Who’s Being Left Behind?

Youth, Human Rights, and Sustainable Development

The world is changing rapidly. Technology is advancing, global discussions are broadening, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are paving the way for a future that is just, inclusive, and sustainable. However, in this swift evolution, we cannot allow young people — especially those at the margins — to be left behind. They must be heard, safe, and visible.

In 2025, as the ECOSOC Youth Forum brings together youth voices from around the world to reflect on progress toward the 2030 Agenda, one uncomfortable truth remains: many young people in Asia and beyond are still being punished for claiming their basic human rights.

Human Rights Are Not Optional

Too many young people are still punished for claiming their basic human rights.

Suicide is the leading cause of death among youth aged 15–24 in several Asian countries (WHO, 2023). Yet stigma and weak services prevent access to care.

1 in 3 women globally have experienced gender-based violence. Many survivors — especially youth and LGBTQ+ — lack justice and support (UN Women, 2023).

Youth unemployment in Asia-Pacific stands at 13.6%, with many working informally in unsafe conditions (ILO, 2024).

Pacific Island youth are on the frontlines of climate change, facing loss of homes, livelihoods, and marine biodiversity — yet their representation in climate policy remains minimal (UNESCAP, 2024).

Young people lead movements — from climate strikes to anti-violence campaigns — but are often treated as symbolic. We need power-sharing, not performative participation.

ECOSOC Youth Forum 2025: Platform or Performance?

The ECOSOC Youth Forum is a critical space to amplify youth perspectives. But participation must go beyond symbolic gestures. Too often, young voices are welcomed in forums — and punished back home for using them.

Are youth genuinely being listened to — or just being featured?

The success of the 2030 Agenda depends on whether youth are safe to act, free to speak, and able to lead, not just in dialogue rooms, but in the communities they represent.

From Words to Action: What Must Change?

To realize a just and inclusive future by 2030, we must act now:

Governments must protect freedom of expression and ensure youth have access to justice, education, and healthcare.
Youth movements must keep building cross-border solidarity — turning online energy into real-world change.
International institutions must go beyond consultation and include youth in real decision-making.
Communities and families must challenge harmful norms that silence or shame young people — especially girls and marginalized groups.

Toward 2030: A World Where Rights Matter

The 2030 Agenda is not a checklist. It is a promise — that every young person, in every village, city, and island, can live with dignity, safety, and hope.

That future will not be handed to us.

We — the youth — are not the future. We are the present.

Let us build that future together, starting now. Because justice delayed for one, is justice denied for all.

…

^Source:

^{_{Amnesty International. (2022). Indonesia: Justice Denied for Victims of Sexual Violence. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org}}

^{_{Human Rights Watch. (2023). Philippines: End Attacks on Student Protesters. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org}}

^{_{ILO (2023). Global Employment Trends for Youth 2023. International Labour Organization. Retrieved from https://www.ilo.org}}

^{_{OHCHR. (2022). UN Human Rights Office Expresses Concern Over Repression of Sri Lanka Protests. Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org}}

^{_{UNESCAP. (2023). Climate Change and Youth in Pacific Island Countries. Retrieved from https://www.unescap.org}}

^{_{UN Women Asia-Pacific. (2022). Gender-Based Violence in Asia-Pacific: A Regional Overview. Retrieved from https://asiapacific.unwomen.org}}

^{_{WHO. (2023). World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All. Retrieved from https://www.who.int}}

_{^{United Nations. (2015). Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Retrieved from https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda}}

Abat Bertha