Reflections on WPAY30, and the #YouthLead Festival
26 September 2025
During the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80), the world witnessed a historic moment for young people everywhere — the first-ever High-Level Meeting on Youth convened during the UN’s High-Level Week. The meeting, marking 30 years of the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY30), reaffirmed the global commitment to place youth voices at the center of decision-making.
Held under the theme “Accelerating Global Progress through Intergenerational Collaboration,” the meeting was convened by H.E. Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th Session of the General Assembly, with support from the UN Youth Office. It brought together nearly 150 UN Member States, including 13 Heads of State or Government, 90 ministers, and over 600 civil society representatives—most of them young people.
Among them was Nthanda Manduwi, Founder of Kwathu Kollective, who joined youth leaders from across the world to share reflections on how young people can drive intergenerational collaboration, influence policy, and build systems that last.
The reflections were later compiled in an official United Nations feature, “Placing Youth Voices at the Center: Reflections on UNGA80, WPAY30, and the #YouthLead Festival,” co-authored by youth delegates Aisha, Antonio, James, Nthanda, Vladislav, and Zakira, and published by the UN Youth Office.
Reaffirming Youth Power in Multilateralism
Thirty years after its adoption, the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY) remains a cornerstone of global youth policy. It recognizes that young people are not merely recipients of development—they are co-authors and co-architects of it.
At a time when 60% of Africa’s population is under 35, and in countries like Malawi, where youth represent almost 80% of the population, this message could not be more urgent. The future of development depends on how effectively the world invests in and collaborates with its young people.
From climate action and digital inclusion to economic empowerment, youth voices at UNGA80 demonstrated that inclusion works best when it’s structural—not symbolic. As Nthanda reflected, “True partnership places youth not as participants but as equal political actors, with real authority and measurable influence.”
Inclusion and Intergenerational Collaboration
The event also highlighted the continued gaps in accessibility and representation. Too often, young people—especially those from rural communities, those with disabilities, and those in the Global South—remain underrepresented in key decision-making spaces.
Encouragingly, UNGA80 marked progress: more sessions offered sign-language interpretation, captioning, hybrid participation, and financial support for youth representatives. These steps underscore a growing recognition that inclusion, when intentionally designed, is achievable and transformative.
Looking Forward
The reflections from the UN Youth Office call for a shift from tokenism to shared power, where youth participation is embedded in governance systems, funding priorities, and accountability frameworks.
As Kwathu Kollective continues to advance youth innovation and leadership across Africa, this global milestone reinforces our mission: to ensure that young Africans are not just invited into the conversation but are defining the agenda.
Read the full reflections on the United Nations website:
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