Youth Voices Rising at UNGA80: Putting Safe and Sustainable Mobility on the Global Agenda

Every September, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) turns New York into the beating heart of global diplomacy. Presidents, ministers, civil society, and business leaders gather to debate the world’s most urgent challenges. UNGA80 was not just another milestone – it marked 80 years of the UN and a moment of reckoning: can global institutions still deliver trust and real change for people, especially the younger generation?

On the sidelines of UNGA80, something different took place. At Unlock 2025: Leaders Convene II, leaders and young people met in a room with no panels, no podiums – just honest dialogue. The question on the table was simple yet bold: Which parts of the UN should we prioritise over the next two years, and how can youth coalitions turn those commitments into action where people actually live?

In that space, Simon Obi, Supervisory Board Member of YOURS and part of the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety, carried forward our message. He spoke about youth-led Local Actions, training programmes, and advocacy efforts taking root in more than 70 countries. Most powerfully, he reminded the room that road traffic injury is the leading killer of young people worldwide – a crisis that connects not only to public health, but also to climate justice and sustainable development.

Simon’s words echoed far beyond the room. They represented the collective force of a movement of young leaders who are proving, again and again, that youth belong in the places where decisions are made. His presence at UNGA80 symbolised what happens when one voice carries thousands – a reminder that young people are not waiting for permission to lead, they already are.

 "The world has reached a point where engaging and investing in young people must be seen as a core strategy for driving rapid impact. While influencing decision-makers at the top remains important, empowering youth is even more powerful - because they are already leading today, and through their sheer numbers and energy, they can influence swift, large-scale change at the local level.” This is what YOURS is doing through its different programs, especially the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety." 
At the heart of this movement are three principles that guide how we show up everywhere, from local town halls to the UN stage:

• Invest in Youth Solutions: Governments and all stakeholders, it’s time to work with us. Put funding into youth-led ideas that tackle all elements of the safe system and the infrastructure we rely on daily.
• Team Up Across Generations: When young people bring their energy and perspectives to the table alongside experienced decision-makers, we can build solutions that are smarter, safer, and more sustainable. Youth are key to making this happen.
• Accountability Matters: It’s not enough to hear us—we need real influence. We call for youth integration in the design, execution, and monitoring of policies at all levels. Promises without action are a betrayal; only data-driven results will bring real change.

For too long, safe and sustainable mobility has been left at the margins of global conversations. At UNGA80, young leaders made it clear: this is not a side issue, it’s central to building healthier, fairer, and more climate-resilient futures.