© World Bank / Roxana Bravo

The Global Forum on Youth Policies aims to build a common understanding of the needs for and rationales of systemic and cross-sectoral approaches to youth policy, and seeks to develop guiding principles for integrated youth policy development. The first edition will be hosted in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 28 to 30 October 2014, by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in the framework of the country’s Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers.

The Forum is convened by the United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth together with UNESCO, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Council of Europe.

It will bring together about 700 policy makers representing governments, civil society, donors and academia.

In 2014, 122 countries have developed a national youth policy, compared to 99 in 2013. These numbers show that governments are increasingly aware of the need for legal and policy frameworks that respond adequately to young peoples’ needs, aspirations and demands. Despite these advances, a number of challenges affect both the efficiency and inclusiveness of youth policies.

By renewing the commitment to public policies on youth issues, the Forum will be a milestone in defining what it means to take young people and youth policies seriously in the twenty-first century.

The team of youthpolicy.org will support the Global Forum. Subsequent editions will rotate geographically.