Adoption of the Youth4Water initiative at UNESCO: historic vote on an official framework for youth in the water sector

The adoption of the Youth4Water initiative ensures youth’s participation in decision-making bodies, marking a turning point for water diplomacy.

The International Water Secretariat (IWS) is proud to announce that it has been designated the operational secretariat for UNESCO’s flagship initiative Youth4Water, a major recognition that crowns more than three decades of commitment to youth participation in water governance, the environment and sustainable development.

Officially adopted at the 27th session of the Council of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Hydrological Program (IHP), with the support of the Council’s 36 Member States, Youth4Water – developed by, for, and with youth organizations – represents a historic step forward by establishing the first institutional framework dedicated to youth participation within the United Nations water system. As the operational secretariat, ISW will coordinate the initiative and its implementation and report back to the Council of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Program.

A recognition that forms part of a long-standing commitment       

For over thirty years, the International Secretariat for Water has been working to strengthen the role of youth in decision-making processes. Young people aged 18 to 35 account for around 28 per cent of the world’s population – that is, more than 2 billion people – and are on the front line when it comes to environmental, social and health crises. At a time when multilateralism is being severely tested, youth are resisting fragmentation by organizing and mobilizing. Through intergenerational and cross-sectoral collaboration, they are proposing bold solutions and forging alliances to reshape a more sustainable world.

This appointment builds on collective efforts that gained significant momentum following the launch of the Global Youth Movement for Water at the 9th World Water Forum in Dakar in 2022, with support notably from Switzerland, the European Union, Quebec and Senegal. This momentum led, in particular, to the recognition of ISW as a Youth Umbrella Organization at the second United Nations Water Conference in 2023 in New York, enabling us to bring together more than 300 young people at this high-level event and paving the way for the establishment of a global mechanism for youth participation within the water sector.

Strengthening youth participation at the global scale

The Youth4Water initiative aims to strengthen the coordination, visibility and impact of youth-led actions through three strategic areas:

  • Education and capacity-building;
  • Careers, innovation and entrepreneurship;
  • Meaningful youth participation in water governance and management.

By bringing together existing initiatives, youth organizations, public institutions, universities, international organizations and partners in the water sector under a common framework, Youth4Water will help to ensure greater coherence in actions and create more opportunities for youth around the world.

A collective success       

“The adoption of the flagship Youth4Water initiative marks a decisive milestone and charts the course for the future of the water sector, emphasizing youth and their potential to solve its persistent problems. Thanks to this clear roadmap, the Global Youth Movement for Water has been able to effectively call on the United Nations system to ensure that young people become key players from now on; everyone understands that without investment in youth, the water sector has no promising future. The aim now is to promote and ensure meaningful youth participation, as well as the sustainable development of career paths in the water sector for young professionals. We welcome this, but we also recognize that this is only the beginning”.

Santiago Gomez Molina, civil engineer and regional leader of the World Youth Parliament for Water from Latin America and the Caribbean chapter (LAC)

“The future of water belongs to the next generation, and together we will empower them to shape it. As we look ahead to the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, the Youth4Water initiative will serve as a global platform for youth engagement, innovation and collaboration in support of SDG 6 and a more secure future for water”

Dr Shadi Wajih Hasan, from the Centre for Membranes and Advanced Water Technologies (CMAT) at Khalifa University in the United Arab Emirates.

“This recognition reflects the trust placed in the work carried out by ISW and its partners over many years. It also confirms the importance of providing youth with sustainable spaces for participation and influence in water governance processes. Water-related challenges – exacerbated by climate change – require, more than ever, collaborative, inclusive and intergenerational approaches”

Sarah Dousse, Executive Director of the International Secretariat for Water.

The International Secretariat for Water would like to thank all the youth professionals, governments, international organizations, academic institutions, civil society partners and donors who have contributed to this historic milestone.

The Youth4Water initiative, supported by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Hydrological Program, will be hosted by the United Arab Emirates at Khalifa University, underlining the initiative’s academic and international roots, and will be officially launched at the 2026 United Nations Water Conference in Abu Dhabi, co-organized by the United Arab Emirates and Senegal.

We call on all organizations and institutions to join this global movement by supporting youth participation at all strategic levels of Youth4Water.