Bangladesh is facing the largest generation of youth in its history and youth constitutes inthe majority of the population. Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions) is not only a valuable and important aspiration in its own right, it is also a key enabling goal for the entire sustainable development agenda.

The 2030 Agenda will require action to secure peace, deliver justice, promote inclusive participation in politics and beyond, and consolidate effective, accountable and inclusive institutions if the priorities in the Agenda as a whole are to be realized. Young people should be seen as and often already are agents of change. At the same time, young people face a wide array of development challenges and their concerns are too often overlooked.

This must be addressed urgently and any attempt to build resilient governance must empower young people as key agents of change in their societies and communities. Youth voices, actions and willingness to influence decision-making processes in particular are
essential, if sustainable development is to be achieved.

Young people are often victims of multiple and interlocked forms of discrimination, frequently involving negative assumptions about age, capability and respect. Youth face barriers to accessing justice and having equal opportunities, but, at the same time, the positive role of
youth is acknowledged. For instance, the General Assembly, through the Doha Declaration (A/RES/70/174), recognized the fundamental role of youth in preventing crime and corruption, and calls upon Member States to reach out to young people, drawing on them as positive
agents of change. Youth face significant barriers to participation in public life, which leads them to be greatly underrepresented in decision-making and development processes.

The result of exclusion of youth is often that the needs and aspirations of young people are not adequately addressed, and their contributions to development lost. The independent progress study on youth, peace and security (2018) describes barriers to meaningful inclusion and participation and suggests three strategies to overcome the barriers: Transformation of systems that do not support meaningful inclusion of youth, prioritization of partnerships and collaborations with youth as equal partners, and investment in the capacity and leadership of youth as well as a conducive space for youth organizations.

Key issues:
● Sustained and meaningful youth participation in decision-making processes
● Human rights violations of young agents of change
● Young women and men as positive agents of change for peace, justice, accountable and inclusive societies
● Youth-inclusive national and local Goal 16 indicators
● Disaggregated data on peace, justice and inclusivity
● Youth participation in the follow-up and review of Goal 16, including in Voluntary
National Reviews

https://www.undp.org/publications/critical-agents-change-2030-agenda