International Youth Day 2026: WHO Calls for Greater Youth Leadership in Health
The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged for increased youth leadership in global health, emphasizing that young people need to be meaningfully involved in decisions that impact their health and future.
The call was made as the world marked International Youth Day 2026, under the theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.”
WHO released a message on 17 August, stating that young people in various communities have similar hopes for health, dignity, opportunity and a sustainable future. But millions of people still suffer from preventable and treatable diseases, such as HIV, tuberculosis (TB), viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The organisation pointed out that inequities in prevention, testing, treatment and care persist and impact young people, especially those living in poverty, displacement, stigma, discrimination and other forms of marginalisation.
In the context of child and youth protection, WHO emphasized that children and youth are not just targets of health issues, but also their agents of change.
The 1+1 Initiative has engaged over 90,000 young people in TB elimination activities, including awareness raising, stigma busting and community mobilisation.
WHO is now scaling up the programme to include HIV, TB, viral hepatitis and STIs, providing more opportunities for young people to participate in health responses.
The organisation called on young people to provide accurate health information, to challenge stigma and discrimination, and to use their voice to shape policies and services.
WHO stated that young people are not just leaders of the future, but partners and leaders in the present-day global health response.
The message is repeated for children and adolescents to remind them of the need to build safe and inclusive spaces where their voices are heard and their involvement in decision making is respected.
