This year’s campaign reinforces the Pact for the Future, which recognizes that youth and future generations are vital agents of positive change and it provides an important opportunity to build the trust and engagement of this young generation in political systems and decision making. The median age of national leaders is 62 although half of the world population is under 30. A recent report by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) found that only 2.8 percent of parliamentarians are aged 30 or under. To support a future of integrity and accountability, we need deliberate efforts to ensure that young people take their places now rather than later in political processes and decision making. 

Youth, like other groups, are victims of corruption, which undermines their opportunities, rights, and future. This affects their access to education, job prospects, and extra-curricular activities, as well as public services and the justice system. As a result, young people are often unable to reach their full potential, facing extreme poverty, limited basic services, and a lack of respect for their fundamental rights. Youth movements have played a vital role in demanding justice and good governance, building sustainable economies, and bringing climate change to the forefront of international policy discussions. Young people are powerful forces for promoting integrity and combating corruption, and they need to be supported. 

Fighting corruption remains a foundational principle of UNDP’s work. We believe that young people’s involvement as agents of change is crucial, and youth should be empowered to ensure integrity and combat corruption at all levels. By facilitating youth-led anti-corruption networks across different regions, like Asia, the Pacific and Arab countries, UNDP supports young people with the platforms and the means to initiate change, as well as share knowledge with their peers. The UNDP-developed Business Integrity Toolkit for young Entrepreneurs was created by UNDP’s FairBiz project and  Youth Co:Lab, to guide budding entrepreneurs and support integrity among young people. Through the United Nations Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project, youth in the Pacific have partnered with UNDP to make progress in integrating integrity measures into vital climate discussions. From Pacific Youth Summit to creating a toolkit for Integrity in Action, youth continue to engage in strategic discussions with leaders on good governance and the impact of corruption on sustainable development. 

Young people are pivotal in fostering technological advancement and innovation, due to their adaptability, creativity and, often, their affinity for digital tools and new technologies. Tech-savvy youth are leveraging innovation to create tools that expose and report corrupt practices. Young innovators are spearheading the fight against corruption using AI, blockchain, and social media. An example is the award-winning #PasstheBaton campaign against corruption in Iraq. Using platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, the campaign engages young people in conversations on transparency and accountability, encouraging them to “pass the baton” of integrity. Supported by the Government of Iraq, the European Union, and UNDP, the campaign amassed 65 million views in just ten days, demonstrating the potential of youth-driven digital advocacy.

However, as pointed out in a recent UNDP report, despite their demographic significance, young people face significant challenges in engaging in political and civic activities. They remain largely excluded from formal political processes and civic engagement—not due to a lack of experience, but primarily because of economic, legal, and socio-cultural barriers. This exclusion is further exacerbated by a mutual lack of trust between youth and political leaders or institutions, perpetuated by laws, cultural norms, and community practices that implicitly or explicitly hinder youth participation.

UNDP strongly believes that fostering young people’s political participation goes beyond increasing numbers. As recognised in the Pact for the Future, youth must be empowered as agents of change by ensuring their meaningful participation in decision-making processes at all levels, from local to global. 

This is the first step in ensuring youth-inclusive processes for integrity and anti-corruption. 

Secondly, to empower youth to take on leadership roles in anti-corruption efforts, effective collaboration between youth organizations, governments, development partners, and other stakeholders is critical. This requires increased investment in youth participation. 

Finally, leveraging technology and equipping young leaders with the necessary tools and knowledge can also be transformative. For example, youth-led anti-corruption initiatives using open data and technology—including monitoring systems and blockchain—can significantly enhance transparency, improve oversight, and strengthen corruption reporting mechanisms, fostering more accountable and transparent societies.

Reference Link: https://www.undp.org/blog/fostering-youth-inclusive-political-processes-integrity-and-anti-corruption

After intense discussions at the recent UNDP-OECD Cross-Regional Dialogue on investing for gender equality and inclusive climate action, I have hope. I have renewed confidence that there are choices that can be made at the UN Climate Change Conference in Baku (COP29) and beyond, which can initiate a new time where we are able to simultaneously address the climate crisis and build a more gender equal world.

Bending the arc of progress

The arc of progress towards gender equality is not linear. Wars, conflicts, climate change—along with social and political backlash—are putting up a “resistance fortress” against gender equality. In parallel, there are pockets of skepticism and misinformation which cast climate policies as threats to economic stability, while groups with powerful interests continue to resist.

But there is hope. Eighty percent of people want their governments to take stronger climate action, according to a recent UNDP survey. The Peoples’ Climate Vote, the largest ever standalone public opinion survey on climate change, also showed that this includes the majority of people living in the biggest greenhouse gas emitters. 

Agreeing on strong climate action is one thing. How do we get it right? Crucially, will women benefit equally? Will a green transition help women get higher paid, more stable jobs? Will it help them gain control of their lives and the future of their countries? 

The answer can be yes. Yes, if governments’ level of ambition is high. Yes, if countries adopt strong new policies and programmes, which embed justice and equality and are sufficiently resourced. Yes, if women are also the ones designing these climate actions, policies and programmes. 

There is no time to lose. The transition has started, and it will soon be too late to ensure that equality is built into its very foundations. Estimates show that by 2050, climate change may push up to 158 million more women and girls into extreme poverty, 16 million more than men and boys.

To address the systemic failures that continue to reproduce unequal outcomes, we must invest in the following areas; 

• Ensuring states are ready for gender-responsive climate action   

Effective climate action requires substantial investment in reforming the institutions that implement the policies. Gaps in gender expertise, reliable data, intersectoral coordination, budgets, and institutional frameworks are just some of the challenges public institutions face. Meaningful engagement with women’s organizations is also essential, but rarely happens. 

Our experience has shown that cosmetic changes or ad-hoc trainings are not effective. Instead, UNDP’s “Climate Promise” helps countries systematically integrate gender equality into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Additionally, as part of the UNDP Gender Equality Seal Certification programme, we work alongside public institutions, including ministries for environment and energy –supporting countries to undertake comprehensive reforms through a two-year roadmap to implement international gender equality standards. 

• Putting care at the heart of climate action

Let me make a bold statement: women do not have time to be part of the green transition. Climate impacts not only increase care work for women disproportionately, but care responsibilities overshadow women’s opportunities to join any green work force. After a flood or other climate-induced crisis, women will still be expected to take care of the kids (who are probably out of school due to the crisis), while also having to wait in line for hours to get food tickets and carry on with household chores even though water wells and natural resources are damaged beyond use. So how is the new green job market going to make a difference?

There are ways to unburden women. Universal access to clean cooking could save women up to 40 hours a week – hours they could, for example, invest in learning green technologies to join the new labour market. Free time can be transformational. Yet decision makers often do not invest in care, because the contribution of care to the economy is not reflected in major economic indicators. 

A just and green transition must recognize care as a public good. UNDP is working with an increasing number of countries to develop and expand comprehensive care systems – including 13 countries over the last year – but much more needs to be done.

• Financing

In 2021, the green finance market was worth upwards of US$540.6 billion, but most of it is channeled via commercial banks and investment vehicles, not adapted to small businesses or the informal sector, where a large proportion of women-led entrepreneurial activity is. The truth is that many women do not have credit records, collateral, or their own legal address, let alone access to major investment resources. Moreover, only a fraction of green finance is gender-responsive, and just a small percentage reaches women’s organizations. 

Public budgets can be another key source of green and inclusive financing, but only if they are planned with purpose. Through our global EQUANOMICs Programme, UNDP helps countries expand their fiscal space, and better plan their budgets to invest in gender equality.

A green and feminist future

The hard work of building a green and feminist future should not be underestimated. Ninety percent of the world—women and men alike—are biased against women. Shifting social norms, transforming policies and getting our institutions ready for a just transition is a huge task – but it is possible. As we participate in COP29 and look ahead to 2025 which will mark the 10^th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, there are urgent choices to be made. We can, and must, choose differently. 

Reference Link: https://www.undp.org/blog/gender-equality-missing-piece-climate-debate

In Pakistan, for example, the National Commission for Human Rights is a crucial advocate for human rights, particularly for the most vulnerable populations, and contributes to early warning and recovery efforts in the face of multiple crises. With UNDP’s support, the Commission provided emergency relief assistance and organized community dialogues following the violence in Jaranwala last year. This effort was commended by the Federal Ministry of Human Rights. In 2024, the Commission was accredited as an A-Status NHRI, confirming its full compliance with the Paris Principles. 

And in Malawi, UNDP supports the transformation and operational expansion of the Human Rights Commission. In 2024, the Commission developed a new Strategic Plan and established a digital system to better track national human rights commitments and receive complaints of human rights violations.

“UNDP’s support was so important because it helped us position Malawi’s human rights priorities in a way that directly supports sustainable development. Working with UNDP also showcased what the Commission was capable of when invested in, which helped us strengthen our relationships with partners and expand our work further,” said Habiba Osman, Executive Secretary of the Malawi Human Rights Commission.

There is often a gap between international human rights norms and the reality of how people experience human rights in their daily lives. NHRIs help to bridge this gap and protect human dignity. NHRIs are independent actors that promote and protect human rights in a country, including monitoring and reporting on the human rights situation. They address individual complaints, investigate human rights violations, and contribute to crisis prevention and early warning. NHRIs give voice to people and groups at risk of being left behind, advocating for their rights and ensuring their participation in policy decisions.

As UN Member States convene at the 2024 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) to review progress under the 2030 Agenda, NHRIs’ contribution to sustainable development should be central to the discussions. These institutions are key for human rights protection, accountability and justice. Hence, they are key for development, as over 90 percent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are grounded in human rights. And, the presence of an effective independent NHRI is an indicator of progress under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

“There is often a gap between international human rights norms and the reality of how people experience human rights in their daily lives. National human rights institutions help to bridge this gap and protect human dignity.”

The HLPF comes on the heels of reports that global development progress is uneven and reversing in some areas. We are seeing a general backsliding of human rights, with a recent report from the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers warning of “a concerning trend of declining human rights as democratic institutions face increasing pressure and leaders fail to uphold the rule of law.” This is exacerbated by the fact that only 45 percent of countries currently benefit from a Paris Principles-compliant NHRI.

The international community has increasingly recognized the importance of these institution. In December 2023, at a high-level event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 16 Member States pledged to establish or strengthen NHRIs. However, further investment in NHRIs is needed to get the SDGs back on track and to fulfil the promise of the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind. A fourfold increase in investment to establish and strengthen NHRIs is required to meet the commitments made to achieve SDG16. NHRIs are not just watchdogs; they are the guardians of human dignity, ensuring that human rights are upheld even in the most challenging times.

Reference Link: https://www.undp.org/blog/do-national-human-rights-institutions-hold-key-sdgs