Vienna (Austria), 12 August 2024 - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) underscored the importance of young digital champions by hosting an online event for UNODC’s youth networks. This event joined International Youth Day 2024 celebrations worldwide, under the theme "From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development”, highlighting the transformative power of young people as digital innovators and their key role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The event featured breakout sessions covering UNODC’s five thematic areas and was led by UNODC personnel alongside young leaders from youth-focused initiatives. The sessions offered an interactive platform for participants to share best practices and explore innovative solutions.
Yannis Umlauf, President of UNODC’s Youth-Led Board to Prevent and Respond to Terrorism supported the organization of the event and noted, “It is crucial to equip the youth with the tools developed by the international community and UNODC to safeguard their future. International Youth Day empowers us to defend peace, justice, and resilience against extremism and crime.”
Karthika Pillai, a former participant of UNODC’s Youth Forum on the Sidelines of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, co-moderated one of the breakout rooms for the event. She further elaborated, “Being part of the Young Digital Innovators for Sustainable Development was truly refreshing. It gave me the opportunity to discuss my work in substance use prevention and gather valuable insights on how I can improve. It was inspiring to see UNODC continue to amplify youth voices from around the world and bring them to a platform where meaningful dialogue in this field can take place.”
As the world becomes increasingly digital, the contributions of young innovators are more critical than ever. International Youth Day 2024 not only celebrated these contributions but also provided platforms for young people to share their ideas and collaborate on innovative solutions. By empowering young people to harness digital tools and platforms, UNODC is helping to create a future where "clicks" truly lead to meaningful progress in achieving the SDGs.
Building Momentum: Knowledge Café on Youth and Homicide
In the lead-up to International Youth Day, UNODC, in collaboration with the Knowledge Management Taskforce of the Global Coalition on Youth, Peace, and Security (GCYPS), hosted a virtual event on August 8, 2024, titled “Youth Homicide Trends: How Tackling Violence Supports the Youth, Peace, and Security Agenda”. The event focused on the findings of the Youth Factsheet on Homicide 2023, the stories of young women from Central America recounting their experience of gang-related violence, and insights of young participants from various regions into youth involvement in violence.
Ana*- a young woman interviewed by UNODC for the Fact Sheet – summed up the event well when mentioning, “I think violence and organized crime among youth can cause a lot of problems and conflicts both psychologically and physically. Many of us are feeling drowned and lost...I would like to ask that this interview serve to highlight the importance of mental health support for the youth.”
*Note: Name has been changed to protect privacy.
Further information:
Homicide and Youth Fact Sheet: Results from the UNODC Global Study on Homicide 2023
