Brief description of proposal African countries are working to strengthen SDG localization processes and have identified youth engagement as a key accelerator for implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The Pact for the Future, adopted at the Summit of the Future in 2024, outlines concrete steps to incorporate current and future generations into decision-making. It emphasizes a commitment to creating more meaningful opportunities for young people at the local, regional, and global levels, to participate in shaping the processes and decisions that affect their lives.

Following requests from African Member States, UN DESA, in partnership with the AU-EU Youth Lab, which provides funding support to youth-led initiatives, and UN-Habitat, is organizing capacity-building workshops to support local youth actions for SDG localization. Two workshops will be held in Kenya to strengthen capacity related to youth engagement in SDG localization and explore mechanisms to provide sustainable support and financing through grants for youth-led initiatives.
The workshops will bring together representatives from youth-led organizations and local government officials to explore practical approaches for enhancing youth actions towards local SDG implementation and monitoring processes. These workshops will strengthen existing frameworks for youth actions in SDG localization, facilitating progress toward the 2030 Agenda through enhanced youth impact at the local level.