World Happiness Foundation Statement for the High-Level Plenary Meeting on the 30th Anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth

By Luis Miguel Gallardo – Founder & President, World Happiness Foundation

Introduction and Context

The World Happiness Foundation (WHF) welcomes the convening of the United Nations High-Level Plenary Meeting to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY) on 25 September 2025 at UN Headquarters. With the theme “WPAY at 30: accelerating global progress through intergenerational collaboration,” this gathering provides a crucial opportunity to reinvigorate our global commitment to youth development and intergenerational partnership. Adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1995, the WPAY remains the first and most comprehensive global policy framework for youth, outlining 15 priority areas – from education and employment to health, environment, and youth participation – as critical pillars of action. As we reflect on three decades of efforts, we recognize both the progress made and the urgent gaps that persist in fully realizing the vision of WPAY.

Today’s generation of young people is the largest in history: roughly 1.8 billion people are between the ages of 10 and 24, the vast majority in developing countries. How well this generation is supported will determine not only their own futures, but the future of our world. Yet far too many youth continue to be left behind. Around 175 million young people in low-income countries cannot read a full sentence, some 500 million youth survive on less than $2 per day, and over 73 million are unemployed – with young women facing even higher barriers to participation. These stark numbers underscore why “leaving no one behind,” a core principle of the 2030 Agenda, must center on youth. The WPAY’s vision of inclusive development is still far from fulfilled for millions of marginalized adolescents and young adults.

In alignment with our mission, the World Happiness Foundation asserts that mental health, happiness, forgiveness, well-being, peace, and hope are the foundations on which any thriving youth population must stand. We regard happiness as a human right and a deliberate life choice – an enabler of human development and social innovation. Likewise, we affirm that the well-being and inner resilience of young people are inseparable from the peace and prosperity of their societies. Indeed, from the very start the United Nations recognized youth as “a major human resource for development and key agents for social change… their imagination, ideals and considerable energies are essential for the development of the societies in which they live”. Our Foundation, having recently attained consultative status with ECOSOC, is committed to bringing this perspective to global forums. In this statement, we outline our position – rooted in mental health, happiness, forgiveness, well-being, peace, and hope – on how to accelerate progress for and with young people. We focus on the two thematic areas of this high-level meeting, offering our insights and key recommendations for each panel:

Panel 1: Advancing Implementation of the WPAY to Leave No One Behind

Accelerating the implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth requires ensuring that no young person is left behind. This means reaching every young person – regardless of their race, gender, ability, income, or location – with opportunities to thrive. It also means addressing the often invisible challenges like mental illness, trauma, and exclusion that prevent youth from realizing their full potential. The WPAY provides a broad roadmap, covering education, employment, health, hunger and poverty, and more. Now, at its 30-year milestone, we must redouble efforts to turn this framework into tangible improvements in youths’ daily lives, especially for those who have so far seen little benefit.

Inclusive well-being and mental health: A key dimension of leaving no one behind is promoting mental health and emotional well-being alongside physical and economic well-being. The mental health of the world’s youth has reached a crisis point: globally, one in seven adolescents (ages 10–19) is estimated to experience a mental disorder, accounting for about 15% of the disease burden in that age group. Depression and anxiety are among the leading causes of illness in youth, and suicide tragically remains the third leading cause of death among young people 15–29. These figures highlight that mental health is as fundamental as education or employment for young people’s development. Yet mental health support remains uneven and stigmatized in many countries. WHF urges that mental health services, psychosocial support, and “inner development” skills be integrated into all youth development programs. We join calls to embed happiness and mental well-being outcomes in education and youth policy, so that schools and community programs provide young people with tools for resilience, self-care, and community care. Bhutan’s example of Gross National Happiness and the growing movement for social-emotional learning in schools show that prioritizing young people’s emotional well-being yields better life outcomes. By ensuring every young person has access to mental health care, safe spaces, and the skills to cope with stress, we can prevent silent struggles from derailing their future. No youth should be left behind due to depression, trauma, or lack of hope.

Equity and access for marginalized youth: To leave no one behind, we must focus on those young people who have historically been marginalized or neglected. This includes youth living in extreme poverty, those in rural or remote areas, young people with disabilities, indigenous and minority youth, refugees and conflict-affected youth, and girls and young women facing gender discrimination. In many cases, multiple disadvantages overlap – for example, a refugee girl with a disability faces immense barriers to education and employment. Governments must take affirmative, targeted actions to include these groups. In the spirit of WPAY, young people must enjoy all their human rights and fundamental freedoms, and governments must act against any violations of those rights. We echo the principle that fully implementing WPAY requires ending discrimination, upholding equality of opportunity, and respecting the dignity of every young person. Practical steps include: providing stipends or free schooling to youth in poverty, investing in bilingual education and cultural programs for indigenous youth, ensuring schools and public spaces are accessible for youth with disabilities, and protecting the rights of migrant and refugee youth through education and job programs in host communities. Especially for girls and young women, who often face entrenched biases, we need robust enforcement of laws against child marriage, gender-based violence, and gender discrimination in schooling and hiring. WHF supports a holistic approach to youth well-being – one that feeds the body and mind. Alongside job training and school enrollment drives, there must be nutrition, healthcare (including sexual and reproductive health care), and psychosocial support targeted to the most vulnerable young people.

Peace and safety for youth: Leaving no one behind also means protecting youth from the scourge of violence, conflict, and exploitation. Too many young people around the world are growing up in warzones, living as displaced refugees, or suffering from violence in their homes or communities. Youth in conflict settings not only lack basic services but carry heavy psychological burdens from trauma. We cannot talk about global youth development without addressing the need for peace and safety as preconditions for happiness. Our Foundation believes in Fundamental Peace, where inner well-being aligns with outer freedom and justice. We stress that youths must be safe from war and violence in order to pursue their dreams. The WPAY identified youth in armed conflict as a priority area, and today the call is more urgent than ever – from Myanmar to the Sahel to Ukraine, the world must not abandon young people trapped in conflict. We urge the international community to strengthen programs that rehabilitate and reintegrate conflict-affected youth (including former child soldiers), and to ensure youth voices are included in peacebuilding and reconciliation processes. Healing trauma through community dialogue, counseling, and forgiveness initiatives is essential to break cycles of violence. In communities torn by conflict or crime, forgiveness and restorative justice can open the door for young people to rebuild relationships and move forward without the weight of vengeance. We have seen that when societies invest in peace education, non-violence, and trauma healing for the young, those youth can become powerful agents of reconciliation rather than revenge.

Key recommendations – Leaving No Youth Behind: To advance WPAY implementation with an equity lens, the World Happiness Foundation urges the following actions:

• Integrate Well-Being in Youth Policy: Governments should incorporate measures of happiness and well-being (not just economic metrics) into youth development plans. We urge leaders to include happiness and mental health outcomes in national educational objectives, providing students with curricula and resources for emotional resilience and mindfulness. By treating young people’s happiness as a policy goal, officials will design more holistic programs that address psychological as well as material needs.
  
• Guarantee Youth Rights and Non-Discrimination: All states must ensure that young people enjoy their full human rights. This means enforcing laws against any form of discrimination or exploitation of youth. Leave no one behind must be literal: whether the issue is access to education, voting rights, or healthcare, if any subgroup of youth (girls, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ youth, etc.) is falling behind, targeted remedies should be implemented. “Young people must have access to all of their human rights and fundamental freedoms” for WPAY to be realized. We recommend establishing national benchmarks to close gaps (for example, parity in secondary school completion between males and females, or between urban and rural youth) and publishing annual progress reports.
  
• Invest in Marginalized Youth: Allocate greater resources to programs for youth who face the greatest obstacles. For example, create scholarships and mentoring for first-generation students; fund vocational training and internet connectivity in rural areas; expand apprenticeship and job placement programs for unemployed youth; and strengthen social protection (like cash transfers) for youth-led households or young single parents. Leaving no one behind also implies bridging the digital divide – every young person should have affordable access to the internet and digital literacy skills as a basic necessity in the 21st century.
  
• Mental Health and Trauma Support: Make mental health services youth-friendly and widely accessible. We call for every school or community to have a counselor or mental health focal point who can identify youth in distress and connect them to care. Crisis hotlines, peer support networks, and mobile clinics can especially help in low-resource settings. International donors should fund psychosocial support in all humanitarian aid for displaced or conflict-affected youth. The Foundation also recommends incorporating healing arts, sports, and mindfulness practices into youth programs to help young people process stress and build inner strength. By normalizing mental health care and promoting a culture of empathy and openness, we can give hope to youth who might otherwise suffer alone.
  
• Youth-Centric Data and Monitoring: To ensure no one is left behind, we need better data on the situation of all youth. We support the development of WPAY indicators and the use of disaggregated data (by age, gender, location, etc.) to track which groups of youth are struggling the most. We encourage the UN Youth Office and partners to help countries build data systems that capture youth well-being – including novel metrics like self-reported life satisfaction – alongside traditional socio-economic metrics. What gets measured gets done: if governments regularly measure youth happiness, mental health, and inclusion, these areas will receive more attention and resources.
  

By implementing these measures, governments and societies can transform the promise of “leave no youth behind” into a reality. Every young person, no matter their start in life, deserves the chance to be healthy, educated, heard, and hopeful. The World Happiness Foundation stands ready to support policies that put marginalized youth at the center, recognizing that the true progress of WPAY will be measured by how the most vulnerable young people fare in the years ahead.

Panel 2: Full, Effective and Meaningful Youth Participation at National and International Levels (for the Benefit of Current and Future Generations)

The second pillar of the discussion – ensuring full, effective, and meaningful youth participation in decision-making – is about empowering young people as partners and leaders, not merely beneficiaries. If we aspire to accelerate global progress through intergenerational collaboration, we must create structures and cultures in which youth have a real voice and agency in shaping the policies that affect their lives and futures. This is not only a matter of rights and justice; it is also immensely practical. When young people are included and empowered, they become drivers of positive change in their communities and on the world stage. Conversely, excluding youth from civic life squanders their energy and breeds alienation, to the detriment of both current and future generations.

The case for intergenerational collaboration: Young people bring fresh ideas, technological savvy, and a sense of urgency on issues like climate change and social justice; older generations bring institutional knowledge, experience, and mentorship. When these strengths are combined in true partnership, the results are powerful. We have inspiring evidence that intergenerational collaboration benefits everyone involved. In one community peace-building program in Colombia, for example, youth and elders worked together on local projects – and evaluations showed enhanced well-being and sense of belonging for both generations. The young participants felt useful, engaged, and capable, while the elders felt valued, understood, and celebrated; as a result, the entire community grew stronger and more unified. This is the “win-win” of intergenerational action: it breaks down age-based stereotypes (youth feeling dismissed as too young, elders feeling cast aside as irrelevant) and replaces them with mutual respect and learning. We witness an antidote to ageism – younger and older people discovering each other as allies. WHF believes that accelerating progress requires tapping the full potential of all ages working in concert. Policies made in silos by one generation are less likely to succeed; policies co-created with intergenerational input are more innovative, inclusive, and sustainable.

From tokenism to meaningful participation: While many governments and institutions now acknowledge the importance of youth participation, too often young people are still relegated to tokenistic roles – perhaps a youth representative in a panel who is not truly heard, or a consultation exercise that has no impact on actual policy. This must change. Meaningful participation means young people have real influence over decisions, from the local to the global level, on an ongoing basis. At the national level, this could mean establishing youth advisory councils to heads of state and parliament, including young representatives in government delegations, or even reserving seats for youth in legislative bodies or local councils. It also means creating enabling environments for youth-led organizations and social movements to flourish – including those led by marginalized youth who often lack access. We note that UNFPA and partners highlight the need to involve young people and youth-led groups in policymaking and programming, and to prioritize the inclusion of youth from diverse backgrounds, especially the disadvantaged and marginalized. In practice, this could involve providing financial and technical support to youth networks, as well as mentorship and training to young leaders to build their capacity to engage in diplomacy and governance. WHF strongly supports such efforts. We insist that young people must have a seat at the table whenever policies are designed – whether it’s a city council discussing urban planning, a company developing workplace policies, or the UN General Assembly deliberating on global issues. It is heartening that many countries now include youth delegates in their UN delegations; we encourage all Member States to do so, and to extend similar practices to other international forums. Meaningful participation also requires listening and response: when youth voice their perspectives – for example, through youth climate strikes, student councils, or online campaigns – authorities should engage in genuine dialogue and be prepared to adapt policies in response. Only by demonstrating that youth input leads to concrete outcomes can we sustain young people’s trust in institutions.

Youth as partners in solving global challenges: This high-level meeting’s theme reminds us that accelerating global progress hinges on intergenerational teamwork. Nowhere is this more evident than in the context of long-term challenges like the climate crisis, sustainable development, and peacebuilding. It is today’s youth who will inherit the results (good or bad) of actions taken now. As UNFPA notes, this generation of adolescents and youth will largely drive the outcomes of all the Sustainable Development Goals, and they will also have to live with the results. Therefore, it is both fair and wise that youth be centrally involved in designing solutions for issues such as climate action, poverty eradication, and conflict resolution. Around the world we already see youth leading the way: young innovators are creating green technologies; youth activists are championing human rights and anti-corruption; youth volunteers are on the frontlines of humanitarian response. But they cannot do it alone – they need supportive partnerships with older generations who control resources and policymaking levers. Intergenerational collaboration means co-creating initiatives where, for example, a senior scientist teams up with a youth climate campaigner to influence environmental policy, or a government ministry forms a joint task force of experienced policymakers and young experts to tackle youth unemployment. It also means that older generations must be willing to share power. Established leaders should actively mentor youth and open doors for them to take on leadership roles, even if it means ceding some decision-making space. At the same time, youth must be willing to learn from elders and past experiences, approaching collaboration with respect (and, where needed, forgiveness for previous generations’ mistakes). Bridging the generation gap requires empathy all around: young and old alike must overcome prejudice and preconceived notions about each other. The Foundation emphasizes the role of forgiveness and understanding here – young people inheriting a troubled world may feel frustration or anger toward those who came before, while older folks might feel unappreciated or threatened by change. We call for dialogue that allows grievances to be aired and then cleared, so that all ages can move forward together with a sense of common purpose. When generations forgive each other and focus on shared goals, hope can truly flourish.

Key recommendations – Empowering Youth Participation: To ensure youth participation is fully and meaningfully realized at all levels, the World Happiness Foundation offers the following recommendations:

• Institutionalize Youth Voice in Governance: Governments should create formal, permanent mechanisms for youth input in public decision-making. This can include establishing national youth councils or parliaments that are consulted on legislation and policy plans, appointing youth representatives or advisors in each ministry (particularly on issues like education, environment, or technology), and lowering barriers to young people running for office or serving in public positions. We also support considering age diversity in electoral lists and other affirmative measures so that legislative bodies gradually reflect younger demographics. Locally, municipalities can set up youth boards to co-design community programs. The crucial point is that youth engagement should be structured and ongoing, not ad-hoc. Policies affecting youth should never be made without youth. As a guiding motto: “Nothing about us, without us.”
  
• Strengthen Youth Participation in International Forums: At the international level, we urge the UN and all multilateral organizations to continue expanding avenues for youth engagement. The upcoming Summit of the Future and other global meetings should feature youth co-chairs or interlocutors whenever youth-related topics are on the agenda. We commend the practice of including Youth Delegates to the UN – a program where young people join their national delegations – and encourage all Member States to send Youth Delegates to the General Assembly and key negotiations. The UN Youth Office, established to elevate youth issues, should develop a system for youth-led and youth-serving organizations to provide input into UN policy processes. We support the idea that the inclusion of youth from diverse backgrounds, particularly disadvantaged and marginalized groups, must be prioritized in international discussions. This might involve sponsorship programs to ensure that a young woman from a remote village, or a young person with a disability, can physically attend and speak at UN meetings, not just those from well-funded NGOs. Furthermore, global funds could be set up to support youth-led initiatives that come out of international conferences, turning dialogue into action. A meaningful seat at the global table also means youth have access to information and the capacity to engage – hence, invest in training young diplomats, negotiators, and advocates through UN platforms.
  
• Partner with Youth-Led Organizations and Movements: Civil society and governments should recognize youth-led organizations as equal partners in development. Rather than treating youth groups as junior grantees, include them in the planning and evaluation of programs. We call on donors to increase funding for youth-led NGOs and social enterprises, and to do so in a way that builds their long-term sustainability (e.g. core funding, not just short-term project funding). Where needed, pair youth organizations with more established mentors to help strengthen their management without diluting their leadership. The private sector, too, can amplify youth voices by supporting youth innovation hubs, social incubators, and youth volunteer programs. A great example is UNFPA’s support for the Youth Peer Education Network (Y-Peer) which spans thousands of young educators across many countries – such networks show that given resources and trust, youth can organize effectively to serve their peers. We encourage more cross-generational partnerships where experienced organizations mentor emerging youth groups, respecting that the latter often have closer connections to today’s youth realities.
  
• Foster Intergenerational Mentorship and Knowledge Exchange: We recommend creating structured mentorship and exchange programs that link young people with experienced professionals and elders in various fields. For instance, a national Intergenerational Fellowship program could pair young civil servants or entrepreneurs with retirees who have relevant expertise, facilitating regular knowledge exchange. Schools and universities can invite older community members as guest lecturers or mentors in student projects, while youth can teach elders about new technologies and cultural trends – a two-way mentorship. On a community level, intergenerational projects (like community gardens, story-sharing circles, tech tutoring classes where youth teach seniors and vice versa) should be supported as they build social cohesion. Evidence shows that such intergenerational interactions can improve social skills and confidence among youth and also enhance older adults’ health and sense of purpose. We believe every community should treat intergenerational collaboration not as a niche activity but as a norm – for example, public libraries and community centers can routinely host intergenerational dialogues on local issues. By creating more touchpoints between generations, we nurture a culture of solidarity and empathy that benefits all ages.
  
• Youth in Peace and Security Agenda: We specifically underscore the importance of youth participation in peace and security matters, aligning with UN Security Council Resolution 2250 and subsequent resolutions on Youth, Peace, and Security. Young people in conflict-affected regions must have a role in peace negotiations, post-conflict reconstruction, and efforts to prevent violence. Their perspectives are invaluable – youth are often both victims of conflicts and agents of peace on the ground. We encourage UN missions and mediators to include youth observers or advisors in peace talks, and to consult youth groups when crafting peacebuilding programs. Likewise, at national level, involving youth in community policing forums or violence prevention committees can yield innovative approaches to security that are more trust-based and inclusive. The vitality and idealism of youth, tempered with the wisdom of elders, can create a stronger architecture for lasting peace.
  

By implementing these measures, we can ensure that young people are not just beneficiaries of development, but architects of it. When youth participation is entrenched from local councils to the United Nations, policies inevitably become more forward-looking and just, reflecting the aspirations of the next generation. Moreover, meaningful youth engagement today cultivates the leadership of tomorrow – it equips young women and men with the skills, confidence, and networks to lead their countries and the world in the decades ahead. In this sense, empowering youth participation is an investment not only in better decisions now, but in the resilience and quality of our future governance. When empowered and given the right opportunities, youth are effective drivers of change – this is a truth the WHF has witnessed time and again through our global initiatives, from youth happiness agoras to social innovation projects. We urge all stakeholders to make this principle a lived reality in institutions at every level.

Conclusion: A Call to Action for Intergenerational Unity and Youth Happiness

In conclusion, the World Happiness Foundation asserts that accelerating global progress for youth is not only possible – it is imperative, and it will require bold, collaborative action across generations. The 30th anniversary of the WPAY comes at a pivotal moment: with just five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, the largest youth population in history is coming of age amid unprecedented global challenges and opportunities. We have the knowledge and tools to uplift our young people; what is needed now is the collective will.

We call on governments in every nation to put youth at the heart of their agendas – to invest in young people’s education, health (including mental health), and employment, and to open up governing spaces for youth to have a direct hand in shaping policies. National leaders should champion a culture of intergenerational respect and forgiveness, healing divides by acknowledging the grievances of youth and the insights of elders alike. By doing so, governments can harness the full talents of their citizens, young and old, to drive development and peace.

We urge UN agencies and international organizations to strengthen and coordinate their support for youth empowerment. This includes aligning programs with the strategies outlined in WPAY and the Youth 2030 strategy, expanding funding for youth-led initiatives, and ensuring that youth voices from all regions and walks of life inform global policymaking. The United Nations was founded on the hope for a better future – and there is no better way to secure that future than by working hand-in-hand with those who will live it. We applaud the creation of the UN Youth Office and encourage the UN system to integrate the perspectives of young people in implementing every global commitment, from climate action to conflict resolution. Let us also commit to measuring our success not just in economic growth or treaties signed, but in how much we increase the happiness and well-being of the world’s youth.

We appeal to civil society, communities, and the private sector to recognize that building a thriving society is a shared responsibility. NGOs, faith groups, and community organizations must continue to be champions for youth inclusion, reaching those whom government programs might miss and innovating new approaches to engage and support young people. The private sector should see youth not only as consumers or employees but as partners – investing in youth entrepreneurship, mentoring, and skills development will pay dividends in innovation and societal stability. Across all sectors, we need to foster a Fundamental Peace in our social fabric: one grounded in compassion, justice, and respect between generations. We call on community leaders and elders to take young people under their wing, and on young influencers to seek out the wisdom of those who came before. Each of us can be a bridge in our own family, workplace, or community, simply by creating space for a young voice or appreciating an older one.

Finally, we call on young people themselves – the youth of the world – to continue stepping forward with the courage, creativity, and idealism that give us all hope. We have seen how youth are raising their voices for climate justice, equality, and peace in ways that inspire global movements. We encourage you to persist, to constructively engage in dialogue with institutions, and also to practice empathy and patience as you advocate for change. Remain open to learning from those with different life experiences, and when you encounter setbacks or old attitudes, do not lose heart. Your energy and vision are exactly what the world needs now. As much as we ask older generations to mentor youth, we ask you to mentor and support each other – peer support and solidarity among young people can be a formidable force for positive change. The World Happiness Foundation is dedicated to amplifying youth-led solutions and providing platforms (such as our global happiness summits and local agoras) where your ideas can influence decision-makers. We stand beside you and will continue to champion your right to meaningfully participate in creating a happier, more peaceful world.

At this commemorative moment, let it be affirmed that the well-being of young people is the well-being of humanity. When a young person anywhere is empowered to overcome hardship, to heal from trauma, to learn and grow and lead, the entire human family moves forward. Conversely, when youth languish in despair or are excluded, we all lose out on their potential. Let us therefore unite across generations in common cause. Let us find the courage to forgive past failings and the wisdom to forge new partnerships rooted in trust. Let us ensure that no young person’s dreams are cut short by circumstances we have the power to change. In the words of the UN’s own commitments, let us work for “the benefit of current and future generations,” honoring the intrinsic worth of each young life.

The World Happiness Foundation envisions a future where every young person can live with dignity, purpose, and joy – where mental health is nurtured, creativity encouraged, diversity celebrated, and peace prevails. Achieving this vision will take all of us, together. On this 30th anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth, we issue a heartfelt call to action: to governments, to international bodies, to communities, and to youth themselves – join forces now to accelerate the inclusion, happiness, and empowerment of the world’s young people. The challenges are great, but the potential of our youth is far greater. By acting today with intergenerational solidarity and compassion, we can ignite a virtuous cycle: youth who are empowered and hopeful will become adults who empower others and sustain peace. In doing so, we fulfill not only the promise of WPAY but also a promise to humanity’s future.

Our message is ultimately one of hope. We have hope that through empathy and collaboration, generations can understand each other. We have hope that through bold policy changes, every young person can be given the chance to flourish. We have hope that by prioritizing happiness and well-being, we will build societies that are not only wealthier, but kinder and more just. Let this high-level meeting be a turning point – a renewal of commitment to our youth. Together, let us accelerate progress toward a world where no one is left behind and everyone’s voice is heard. A world where the torch of leadership passes seamlessly from generation to generation in a spirit of mutual aid. A world where the dreams of the young and the wisdom of the old unite to create peace and shared prosperity.

The World Happiness Foundation is proud to lend its voice to this cause. We are ready to work with all stakeholders to transform these recommendations into reality. In the spirit of intergenerational collaboration, and with unwavering faith in the power of mental health, happiness, forgiveness, well-being, peace, and hope, we move forward. The time to act is now. Let us heed the voices of youth and the counsel of elders – and together, let us build a future where 10 billion happy people (our vision for 2050) is not just a slogan, but a living reality.

A happier world is within our reach – if we embrace the courage to collaborate across generations and the conviction to leave no youth behind. Let us answer that call today, for the sake of our young people and for the benefit of all generations to come.

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