From the 20th - 23rd of September 2024, the Summit of the Future and the preceding Action Days took place. This high-level event has been called a once-in-a-generation opportunity for multilateral cooperation to develop solutions for future generations. Member states, UN entities, the private sector, and NGOs gathered to take part in the discussions. DRC was there alongside young people with lived experiences of displacement.
Spotlight on young refugees at the opening of the Summit of the Future
It was a historic moment when Monica Malith, a young displacement-affected leader from South Sudan, addressed the opening of the Summit of the Future, preceding the UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres. Monica Malith's intervention was not only powerful, but also a testimony to the growing and needed attention on young people affected by displacement. Both in terms of enhancing young people's meaningful participation in decision-making processes, in terms of enhancing their self-reliance and opportunities, and honouring their hopes and dreams.
It is our collective duty to provide not just immediate assistance, but also long-term compassionate solutions that uphold the dignity of refugees and enable their meaningful contribution to society.
/ Monica Malith, opening of the Summit of the Future.
A summary of the Summit of the Future
The Summit of the Future took place on the 22-23 September in New York with the Action Days preceding and followed by the annual UN General Assembly.
The Summit of the Future has been described as: "a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine the multilateral system and steer humanity on a new course to meet existing commitments and solve long-term challenges". As such, the Summit of the Future was a pivotal moment for shedding light on the unique challenges young people face in light of global challenges, their huge potential that needs to be unleashed, and the importance of including them, meaningfully, in decision-making processes.
During the Summit of the Future, the world leaders adopted the Pact for the Future, the Declaration on Future Generations, and the Global Digital Compact. The adaptation of these and the global commitment to work for a future with, for, and by young people is a great milestone and a testimony to the momentum of the global youth agenda.
Meaningful participation of young people in displacement
Together with UNHCR and the Compact for Young People in Humanitarian Action partners, DRC facilitated the participation of young people with lived experiences of displacement in the Summit of the Future and the Action Days preceding.
Young people from various countries, including South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Iran took part in high-level debates, events, and meetings. There was a large interest among permanent representations, the EU, and UN agencies in meeting and hearing the perspectives of the young people.
#YouthLead: Innovative solutions in humanitarian action
During the Action Days leading up to the Summit of the Future, DRC co-hosted the event: "#YouthLead: Innovative solutions in humanitarian action". The session amplified youth-led innovative solutions for emergencies and prolonged crises and aimed to address the root causes of humanitarian situations and forced displacement, and support inclusion in national systems. By fostering dialogue and strengthening partnerships among youth-led organisations, young leaders, policymakers, and humanitarian actors, the session mobilised commitments to increase investment and resources for youth-led initiatives and integrate their participation in decision-making processes.
The session included a panel discussion with young displacement-affected youth leaders and an intervention by Tarek Hussein, CEO of DFUNK (DRC's youth organisation), shedding light on mental health and inter-generational implications of displacement experience.
Youth Leadership in Action - The Future we Cannot Afford to Ignore
During the Summit of the Future, DRC co-hosted the event: "Youth Leadership in Action - The Future we Cannot Afford to Ignore".The event was a high-levelDialogue & Reception, utilising the pivotal moment at the end of the Summit of the Future to showcase how young refugees’ active participation and leadership in shaping policies and interventions can lead to more sustainable outcomes. The event explored how those good practices could be scaled up to empower more young people to become self-reliant in their communities.
DRC's Global Youth Advisor, Jakob Myschetzky, announced the soon-to-be-launched DRC funding mechanism for refugee-led youth organisations, and he stated: “Young people want to be partners for the future, they are ready to commit and to do their share of the work for a brighter future. And that is really what this is about – partnerships and multilateral solutions. And trust! Trust that young people are indeed able to lead and to make the changes happen. We sometimes refer to this as localisation - and working with refugee youth-led organisations should be imperative.”
Beyond the Summit of the Future
While the Summit of the Future and the global commitment to work towards a better and more sustainable world for future generations is certainly pivotal, it only marks the beginning. UN Secretary-General states that "this is the first step, but there is still a long way to go", and urges to continue to push for decisive action and to create meaningful progress.
Now is the time to act on the outcomes of the Summit of the Future. DRC is committed to working towards a more sustainable, equitable, and better world for young people and future generations affected by displacement, and to ensure that displacement-affected youth are not left behind when it comes to the actual actions set out in the Pact for the Future.
