Youth organizations, have your say! Shape tomorrow by speaking up today!

While largely spared the physical impact of COVID-19, young people around the world remain among those hardest hit by the pandemic.

Limits on social contact have seen schools shuttered. For many young people, this has resulted in a shift of learning from the classroom to the bedroom, living room or kitchen.

Anxiety over exams and the impacts on future education and career prospects are compounded by limited opportunity to connect and socialize with friends.

For others, their education has been brought to a sudden halt, and in some tragic instances left them at risk of physical violence, without a network to support them.

Among older peers, those about to embark on post-secondary education, or recently graduated seeking job opportunities, an uncertain future lies ahead.

The wider social and economic impacts on future generations remain to be seen.

Have your say!

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the inequities already existing in societies. To address this, it is time to rethink policy priorities in the light of pandemics. But this requires a long-term vision and the views of future generations to help make it a reality. If you are part of a youth organization which has something to say on how to build a sustainable future, the Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development wants to hear from you.

How can you participate?

Youth organizations formally established as nongovernmental entities with non-profit, public-interest goals are invited to present their views. This could include, for example, grassroots community organizations, civil society groups and networks, faith-based organizations, and professional groups with members not older than 30 years of age.

Your organization is invited to:

• consider the Commission’s statement “Rethinking policy priorities in the light of pandemics”;
• reflect on how the actions proposed in this statement address the needs of future generations;
• consult with members of your youth organization to consolidate your feedback to this call;
• enter your organization’s inputs in the SurveyMonkey (link at the bottom of this page);

If you have a story you wish to share, reach out to us at eurofuturegenerations@who.int

To participate, your youth organization or chapter should have active membership anywhere in the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region. Individual or anonymous responses will not be considered.

If you have any questions about this online consultation, please write to eurofuturegenerations@who.int prior to the deadline.

The consultation process

This online consultation is being conducted by the WHO Secretariat of the WHO European Region for and on behalf of the independent Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development.

The online consultation will be open from 15 April to 5 May 2021. Following the consultation, all participants will be invited to join a public debrief session to learn more about the outcomes of the process, and to hear reflections from members of the Commission. More details will follow in due course.

The online consultation will be conducted on the basis of transparency, openness, inclusiveness, accountability, integrity and mutual respect.

What is the Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development?

Chaired by Professor Mario Monti, the Commission is an independent and interdisciplinary group of leaders convened by WHO/Europe to rethink policy priorities in the light of pandemics.

It is comprised of former heads of state and government, distinguished life scientists and economists, heads of health and social care institutions, and leaders of the business community and financial institutions from across the WHO European Region.

The mandate of the Commission is to draw lessons from the ways in which different countries’ health systems have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and make recommendations on investments and reforms to improve the resilience of health- and social-care systems.

The Commission’s work will culminate in a report to be published in September 2021 with recommendations on investments and reforms to improve health- and social-care systems.