Observance of International Youth Day 2021 - Transforming food systems: Youth innovation for human and planetary health

In 1999, General Assembly resolution 54/120 endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers of Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998) that 12 August be declared International Youth Day. Such a day provides an opportunity to celebrate young peoples’ views and initiatives on a global scale. 

The theme of International Youth Day 2021 is, “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health”, with the aim of highlighting that the success of such a global effort will not be achieved without the meaningful participation of young people. 

The Population Division has mainstreamed work on youth and adolescents by disaggregating its main datasets, including the estimates and projections of world population and the estimates of the international migrant stock, by age and sex. The Division also produces publications focusing on youth- and adolescent-related population and development issues such as fertility and migration. Selected publications, datasets and other resources focusing on youth, adolescents and young people from the Division and the Commission on Population and Development are listed below.

Related links 

• Observance of International Youth Day, 12 August 
• International Youth Day 2021, including video message by Secretary-General António Guterres 
• Webinar [concept note] [save-the-date] 

 
Selected resources, Commission on Population and Development (CPD) 

• Ms. Christine Gould, Founder and CEO Thought for Food, High-level panel on the road towards the Food Systems Summit, CPD54, 20 April 2021 [video] 

• Population, food security, nutrition and sustainable development. CPD54 (2021) 
• Population, food security, nutrition and sustainable development (2021/1). Resolution adopted by the CPD at its 54th session 
• Adolescents and youth. CPD45 (2012) 
• Adolescents and youth (2012/1). Resolution adopted by the CPD at its 45th session 

Selected resources, Population Division  

• Fertility among Young Adolescents at Ages 10-14 Years –A global assessment. United Nations, New York, 2020 
• Fertility among very young adolescents. Population Factsheet No. 2019/1, April 2019 
• Youth population trends and sustainable development. Population Factsheet No. 2015/1, May 2015 
• World Population Monitoring. Adolescents and youth. A concise report. United Nations, New York, 2012 
• A clash of generations? Youth bulges and political violence. Henrik Urdal. Expert Paper 2012/1. United Nations, New York, 2012 
• Transition to financial independence of youth in Asian countries: Does furthering one's education pay? Nicole Mun Sim Lai. Expert Paper 2011/15. United Nations, New York, 2011
• International Migration in a Globalizing World: The Role of Youth. Technical Paper 2011/1. United Nations, New York, 2011