Digital generation

10 ways young people are harnessing digitalization to advance the Sustainable Development Goals

As world leaders gather for the Summit of the Future, two topics will be among those at the top of the agenda: youth and digital.

Taking place during the UN General Assembly high-level week, the Summit aims to forge a new global consensus to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Among the expected outcomes, Member States will adopt a ‘Pact for the Future’, including a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations.

The SDGs are the internationally agreed blueprint to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. After a series of setbacks, countries are working to get back on track, harnessing digitalization and other innovations to supercharge progress on the Goals ahead of the 2030 deadline.

Youth are the largest stakeholders in the SDGs. They have the most to gain from the world coming together to achieve the Goals – and the most to lose if we fall short. These young people were born in the digital age and have never experienced a world without the internet. As digital natives, it’s no surprise they are leading the way on technology and innovation to achieve the Goals.