-By Saswati Banerjee
August 12 rolls around every year, and with it comes International Youth Day. It’s not just another awareness day. It’s a moment to actually stop and think about what young people are going through—and what they’re capable of.
We often say “youth are the future,” but the truth is, they’re doing the work now. They’re speaking out, building things, organizing, surviving. As we head into International Youth Day 2025, the need to back them—with real opportunities, not just words—feels more urgent than ever.
There are over 1.2 billion people between 15 and 24 right now. That’s not just a number. That’s a billion-plus stories, challenges, and voices. And they deserve more than applause once a year.
This day is about more than celebration. It’s a wake-up call. Young people everywhere are pushing forward, even when the odds are stacked against them. Our job is to listen, support, and get out of the way when we need to.
Understanding International Youth Day: History and Significance
It was in 1999 that the UN decided to mark a day just for young people. This came after a global youth meeting held in Lisbon in 1998, where it became clear that the concerns and voices of the young needed more attention.
So they made it official: August 12 would be known as International Youth Day!
Since then, the day has become a yearly pause. A moment to recognize what young people are doing—not just in headlines, but in real life. It’s about hearing them out, understanding what’s holding them back, and giving space to speak up.
This day of youth isn’t only for institutions or big organizations. It belongs to everyday people too—especially the youth themselves. It’s their time to start conversations, call out issues, and spark ideas that can lead to change.
What is The Theme for International Youth Day 2025?
The theme for International Youth Day 2025—“Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond”—gets straight to the point. Real change starts at the ground level, and young people are right at the center of it.
Youth don’t just support global goals—they live them, often through everyday actions in their communities.
And it matters, because more than 65% of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are tied directly to local governance. That means what happens in neighborhoods, towns, and villages has a direct impact on whether or not we meet those global targets.
Here’s what this theme is really saying:
- Young people know their communities best. They’re close to the ground and understand what’s needed.
- They can influence local policies—the kind that impact their schools, health centers, and streets.
- They help decide where resources go, especially when they’re included in planning.
- When youth are invited into local decision-making, their ideas often turn into real solutions.
- And when they’re heard, policies get better. More responsive. More human.
Governments—especially at the local level—have a chance here. They can work with young people, not just for them. That means listening, involving them early, and being open to fresh thinking. Youth groups, student collectives, neighborhood volunteers—these are not side actors. They’re key partners.
It’s also worth noting that 2025 marks 30 years of the World Programme of Action for Youth. For three decades, it’s served as a guide for recognizing young people as essential to sustainable development and giving them a voice in shaping their futures.
This isn’t just theory. It’s a blueprint for how change can—and should—happen, from the bottom up.
The Role of Youth in Shaping Societies
Young people usually act before anyone else does. They don’t wait for permission. If something’s broken, be it the climate, a system, or a community, they step up.
They’re not chasing titles or positions. They lead by showing up and doing the work that needs to be done!
It means young people aren’t just the future, they’re the present, and decisions around business, policy, or peace need to include them now.
You see it across the world…
When Greta Thunberg started skipping school to protest for the planet, it sparked something huge. Or when students in the US started March for Our Lives after facing gun violence in their schools, they didn’t wait for lawmakers.
They spoke out, organized, and pushed back. These aren’t outliers. This is what happens when youth decide enough is enough.
Key Challenges Facing Today’s Youth
Youth, however, face disproportionate obstacles in spite of their promise:
Joblessness
Young people are three times more likely than adults to be unemployed, according to the ILO’s 2024 report.
The Digital Divide
According to UNICEF (2023), nearly 2.2 billion people under 25 do not have access to the internet at home.
Displacement and Conflict
Children and young people make up over 40% of the world’s displaced population, and many of them experience disruptions in their access to health and educational services.
Inequality of Gender
Systemic obstacles to autonomy, safety, and participation still affect young women and girls.
Today’s youth deserve tangible steps to close these gaps, not just words.
Empowerment Through Education and Skills Development
It still surprises me how many young people never get the chance to finish school. I mean, we hear about it, but when you really stop and think—only one in ten kids in poorer countries finish secondary school?
That’s what UNESCO said in 2023. It’s not just a number. That’s real life.
Sometimes it’s not about not wanting to study. It’s more like… life just doesn’t make space for it. Maybe there’s no school nearby.
Or maybe the family needs them to work. Or maybe no one ever told them they could be more.
In India, NGOs like Anudip Foundation are doing something about it. We work with young people who’ve had it rough. A lot of them are girls, from small towns or hard places. We help them learn things they can use to actually get jobs.
Not just theory, but skills they can stand on. And maybe even more than that, a bit of belief in themselves. They reach around 40,000 young people a year. That’s not small.
UNESCO’s got programs too, like their Global Skills Academy. They’re trying to help more youth get the right kind of training—stuff that leads somewhere. Not just any job, but work that gives you purpose.
At the end of the day, it’s not just about school. It’s about giving someone a shot at something better.
The Importance of Mental Health Awareness for Youth
Out of all the aspects of well-being, mental health is certainly one of the most neglected for the youth today.
Mental disorders, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), begins for three-fourths of the population before the age of 24, but services are either non-existent or laden with stigma.
Suicide is the most prevalent cause of death for people aged 15-29 from the South Asia region.
Additionally, the world is still struggling with the aftermath of the pandemic, academic pressure, and extreme isolation which only further worsens the mental health crisis.
In support of this year’s International Youth Day, we call for greater mental health awareness and more open dialogues.
Mental health should be integrated into policies tailored for schools, workplaces, and the broader community. The care provided should be accessible, integrated, and inclusive for all.
How Communities Can Support Youth Initiatives?
Helping the youth is not solely the responsibility of a government or non-profit organization. Families, educational institutions, churches, and local business communities have a crucial responsibility as well.
Here’s how:
- Make it possible for the youth to actively participate, not only through surveys, but decision-making as well.
- Actively promote and assist in solving local issues.
- Make available places where expressions of creativity and debates can take place freely.
- Make it possible for the youth to engage in local community learning centers which teach, business, computer, life, and other essential skills.
- Social change tends to happen from the point where the youth actively engage, participate, and feel encouraged.
Supporting youth is not just the job of governments or nonprofits. Communities—families, schools, religious groups, local businesses—play a pivotal role.
A Call to Act for a Brighter Future
International Youth Day 2025 is not just another holiday; it is a call to action for all of us. It requires governments to allocate resources to education, emerging green industries, as well as mental health care.
The private sector, on the other hand, has the responsibility to give access to opportunities for young professionals, promote sustainability, and welcome new ideas.
Everyone needs to participate, and this means actively mentoring the younger generation, volunteering, and amplifying youth voices.
Support shouldn’t stop on a single day. It is on their courage that our shared future is built, and it is on their hope that the design for the world we all wish to inhabit is drawn.
Donate online to help Anudip transform the lives of underserved youth—because their future matters.