Youth LEAP into Gender Equality: UN Women's Youth and Gender Equality Strategy

There are 1.8 billion young people aged 10-24 years old in the world—the largest youth population ever. The new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is largely about youth and for the youth. Therefore, we cannot dismiss today’s young men and young women as solely the beneficiaries of development or even as the leaders of tomorrow – for they are already leading today! The force and inspirations of our youngest leaders represent one of the critical drivers for accelerating progress on sustainable development and gender equality.

At UN Women, we recognize the need to include and engage young men and young women with greater seriousness and urgency. We are at a defining moment at which the women’s movement and the youth movement must come together with stronger partnerships and greater focus to ensure that the new agenda for sustainable development delivers for all women and girls, especially those facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and marginalization. This is a critical moment for action.