Lessons learned from Youth: Youth in Global Sustainable Development Governance

The United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (UN-MGCY) was created as one of the nine United Nations (UN) major civil society groups after the Rio Summit in 1992. The main goal of the UN-MGCY is to promote meaningful participation of youth and bring youth perspectives in the UN processes. With over 6,500 member entities and a structure related to many sectoral youth constituencies and initiatives, the UN-MGCY appears as the constituency of youth constituencies at the global level. Despite its long-term engagement in global sustainable development politics, academics’ attention to its functioning has been rare. This is problematic as inclusive participation and intergenerational dialogue is essential for just and inclusive transitions of the global socio-ecological order. This chapter analyzes the historical development of the UN-MGCY and its roles in the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, that is in charge of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Our methodology relies on a database of youth participants in the annual HLPF meetings, interviews, and participatory observations. We provide the first in-depth analysis of the UN-MGCY and therefore contribute to the understanding the inclusivity of the goals, i.e. the substantial voice and engagement they provide to civil society on sustainable development issues.