Written Statement to the UN High Level Political Forum 2025

Youth inclusion into decision-making has to be hyper local

To achieve SDG 8 and shape the future of work in a sustainable, inclusive and fair manner, people who will be directly affected by it – youth – should be closely involved in its design and implementation. Current programs that promote youth participation do not have a direct impact on their life that can be easily understood by the young people, many of whom are still at school. Instead, the local policies, decisions, and actions affect them much more but do not offer a way to take part in it. So the key to achieving the SDGs is to make sure that they are adequately adapted to the local circumstances. Moreover, given the differences in local realities across regions, countries and the world, to be effective the measures proposed have to, foremost, be appropriate on a hyper-local scale: in a village, a town, a municipality. 

So far, the path to SDGs has been led by people who have at least one Master’s degree, more than a decade of experience and a position in the job market. By the time people achieve this level of maturity, they become set in their thinking, gain dependencies and interests that are often conflicting with the ambitions of the Agenda 2030. 

At this point, to get SDGs back on track we need creativity and actions from people who, on one hand, do not yet owe any favors and therefore can afford to be more objective, and on the other hand, whose thinking has not been completely shaped by the previous system that perpetuates itself and delays our transition to sustainability.

One important manner to engage youth is by asking them open questions regarding specific policies and measures that the local government is planning to implement; and to dedicate time to analyzing proposed ideas and suggestions. As well as carrying out sentiment analysis. The advantage of the technological age lies in the amplification of the involvement: instead of designating one or two representatives of the youth and therefore excluding the rest, we can equalize their participation and give each of them an opportunity to be heard. It is also crucial to have a feedback mechanism that would show how their contribution have been implemented or taken into account.

As Think Tank AlterContacts, in collaboration with local governments in the Mediterranean region of Europe, we have tested various methods for youth engagement and the results speak for themselves. Early involvement of young people in the local decision-making can educate them about sustainable issues of their villages and towns better than any school. Potentially forming young leaders who will choose to stay and bring sustainable development to their settlements.