For All Generations: A Declaration of commitment for this and the next generations

When a decision impacts someone’s life, it is only logical they should have a say in it. When considering 90% of the world’s 1.2 billion young people live in developing countries, including them in decisions that impact them is not just logical: it is essential.

At the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) – in Doha, Qatar, in March 2023 – young people from the world’s LDCs will be empowered to make their voices heard and shape their own future.

Today, International Youth Day, UN-OHRLLS launches an outline of that future: a Youth Declaration, For All Generations, created by hundreds of young people across the LDCs. It represents young people’s commitment to sustainable development and their vision for a better world.

This document is not about abstract objectives.

In line with the ambition of LDC5 to create a sustainable path forward for the world’s most vulnerable, it relays detailed solutions and recommendations for world leaders to act upon when realizing the Doha Programme of Action.

The Youth Declaration urges world leaders to recognize young people as key drivers and collaborators in policymaking. It calls for sustainable mechanisms for the creation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of youth policies at national levels.

For All Generations will be adopted at LDC5’s Youth Forum on 4 March 2023. The forum will include 92 youth delegates from the LDCs as well as youth representatives from development partner countries. The Youth Declaration will then be handed over to world leaders, who will be invited to take advantage of the recommendations when developing their national plans to deliver the objectives of the Doha Programme of Action.

OHRLLS facilitated the creation of “For All Generations” in partnership with the International Committee Meeting of Youth Organisations (ICMYO), the Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY) and a taskforce composed by United Nations agencies, programmes and funds.

With their energy, hopes and ideas, a growing band of young people can be the world’s strongest asset in the fight for a fairer and more sustainable world. Therefore, including young people in decision-making processes – not only listening to them but concretely acting on their needs and developing their solutions – should be a given.

Young people not only have a right to shape their future. They also have the experience, strength and skills needed to lead the present.