Young people will inherit the consequences of decisions being made in multilateral institutions, but their voices are often sidelined in global governance. This webinar looks at two interconnected challenges. How do we build institutions that work for future generations? And how do we move beyond token youth participation to genuinely empower young people in these systems?
The previous webinars in this series have highlighted challenges facing multilateral institutions, from great power competition to the climate crisis and digital transformation. Youth-led organisations can bring a sense of urgency and fresh ideas which is much-needed in international decision-making. Bringing youth perspectives into multilateral governance is also necessary if these institutions are going to remain relevant and effective in tackling problems that will continue to play out over the coming years.
Discussion points:
Meaningful participation: How meaningful is youth participation in international institutions and what barriers keep young people on the sidelines?
Structural changes: Should there be mandatory youth quotas on delegations and in leadership roles? What might work and where are the trade-offs?
Global South participation: Youth organisations also need the tools to contribute effectively. What support will they need, especially those from the Global South or those from marginalised communities?
Accountability: What practical mechanisms (commissioners for future generations, mandatory long-term impact assessments or youth quotas) could help institutions factor in youth interests?
Climate justice: Youth activists have been at the forefront of climate action, so what can climate governance learn from youth movements?
Long-term thinking: Multilateral institutions often struggle with long-term planning due to a variety of factors, how can this be mitigated to foster more robust institutions?
EU: How can the EU push for stronger youth engagement in global governance?
Reform: Where is reform foreseeable in the future and what happens next? How do we build the political will for positive change?
The panelists include:
- Emily Wegener, Transparency International
- Prathit Singh, Interpeace and Geneva Policy Outlook
- Veronica Papa, Children and Youth Major Group to the UN Environment Programme and Global Fund for Children
Moderator: Samuel King, CIVICUS
About the ENSURED Webinars
In Conversation with Civil Society is a year-long webinar series exploring how global governance institutions can become more effective, robust, and democratic. Each session brings together ENSURED researchers, policymakers and civil society leaders to discuss practical reform pathways across seven key policy areas. Through a conversational format, the series connects ENSURED’s research with the experience of civil society actors, identifying political opportunities for institutional change and highlighting where advocacy can have the greatest impact — especially across fragmented governance landscapes and persistent North–South divides.
The webinar series is coordinated and facilitated by CIVICUS.
Photo: Ygor Lobo / Unsplash
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