Youth and young people are essential to accomplish UNODC’s mandates of enhancing the rule of law and improving human security, including justice and health priorities. More specifically, UNODC has the mandate to support the Member States in engaging youth in crime prevention efforts and in evidence-based drug use prevention as well as ensuring that youth and children are better served and protected by justice systems. Furthermore, the UNODC 2021-2025 Strategy highlights the empowerment of youth and young people as a cross-cutting commitment of the Organization. As the world enters the Decade of Action to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the participation of young people is imperative to take a good, hard look at the way things are and how to create exciting and innovative new pathways for change.

The Sustainable Development Goals - including Goal 3 on good health and well-being and Goal 16 on creating just, peaceful and inclusive societies - cannot be effectively achieved without meaningful youth engagement. 

In the Middle East and North Africa, UNODC works with countries to ensure that youth are equipped with the necessary resilience needed to face threats of violence and crime. For instance, sport can be a powerful tool to engage youth and promote positive values, building resilience to violence, crime, and substance use.