youths./ PHOTO ; United Ntions
A new strategic partnership between the United Nations Youth Office and the Big Six Youth Organizations is setting the stage for stronger youth leadership and action toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Announced during the High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly on September 20, the partnership formalizes collaboration between the UN Youth Office and the six major global youth movements.
They include: the World YWCA, World YMCA, World Scouting, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation, and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).
Together, these organizations, known collectively as the Big Six, reach more than 250 million young people across 190 countries.
Their joint platform, the Global Youth Mobilization (GYM), already supports youth-led projects worldwide through funding, mentorship, and training to drive community-level solutions to global challenges.
“This partnership reflects our shared belief that meaningful progress on today’s global challenges can only be achieved with young people at the center,” said Dr. Felipe Paullier, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs.
“Through the Global Youth Mobilization, we are not just investing in youth-led initiatives; we are investing in the future of our societies.”
The collaboration builds on the UN Secretary-General’s Our Common Agenda and the Pact for the Future, both of which call for more inclusive multilateralism and intergenerational solidarity.
It represents one of the most comprehensive frameworks yet for embedding young people’s voices within global policymaking.
Turning commitment into coordinated action
Under the new framework, the UN Youth Office becomes the main UN partner for the Global Youth Mobilization, working with the Big Six on four key priorities:
- Collaboration – aligning strategies across youth-led movements and the UN system
- Advocacy – amplifying youth priorities and campaigns across global forums.
- Resource mobilization – channeling more funding through the GYM to support youth-led community projects.
- Representation – ensuring young people participate meaningfully in decision-making spaces worldwide.
“Young people have demonstrated, repeatedly and convincingly, that when they are given trust, space, and resources, they deliver transformative change,” said Carlos Sanvee, Secretary General of the World YMCA and Chair of the Global Youth Mobilisation board.
“We remain deeply committed to advancing their agency, and we welcome this bold partnership with the UN Youth Office, which elevates their voices and their impact to the highest levels of decision-making.”
For youth leaders, the announcement signals more than a symbolic commitment; it represents tangible pathways for participation and accountability in international systems.
“We are excited about this partnership to amplify advocacy for youth-led decision-making processes, mobilise greater resources for grassroots solutions, and ensure that young people can represent ourselves on the issues we care most about in key global spaces,” said Michelle Chew, a Youth Board Representative with the Global Youth Mobilization.
Building on momentum
The new alliance also strengthens existing ties with the European Commission’s Directorate for International Partnerships, which supports the Youth Empowerment Fund currently powering the GYM.
Originally launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Foundation, the GYM has already funded hundreds of youth-led projects tackling social, health, and environmental challenges.
By formalizing this new cooperation, the UN Youth Office and the Big Six aim to make such opportunities more widespread, ensuring that young innovators have not only the resources but also the recognition to lead.
This partnership marks a milestone in global youth engagement, one that moves beyond consultation to co-creation.
As the world approaches the 2030 deadline for the SDGs, it signals a renewed commitment to shared leadership between generations, with young people shaping the solutions they want to see.
