The United Nations Youth Office is an office of the United Nations Secretariat dedicated to youth affairs. Established by United Nations General Assembly resolution 76/306, which was adopted without a vote in September 2022, the Office became operational in December 2023 under the inaugural Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, Felipe Paullier of Uruguay.
The Youth Office succeeded the Office of the Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth, with the Assistant Secretary-General replacing the post of Envoy, which was held by Jayathma Wickramanayake of Sri Lanka.
History The creation of the Office was proposed in the 2021 "Our Common Agenda" report of the United Nations Secretary-General, which suggested a dedicated entity within the Secretariat that would be responsible for UN System-wide coordination of youth affairs.
The office was created as a standalone entity within the United Nations Secretariat. An initial structure of 16 posts and a budget of 2.31 million United States dollars a year was provided. The General Assembly recommended that the head of the Office, the Assistant Secretary-General, be under the age of thirty-five at the date of appointment.
Mandate and activities General Assembly Resolution 76/306 mandated the office to lead engagement and advocacy of the United Nations Secretariat to advance youth issues across the United Nations System, while promoting the meaningful, inclusive, and effective participation of youth, youth-led and youth-focused organisations in the work of the United Nations.
The office serves a functional role as a system-wide coordinator for youth participation, contributing to the second phase of the Youth2030 strategy and the implementation of the Pact for the Future.
Leadership The office is led by the Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs. Felipe Paullier, who previously served as Director-General of the National Youth Institute of Uruguay, was appointed by the incumbent Secretary-General António Guterres on 27 October 2023. He took office on 1 December 2023.
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