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As the first dedicated entity for youth affairs within the United Nations Secretariat, the UN Youth Office champions the rights, perspectives, contributions and potential of young people everywhere. We lead efforts to enhance collaboration, coordination and accountability on youth affairs, ensuring that the United Nations works effectively and inclusively with young people in all their diversity. By fostering meaningful, inclusive, and impactful participation of youth in decision-making processes, our work focuses on empowering young people as agents of transformative change in addressing global challenges in the areas of sustainable development, peace and security, human rights and humanitarian action.

Following the recommendation in the UN Secretary-General's groundbreaking report "Our Common Agenda," UN Member States unanimously agreed to the establishment of the United Nations Youth Office as a dedicated entity for youth affairs within the UN Secretariat, marking a pivotal breakthrough for the revitalization and expansion of the UN's engagement with and for youth.

The UN Youth Office builds upon more than a decade of work led by the former Secretary-General's Envoys on Youth, integrating their work to advance the global youth agenda and address the needs of young people all over the world — bringing the UN closer to young people, and young people closer to the UN.

As established by in 2022, the work of the UN Youth Office focuses on:

• Advancing youth priorities across the UN System in the areas of peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights, by promoting meaningful and inclusive youth participation in UN activities and decision-making processes.
• Strengthening coordination and accountability mechanisms across the UN System to ensure the UN delivers on its commitments to youth, including support to Member States, upon request, in empowering youth and fostering participation in national and global processes.
• Fostering partnerships and innovation by developing multi-stakeholder initiatives and spearheading innovative approaches for youth empowerment and meaningful youth engagement.
• Enhancing representation of young people at the UN through equitable access to internships, employment and leadership opportunities to youth in all their diversity.
• Strengthening intergenerational and intercultural dialogue and collaboration to foster solidarity across age groups and cultures.
• Building capacity and bridging gaps through supportive initiatives that enhance education, skills development and capacity-building to enable young people to thrive and contribute meaningfully to their societies.
• Mobilizing resources to bridge the digital divide and create opportunities for young people to thrive in the evolving global landscape.
• Engaging directly with youth through inclusive and innovative outreach strategies, including on social media, to amplify young people’s voices and ensure their contributions shape global and local decision-making processes alike.

Dr. Felipe Paullier, the first-ever Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, leads the UN Youth Office. Appointed in October 2023, Dr. Paullier brings bold leadership and vision to ensure that young people’s contributions are recognized and integrated across all areas of the UN’s work.

Click here to learn more about ASG Paullier.

The global youth agenda has entered a new era. With 1.9 billion young people alive today, and half the world’s population under 30 years of age, the potential for transformative change is undeniable. Today’s younger generation is one of the largest generations in history and is a driving force for innovation and societal change. Yet, too often, young people face persistent challenges and barriers to equal participation.

The United Nations Youth Office is committed to breaking down these barriers, amplifying youth voices, and ensuring their participation shapes a future that is more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable, with youth as key partners in shaping our collective future.

Click here to learn more about our work on meaningful youth participation.