The Sustainable Development Goals: A Youth Agenda

A year ago, leaders from around the globe came together to adopt the world’s first universal development agenda – the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

So as we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the SDGs – what progress has been made?

And as I met with colleagues and peers in New York recently to discuss progress and action, there was an overwhelming sense of optimism and determination to achieve the world we want by 2030. There is also a sense of impatience to accelerate action in solving the planet’s biggest problems.

But we do have some achievements to celebrate. The agreement reached in Paris last December for all nations to seriously tackle climate change is evidence that the tide is turning. But there is much, much more to do. We’re already one year in with 14 years to go – that may sound like a long way away, but it’s actually just over 5,000 days.

We know it is not going to be easy and that the changes required to tackle issues such as gender equality, global warming, hunger and poverty, and improving access to quality healthcare will demand input and collective action from everybody, stretching way beyond what can be achieved by businesses and governments alone.

The good news is that increasingly we are understanding the scope of the challenges that lie ahead and how to resolve them. Scientists get it, the financial sector gets it, governments get it and, increasingly, businesses get it.

But what excites me the most is the role that young people can play. They are critical to success.

Today’s world has the largest generation of youth in history, an enormous force for good if the right actions are taken by today’s young people.

We are already seeing their determination to step up and make the world a better place. You only have to look at the individuals that picked up awards at this year’s Unilever Sustainable Living Young Entrepreneur Awards. Young women like Dr Sara Saaed, who is boosting access to healthcare across Pakistan with her online medical consultation business DoctHERS, give us all hope.

The UN recently announced the very first class of Young Leaders for the SDGs – 17 change-makers whose leadership will catalyse the achievement of the Goals. I had the honour to be on the committee to select these motivating young leaders, and with so many incredible candidates, I had to admit it was a tough job to select the final 17. In New York these young leaders brought the energy, excitement and inspiration to many and it was a privilege to spend time with them.

For me the most energizing moment came from the young women whose achievements we celebrated at the inaugural Global Goals Awards which Unilever co-hosted with Richard Curtis and Project Everyone. The awards recognized three inspiring individuals who have advanced the rights of girls and women, in support of the Goals.

They include a determined and courageous Syrian refugee who turned her plight into a promise to help others, the founder of a non-profit who successfully advocated for the end of child marriage in Tanzania, and the founders of a social enterprise that matches trained female doctors in need of work, with women in rural areas in need of medical support via telemedicine.

All incredibly inspiring leaders that remind us of the values that motivate us to build the more inclusive world we all want to see.

But there is a role for young people everywhere to get involved – to raise awareness, run education programmes, promote sustainable lifestyles, conserve nature, and adopt environmentally friendly practices.

Existing networks like One Young World, Enactus, Net Impact, Free the Children, Ashoka, AFI Changemakers, Youth Hub Africa, and many others, all need to be mobilised, with the energy, drive, passion and a selfless determination of young people all around the world to make the Global Goals a success.

Here’s four things young people can do right now:

1. Don’t simply accept the state of our planet as fate. Rise up to challenge and advocate global action for people and the planet.

2. Be a responsible citizen. Everybody can take individual actions which will help create a more sustainable world. Small actions, big difference.

3. Join in. Sign up to networks, spread the word, hold governments and business to account and connect with the UN Young Leaders for the SDGs.

4. Be a driver for change. The UN has galvanised youth around the Global Youth Partnership for the SDGs with a ‘Youth Gateway’ designed to engage more young people in realising the Goals. Support businesses making a positive contribute. Even start your own business that tackles a social issues in a way that is both profitable and sustainable.

We have reached an important moment in the history of our planet. Nobody thought we would could come to together to commit to actions under the SDGs, to address issues like poverty eradication, or that we would agree a historic deal on climate change.

Right now, we have a great opportunity to build a better world. We must all grab it with both hands and do what is right.