Youth Leaders Spotlight Gender Equality, Innovation, and Partnerships at the 2025 ECOSOC Youth Forum

Two thematic panels — “Youth at the Forefront: Leveraging Science and Social Inclusion for Sustainable Development” (15 April) and “Empowering Youth through Strategic Alliances and Innovation for Sustainable Economic Growth” (16 April) — brought together youth-led organizations, government representatives, UN agencies, and civil society partners to discuss actionable solutions for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The events were organized by the International Organization of Youth (IOY), UN-Habitat, the Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY), IAAI Glocha, AFS Intercultural Programs, the Misk Foundation, and the Permanent Mission of Malta to the United Nations.

Youth Voices Reimagining Development

Opening the discussions, speakers acknowledged that young people worldwide are driving innovation, advancing climate action, and advocating for equity. Yet, persistent barriers — including gender inequality, unequal access to economic opportunities, and limited representation in global decision-making — continue to hinder their ability to lead transformative change.

Among the youth leaders featured was Gege Dong, Founder and CEO of Love&Future, a youth-led NGO equipping young people with the mindsets, skills, and opportunities needed to lead sustainable development.With members from 11 countries and a leadership team that is more than 90% women, Love&Future has already reached over 5,000 youth globally through climate storytelling workshops, vocational training, and global policy dialogues.

Dong underscored that sustainable development must be reimagined not around capital accumulation or economic growth alone, but around care, justice, and collective power.

“When young women are trusted with power, they don’t just change their lives. They change everything,” she said.

From Symbolic Inclusion to Shared Power

A recurring theme of both sessions was the need to move beyond tokenism and symbolic gestures. Too often, young people are invited to events without being given the resources or decision-making authority to effect real change.

“Transformation doesn’t happen by chance — it happens when we invest with equity, with intention, and with trust in young women’s leadership,” Dong said. “Not just microphones, but decision-making power. Not just seats at the table, but the tools to redesign it.”

Speakers proposed bold measures to restructure youth inclusion in governance:

Embedding civic and climate education into every level of schooling to ensure young people are equipped to lead.

Crafting gender-responsive policies rooted in equity, inclusion, and care.

Institutionalizing youth co-governance models that place young people — especially young women — as leaders, not only as advisors.

Panelists emphasized that when youth have real authority in policymaking spaces, they help reshape priorities around sustainability, inclusion, and justice.

Building Ecosystems for Youth Entrepreneurship

The discussion also highlighted the structural barriers preventing young entrepreneurs from scaling their innovations — including lack of access to capital, limited mentorship, and exclusion from policy spaces.

“Supporting youth entrepreneurship isn’t just about launching startups — it’s about creating systems where young people can build solutions for the future they will inherit,” Dong said.

She argued that youth innovation must be nurtured through three key shifts:

• Build ecosystems. Move beyond one-off grants and training to provide integrated support: policy frameworks, legal protections, cross-border financing, mentorship, and digital infrastructure. 

• Center inclusion and co-creation. Ensure youth — especially women, indigenous communities, and marginalized groups — are co-designers of policies and initiatives, not afterthoughts. 

• Connect local innovation to global action. Young people are already building climate solutions, education technology, and care-based economies. What they need is scale, visibility, and structural trust.

Continuous Learning in a Changing World

As artificial intelligence, climate change, and interconnected crises reshape the global landscape, panelists also stressed the importance of a continuous learning mindset.

Dong explained that beyond technical skills, young people must cultivate adaptability, collaboration, and empathy. “Learn to unlearn, and unlearn to relearn,” she said.

At Love & Future, programs integrate project-based learning, climate storytelling, entrepreneurship incubation, and cross-generational mentorship into curricula. These models connect education to real-world challenges, preparing youth not only for employment but also for civic leadership.

“Technology will keep evolving,” she added. “The real question is: Can we evolve with it while staying rooted in justice, care, and community?”

Partnerships as Shared Power, Not Symbolism

Another central message of the side events was that partnerships must shift from symbolic inclusion to shared power and resources. Panelists underscored that siloed initiatives cannot address systemic challenges like gender inequality, youth unemployment, and climate change.

Dong called for intergenerational, cross-sector, and localized partnerships that are flexible enough to respond to youth needs while aligning with global sustainability goals.

“Startups must see youth not just as beneficiaries, but as co-creators,” she said, noting how Love & Future co-designs innovation labs with corporate partners, where students bring practical solutions to sustainability challenges. “These spaces are not just training grounds — they’re launching pads for future entrepreneurs.”

Self-Awareness and Mentorship

The discussions also explored the role of mentorship, networks, and self-awareness in empowering young leaders. Dong reflected that self-awareness has been her compass as an entrepreneur and NGO leader.

“It helps me show up with clarity — not just about my strengths, but about what I don’t know, who I need to learn from, and what kind of change I want to create,” she said.

She emphasized that mentorship should not be about providing ready-made answers but about co-creating new possibilities. At Love & Future, cross-generational mentorship is embedded into all programs, ensuring youth learn with experienced leaders, not just from them.

A Call to Action

In closing remarks, panelists urged governments, institutions, and businesses to invest in structural transformation that elevates youth, particularly young women, as decision-makers.

“When we empower a woman, we empower a generation. And when youth lead, the future changes,” Dong affirmed. “Let us move beyond symbolic inclusion and start building shared power.”

The two side events reinforced that youth are indispensable partners in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. By embedding civic education, crafting equitable policies, strengthening entrepreneurship ecosystems, and reimagining partnerships, the global community can unlock the creativity, resilience, and leadership of the world’s young people.

As one participant concluded, “We are not waiting for opportunity — we are creating it.”