2025 engagements

Youth Assembly engagements in the thematic area of on gender equality and women's empowerment in 2025 began with a consultative process, initiated through the participation of two young leaders from the World Food Forum (WFF) at the Expert Group Meeting on SDG 5 in January 2025. This marked the starting point for an inclusive dialogue on advancing gender equality in agrifood systems.

The engagements included three in-person (hybrid) consultations: a Thematic Youth Assembly session in Geneva was held in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) that focused on supporting women in accessing decent rural employment, a youth-led side event at the 69th Commission on the Status of Women centered on the role of education and training for young women in agrifood systems, and a side event at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum was held in partnership with UN Women, the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations, the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations and the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth.

In addition to physical engagements, the Youth Assembly consultation process was expanded through an online survey, with the aim to gather contributions via a structured call for inputs, allowing for broader and more inclusive youth participation.

Key youth priorities that emerged from these engagements included:

• localizing peer-led training models such as community radio and mobile learning platforms;
• promoting gender-responsive policies that improve access to land, finance, and technology;
• focusing on practical, hands-on skill development in areas like agri-tech, climate resilience, and entrepreneurship; and
• empowering young women in the agrifood innovation sector through access to digital tools, artificial intelligence, and internet connectivity to bridge the digital and gender divide.

Tentative 2025–2026 engagements

At the end of June 2025, the draft youth recommendations will be presented and refined during an intergenerational policy dialogue, bringing together experts from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Committee on World Food Security, UN Women, ILO and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to align youth priorities with technical and policy expertise.

The youth recommendations paper as an outcome of this process will be presented at the High-Level Political Forum in July 2025. This event seeks to build momentum from policy to action, bringing together diverse stakeholders to highlight their commitment to this process.

Throughout 2026, the Youth Assembly will move from advocacy to localization of the recommendations through WFF National Chapters. The National Chapters will be the primary mechanism for youth-led outcomes to drive the implementation of the collective voice of the Youth Assembly.