(Commonwealth)_ In the span of more than half a century, the Commonwealth Secretariat has spearheaded empowering young people across its 56 member states to take charge and develop in order to meet sustainable development goals (SDGs). The resolve was renewed once again on 12 August when the Secretariat partnered with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and UN-Habitat in hosting the official UN observance of the 2025 International Youth Day (IYD) celebrations in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Nairobi gathering brought together youth leaders, development partners, and policymakers for an informal briefing on the catalytic role of youth in the localization of the SDGs. It was among a gigantic set of IYD celebratory meetings organized by the Secretariat throughout the month of August. The debate broadened to address the reason why there have to be 17 SDGs in the midst of a moment of action at the local level, as the success of the 2030 Agenda relies to a large extent on people taking action. Initiated by the UN in 2015, the SDGs provide an umbrella with a global roadmap to promote peace, prosperity, and sustainability. A decade later, there has been mixed progress.
And while just 18 percent of targets are already being met, with progress on better access to quality education and bridging the digital divide, according to a July 2025 UN SDG report. However, 17 percent are progressing but must keep up the pace, and 18 percent have deteriorated and require action at both the national and global levels. Over the past decade, youth empowerment has been one of the most palpable grassroots forces for change. The Commonwealth Secretariat has enabled young leaders to design innovative, entrepreneurial, and sustainable solutions to the root social and environmental issues. Not only have these projects resulted in concrete outputs but they have also transformed the world mind-set in embracing youth leadership and participation. The Secretariat connection to youth work was underscored by the presence of previous winners of the Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work, or the Commonwealth Youth Awards.
Young people who address international development issues through innovation, creativity, and dedication to sustainable development are the focus of the awards, which aim to recognize outstanding projects.
These have ranged from mobile health projects in rural Africa to climate-resilient farm projects in the Caribbean, and as such, they indicate the wide range of activities undertaken by the youths. Some of the award winners present at the Nairobi ceremony were 2025 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year Stanley Anigbogu, founder and CEO of LightEd, whose waste-to-solar innovation has provided clean energy to over 10,000 African refugees. The local heroes, like Kenya’s Fredrick Kioko Kilonzo, were also present.
Fredrick preserved 500 hectares of biodiversity in his community conservation project, engaged more than 1,000 members of the local community, and established 50 green livelihoods with the Naturehub Collective. The youth networks, innovation platforms, capacity development training, and advocacy campaigns were highlighted at the conference as catalysts in mobilizing the youth to be SDG champions. The programs have provided young leaders with opportunities for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and scaling solutions to tackle challenges in conservation, health, social innovation, and other priority fields. The Commonwealth Secretariat is committed to investing in youth development over the next five years, acknowledging that young people are at the forefront of driving action towards the 2030 Agenda. With five years remaining to deliver the SDGs, momentum through youth solution support is critical. The Secretariat’s decade of success attests to its power to empower young people to convert the world vision of the SDGs into locally owned, action-oriented realities.
Through such promotion of innovation, leadership, and cross-sectoral collaboration by youth, the Commonwealth is also ensuring that young people are not only equipped to address challenges in the future but are already addressing them in the present times as well. As we approach 2030, youth engagement continues to be crucial in achieving sustainable development in member states.
