At the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2026, refugee youth leaders and partners emphasized the urgent need for stronger investment in skills development and decent work opportunities, warning that millions of young people risk being left behind without immediate action. The side event, co‑organized by ILO, UNICEF, UNHCR, and the Global Refugee Youth Network, brought together around 70 participants from governments, UN agencies, youth‑led organizations, and civil society to discuss how to advance self‑reliance in forced displacement contexts.
The session introduced the PROSPECTS4Youth Intergenerational Network, a new initiative designed to unite governments, UN entities, refugee youth organizations, academia, civil society, and the private sector to strengthen coordinated action across the humanitarian–development–peace nexus. Speakers highlighted the importance of meaningful youth engagement, partnerships, and localization as key to advancing socio‑economic inclusion for displaced youth.
ILO’s Special Representative Cynthia Samuel‑Olonjuwon stressed the need to place young people at the centre of responses to forced displacement, while Kenya’s Ambassador Erastus Ekitela Lokaale pointed to the Shirika Plan as a transformative framework for integrating refugees into national systems. Jurriaan Middelhoff of the Netherlands reflected on lessons from the Youth at Heart Strategy, emphasizing partnerships like PROSPECTS in expanding access to education, skills, and employment.
Youth leaders shared examples of initiatives already making a difference. In Zimbabwe’s Tongogara Refugee Camp, the Refugee Coalition for Climate Action leads projects in environmental education, agroforestry, and sustainable energy, providing both climate action and economic support for refugee families. In Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Mary Maker’s Elimisha Kakuma initiative supports access to higher education for refugee youth. Other speakers, such as Siam Yabili of Congo Connexion, underscored the importance of expanding decent work opportunities, while Kellie Leeson of the Women’s Refugee Commission highlighted the barriers refugee youth‑led organizations face in accessing resources.
Participants agreed that advancing self‑reliance requires sustained investment in youth leadership, skills development, and decent work, alongside stronger partnerships across sectors. Closing the session, Laura Valencia emphasized that meaningful engagement of young people in decisions affecting their lives is essential for lasting solutions. The forum concluded with a call for governments and partners to scale up investment and ensure refugee youth are actively involved in shaping policies and programmes, turning commitments into concrete action.
