Youth advocates at United Nations forum urge education overhaul to tackle global youth unemployment

At a United Nations SDG Media Zone panel during the ECOSOC Forum, youth advocates called for urgent changes to education and employment systems to address what the moderator described as an estimated 262 million young people — about one in four aged 15 to 24 in 2025 — who are neither employed nor in school.

“My name is Borah Anya,” Borah Anya said at the session, identifying herself as vice president of the Pan African Youth Union and moderator of the panel. She framed youth unemployment as more than a statistic, saying it erodes “dignity, ambition, and … the stability of our countries.”

Panelists Puneet Singh Singhal, co‑founder of Billion Strong and a member of the UN Youth Office reference group, and Linsley, founder of the Peruvian NGO Impacta Ya and a member of the same UN youth reference group, described overlapping causes and solutions.

Puneet said rapid population growth and a mismatch between what schools teach and the skills employers need help explain the scale of the problem. “The population is increasing at a very fast rate and the governments are not able to cope … there’s this mismatch,” he said, adding that curricula often fail to teach practical, employable skills.

Both panelists urged governments and other actors to focus on implementation rather than on creating new paperwork. Puneet called for more green jobs and for formalizing parts of the unorganized economy so workers gain protections: “There are a lot of people who are not coming under the insurance … they don’t know what will happen tomorrow.” He also highlighted barriers faced by young people with disabilities, saying workplaces often lack basic accommodations such as braille or assistive tools and that exclusion persists despite existing policies.

Linsley, speaking from her experience as a college freshman from Peru, emphasized gaps in social‑emotional learning and leadership development. “What about the ability of leading teams, of feeling that you can do something for your community?” she asked, calling for education that builds both technical and interpersonal skills.

Both organizations described concrete programs. Puneet said Billion Strong provides free training modules aimed at persons with disabilities and is expanding in South Asia and East Africa to reach rural and marginalized youth. Linsley said Impacta Ya matches young people with mentors, offers virtual and in‑person programming and connects participants to partner funding to support social entrepreneurship.

When asked to speak directly to discouraged young people, Linsley urged initiative: “If you are facing a problem in finding opportunities, just look for people that have already gone through your process or maybe create your own opportunity.” Puneet advised specificity when seeking help and persistence in building networks.

The session closed with Borah Anya’s call for access, trust and investment in youth: she said failing to act risks “not only economic stagnation, but a generation that feels left behind.” The panel concluded the SDG Media Zone session at United Nations headquarters during the ECOSOC Forum.