UNESCO’s Operational Strategy on Youth (2014-2021) (OSY) aims to ensure that young women and men are engaged in policies and programs that affect them. The strategy recognizes youth as agents of change, social transformation, peace, and sustainable development. The three complementary and transversal axes that underpin the strategy are 1) Policy formulation and review; 2) Capacity development; and 3) Civic engagement, democratic participation, and social innovation.
To support our work on policy formulation and review, or Axis 1, UNESCO has been developing a draft guidance on creating inclusive and participatory youth policies. In late 2016, UNESCO Bangkok added to this guidance by developing a strategy for mainstreaming gender equality and social inclusion. For the most part, these two toolkits have been combined. Additionally, UNESCO has created an online inclusive policy lab to enable widescale co-creation of policies.