Youth Voices for Sustainable Development: A Global Call to Action
- Jul 10
- 1 min read
Updated: Jul 22
In 2015, the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, establishing 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to create a more just, equitable, and sustainable world. With only four years remaining until the 2030 deadline, global progress remains critically insufficient.
To help bridge that gap, the Mary Ward Centre, in collaboration with the IBVM-Loreto NGO to the United Nations, is pleased to share Youth Voices for Sustainable Development: A Global Call to Action on SDGs 6, 7, 9, 11, and 17. The report brings together the lived experiences, concerns, and recommendations of 102 young people (ages 15–24) from Australia, Canada, England, India, and Nepal.
Focusing on clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9), sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11), and partnerships for the goals (SDG 17), the report explores the barriers young people face, the inequalities they experience, and the practical solutions they believe can accelerate progress.
Rather than viewing young people as future beneficiaries of sustainable development, the report recognizes them as today's partners in shaping policy and creating change. Through a series of youth-led Conversation Circles, participants shared experiences that reveal both local realities and global challenges, while offering recommendations grounded in their own communities.
The findings will contribute to youth advocacy during the 2026 United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), helping ensure that young voices inform international dialogue and inspire evidence-based action.
📖 Read the full report and discover what young people are calling for to build a more sustainable and equitable future.
