaigns on the island.

3. Rise of youth digital activism

A recent UNICEF report, “Youth, Protests, and the Polycrisis,” revealed a significant rise in youth participation and leadership in non-violent mass movements and peaceful protests since 1990. The digital age has empowered young people to reshape political activism. Social media and online platforms have become powerful tools for mobilizing collective action, transcending borders with unprecedented speed.  UN online campaigns like ActNow and UN Peacekeeping’s Peace Begins with Me, empower individuals to support global peace efforts and foster tolerance, understanding and solidarity within their communities.

• Youth-led social movements such as the Arab Spring and campaigns like #MeToo showcase the powerful role of online spaces in organizing, mobilizing, and promoting social and political causes. The #MeToo movement gained significant popularity in October 2017, is a global social movement aimed at raising awareness about sexual harassment, assault and misconduct. It was driven and amplified by the younger generation’s active engagement on social media. The viral spread of the #MeToo hashtag allowed individuals, particularly women and marginalized communities, to share personal many of which had previously been silenced or ignored.

4. Climate change student movement

Fridays for Future is a dynamic global student movement pushing for immediate action on climate change through active campaigning and advocacy that began in 2018, inspired by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, who sat in protest in front of the Swedish parliament for three weeks to draw attention to the climate emergency. The movement adopted the name Fridays for Future because the strikes typically occurred on Fridays, corresponding with Thunberg’s original protest schedule. These regular marches have attracted more than one million young people in more than 100 countries. As Thunberg says: “Everybody is welcome. Everybody is needed”. It was chosen as Champion of the Earth (United Nations’ flagship global environmental award) for inspiration and action because of its role in highlighting the devastating effects of climate change. The September 2019 climate strikes, also referred to as the Global Week for Future, were a series of international protests and strikes demanding urgent action on climate change. These events, which took place from September 20 to 27, 2019, saw over 4 million people participating worldwide. The strikes occurred just days before the United Nations Climate Summit where Greta Thunberg delivered her famous speech, declaring: “How dare you?” to world leaders for failing to act on climate change.

5. UN Youth Volunteer program

UN Youth Volunteers are a separate category of UN Volunteers recently created in response to the United Nations Secretary-General’s call for greater engagement in volunteerism of history’s largest generation of people under 30. These young volunteers are assigned to host United Nations agencies to work on the frontlines of political, developmental and humanitarian field operations. UN Youth Volunteers are young people aged 18 to 26 years who want to engage in development and peace initiatives worldwide. UN Youth Volunteer positions are wide ranging – human rights, climate change adaptation, primary health care, disaster management, peace building, youth engagement and many other areas.

Here’s a brief breakdown of what these programs generally involved last year:

• Engaging young people from vulnerable countries in climate action
• Making an impact on local communities in Kosovo
• First UN Youth Volunteers in the Federated States of Micronesia advance community health
• From Burundi to Gabon: Through the lenses of a millennial African woman
• Bringing innovation and inspiration to youth in Madagascar

“Every generation serves as caretaker of this world. Let’s be honest: Mine has been careless with that responsibility. But yours gives me hope.”

This statement, delivered at the UN Youth Forum by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, acknowledges the crucial role of youth in shaping the future and underlines the hope that young people bring to the continuing efforts for global change and sustainability.