On 12 March 2025, the world witnessed a pivotal moment for youth drug prevention when the Global Youth Declaration on Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery took centre stage at the 68th Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna. Developed collaboratively with over a thousand young people from sixty-four countries, this milestone not only embodies the urgent call for more meaningful youth engagement but also emphasizes the need for strengthened support systems. Furthermore, it highlights practical measures aimed at securing a safer, drug-free future for young people everywhere.

Understanding the Global Youth Declaration and Its Beginnings

The Global Youth Declaration stands as a unified statement representing 1,145 young voices from 63 countries, reflecting a broad array of cultures, backgrounds, and challenges. Crafted by the Global Youth Core Group, consisting of fifteen dedicated members across thirteen countries, the declaration was officially launched during a CND Side Event hosted by the Drug Free America Foundation.

The guiding focus of this declaration centres on youth drug prevention, treatment, and recovery, echoing the feedback and aspirations gathered through the Global Youth Survey. The survey, which ran from September 2024 through January 2025, captured the lived experiences and insights of young people aged 15 to 29, providing the foundation for this unprecedented global initiative.

Why Youth Drug Prevention Needs a New Approach

A key message from the Global Youth Declaration is clear: current efforts often miss the mark because they overlook the perspectives of young people themselves. With growing vulnerability fuelled by normalisation of substance use, crises, and the rapid spread of new illicit substances, the importance of youth-centred solutions has never been greater.

Survey findings underline worrying gaps. Nearly three-quarters of respondents feel misunderstood by their governments and lack real opportunities to shape policies that directly affect them. The Global Youth Declaration responds with a call for transparent, democratic processes that include youth in every stage of policymaking.

The Core Recommendations of the Global Youth Declaration

1. Actively Listen to and Engage Youth

The strongest recommendation to emerge from this declaration is the need for governments and organisations to involve young people at every turn. Suggestions include setting up regular dialogue spaces, creating youth councils, and amplifying youth voices through forums, focus groups, and official declarations.

With over 75% of young people feeling disconnected from the decisions that impact their lives, practical, ongoing engagement is crucial for the success of any youth drug prevention effort.

2. Enhance Research and Modernise Awareness Campaigns

To address the unique challenges faced by youth, the declaration urges stakeholders to invest in comprehensive, youth-focused research. Awareness campaigns must be evidence-based and reflect the realities of different demographics, using digital platforms and traditional media alike to avoid stigmatisation.

Significantly, the survey revealed major disparities in risk perception by age, gender, and locality. This means that a one-size-fits-all approach is inadequate. Special attention should be paid to young people under the age of eighteen, acknowledging their unique vulnerabilities.

3. Implement Gender-Responsive Solutions

Gender matters when it comes to drug prevention and recovery. The declaration highlights a closed gender gap in young people’s perception of drug risks, but also points to distinct vulnerabilities, especially for young women under 23 who face heightened mental health, peer, and economic pressures. Young men, meanwhile, tend to encounter economic and social challenges at later stages.

A gender-sensitive approach ensures that everyone receives the tailored support necessary for successful prevention and recovery.

4. Improve Access to Youth-Focused Services

A consistent theme across the Global Youth Declaration is the urgent need for accessible, affordable services designed with and for young people. Waiting lists for psychologists are too long, and many communities still lack 24-hour support or reliable hotlines.

The declaration calls for services built in collaboration with youth, including reintegration and aftercare support. These should emphasise family and peer involvement, ensuring no young person faces their struggles alone.

5. Empower Young People with Economic Independence and Leadership

Youth drug prevention is closely linked to economic opportunity. Financial instability and lack of employment options consistently emerge as drivers of vulnerability among young people. To counter this, the declaration recommends integrating vocational training and job opportunities into prevention and rehabilitation programmes.

It also encourages the creation of leadership opportunities and youth-led initiatives, including mentorship and advocacy campaigns, underpinned by robust financial and institutional support.

6. Strengthen Community and Policy Backing

Communities play a central role in fostering resilience among young people. The declaration calls for broader community-based programmes to raise awareness, break down stigma, and support capacity-building efforts. Consistent enforcement of protective policies, such as limiting young people’s exposure to substance use and restricting advertisement, is vital.

Equally important are alternatives to punitive measures like incarceration, favouring approaches that keep young people supported rather than marginalised.

Global Youth Declaration in Focus

The Global Youth Declaration on Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery marks a watershed moment in youth-led advocacy. By placing young people’s voices at the heart of policy and programme development, stakeholders can create sustainable, effective solutions that respond directly to lived realities.

The call to action is immediate: governments, organisations, and communities must take meaningful steps to implement these recommendations. Platforms for youth engagement, investment in research, improved access to services, and economic empowerment aren’t just idealistic wishes; they are practical measures that have been shown to yield results.

Source: wfad