UN-HABITAT recognizes young people as active participants in the development of human settlements, the UN parlance for towns and cities. Today’s younger generation is already coming up with and implementing successful community-building projects in some of the most marginalized regions of the world. UN-HABITAT initiates and fosters inter-agency collaboration and partnerships with youth organizations.

We engage youth at an international level to ensure their voices get heard on the world stage. Working with young men and women and understanding their diverse abilities, realities and experiences is an essential element of UN-HABITAT’s drive for sustainable urbanization.

Globally, children and young people under 24 account for roughly 40 percent of the global population. Indeed, young people are on the frontline of rising urban poverty, child trafficking, sexual exploitation, high unemployment, and the growing phenomenon of street children. Crime and violence, the breakdown of family life, environmental degradation, worsening health conditions and HIV/AIDS pandemic also constitute challenges facing today’s urban youth.