Young people shape the future at the ICPD30 Global Youth Dialogue

05 Apr 2024

Simone Mbode Diouf speaking during the plenary session titled “Adapting, thriving, inspiring: Crafting resilient futures in a world in crisis” besides H.E Jahnel Nisbett, Minister of Gender Affairs in the Nevis Island Administration, H.E Bineta Diop African Union Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, Bakara Dena Sonko of Peace Hub Gambia and Dr Felipe Paullier, Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations Youth Office. © UNFPA/Abdoulatif Keita

Cotonou, Benin - “This is what young people want. Listen to us!” Shebana Alqaseer from the Young Feminist Collective in the Philippines stated on behalf of more than 300 young people from 130 countries gathered in Cotonou, Benin, at the Global Youth Dialogue. “We are motivated and eager to see our recommendations turn into action.”

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development, where world leaders agreed to take concrete action to put sexual and reproductive health and rights at the centre of sustainable development. The anniversary provides a key opportunity to celebrate young people as changemakers and benefit from their insights as partners in development.

Indeed, at the ICPD30 Global Youth Dialogue, young people offered solutions for a healthy, equitable, peaceful, climate-resilient and sustainable world ahead of the Summit of the Future.

Watch young people in Cotonou present their call to action.

Over two days, the conversations revolved around young people’s sexual and reproductive health and well-being; education and work opportunities; inclusion in society; building resilient futures despite crisis, and young people's participation and leadership.

Watch the daily fireside conversations with young people recapping the dialogue sessions.

Day 1

Day 2

Further, to include even more youth around the world and hear the valuable insights of the largest generation of young people to date, UNFPA is partnering with Global Citizen.

UNFPA and Global Citizen invite young changemakers to contribute insights and solutions that will be passed on to world leaders at the Summit of the Future. Have your views heard by downloading the Global Citizen app, visiting the website or scanning the QR code below. Your health, your body and your rights matter. What matters to you? Where should governments invest more in order to support young people? Get involved in the conversation by sharing your views and join the ICPD30 journey to the Summit of the Future.

A QR code that links to the global citizen application download page.