UN Panel
Young panelists speak with UN Secretary-General António Guterres. (Church & Society Photo)
General Board of Church and Society | September 27, 2024
At the UN’s Summit of the Future (September 22-23), world leaders embraced a new era of multilateralism by adopting three pivotal documents: the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations. These documents aim to create a more collaborative and inclusive global governance system, emphasizing the inclusive participation of all stakeholders, including youth and marginalized communities, in decision-making processes.
The Challenge of Implementation
While the adoption of these documents marks a significant milestone, the real hurdle lies in their practical application. The Rev. Liberato Bautista, GBCS’s main representative to the UN, articulated this concern during the Morning After the Summit of the Future event: “The most significant promise of this trifecta of documents is also its greatest peril—how to transform promises into tangible actions that enhance the lives of the world’s 8 billion people.”
UMC Speaker
The Rev. Liberato Bautista spoke and moderated at the event “The Morning after the SoTF” that reviewed the Summit of the Future and its outcome Pact for the Future and proposed a legally-binding right to development as a way to realize the mandates of the Summit. (Photo Courtesy of Church and Society)
Generational Responsibility and Youth Leadership
A major obstacle to inclusive decision making for positive change is the entrenched resistance to that change. In the days preceding the Summit, Action Days tackled the critical issue of intergenerational collaboration through a candid High-Level Dialogue with UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Guterres offered a sobering assessment of his generation’s legacy: “We have to recognize that my generation messed up in relation to the world today.” He stressed the urgency of building a world where the next generation can thrive, adding, “This cannot happen if your generation is not part of the decision-making process that is still controlled by my generation.”
Obstacles to Youth Participation
Daphne Frias, a disabled youth activist and storyteller participating in the dialogue, provided sharp critique about youth inclusion in influencing global decisions. “The question isn’t whether obstacles exist—it’s identifying and dismantling them,” she remarked. Frias addressed a critical concern that emerged from a live survey during the event—tokenism. She explained, “The most insidious aspect of tokenism is that our stories are shared but fail to inform subsequent actions. Our voices occupy rooms but fall on silent ears.”
Live Poll at UN
A live poll showed audience opinion on current stage of youth participation. Both in-person and livestream audiences participated in the survey on their phones. (Church & Society Photo)
Reimagining Mentorship and Shifting Power Dynamics
Advocating for the amplification of unheard voices, Frias proposed a radical reimagining of mentorship: “We need to push the boundaries of reverse mentorship, where adults not only teach young people but also learn from us. It must be a symbiotic relationship, not a hierarchical one.”
The call for transforming power dynamics was echoed by Josefa Tauli, an indigenous youth leader from the Philippines and a fellow panelist. Emphasizing the need for systemic change in global decision-making processes, she advocated for “a shift in who holds power and space to speak, who receives resources, whose expertise we value, and whose values guide our decisions.”
Barriers to Inclusive Participation
While youth involvement was a key focus, broader civil society inclusion in multilateral processes remains problematic. Complex accreditation processes and short-notice announcements often hinder participation. A recent example saw participants given less than 24 hours’ notice before the deadline for Special Event Tickets to the UN General Assembly debate, highlighting the need for more accessible and transparent systems.
The Urgency of Change
Change within an institution as vast as the United Nations is gradual. However, the imperative for transformation has never been more pressing. As Rev. Liberato Bautista poignantly expressed, “Today is already the future based on yesterday’s hindsight. And so, the ‘fierce urgency of now’ beckons because change is much faster than multilateral imagination and policymaking allow.” These words resonate as a powerful reminder of the critical need to transform the Summit’s visionary commitments into tangible, far-reaching changes for a more just, equitable, peaceful and sustainable world for all.
Read the Summit of the Future Outcome Documents
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