Some of us had the privilege to participate to the ECOSOC Youth Forum speaking about SDG12 and SDG13.
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum is an annual initiative of the President of the Council. It has evolved into a key platform where young people can contribute to policy discussions at the United Nations through their collective ideas, solutions and innovations.
As the main platform for youth to share their ideas at the global level, the Forum allows representatives of youth-led and youth-focused organizations and networks, youth advocates and other youth stakeholders to dialogue with Member States, and to explore ways and means of promoting youth development and engagement. Participants take part in brainstorming sessions, interactive speaker panels and discussions with Member States on the annual ECOSOC/High-Level Political Forum themes. Other gatherings held in the framework of the Forum, including side events, encourage participants to further engage with one another on a wide range of topics.
The value of the Youth Forum was recognized in the Secretary-General “Critical milestones towards coherent, efficient and inclusive follow-up and review at the global level” (A/70/684), prepared in response to paragraph 90 of the 2030 Agenda, recognizes the potential of the ECOSOC Youth Forum by stating that the High-level Political Forum could be informed by and benefit from several specific Economic and Social Council forums covering cross-cutting issues in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the existing forum on youth (para 31). The outcome of the Youth Forum in the form of its summary is therefore considered as an informal contribution to the HLPF and key elements are referenced in the annual Ministerial Declaration.