Better involvement of and support for young people is essential to creating a healthier, more equitable, and future-proof society. That is the key message of a declaration published by the World Health Organization’s 25-member WHO Youth Council supported by the Bertelsmann Stiftung at the World Health Summit in Berlin. The authors of the declaration emphasized that especially younger generations are severely affected by the global crises. The WHO had only recently pointed out that numerous diseases are on the rise among young people worldwide, especially mental and sexual illnesses. In the search for solutions, it is important not only to listen to young people, but also to entrust them with an active role and responsibility. Based on their commitment and willingness to contribute, as well as their sense of social impact, they should be given more responsibility.
Specifically, the WHO Youth Council is calling for more equal opportunity and inclusion in the education system and in the use of new technologies, e.g. Furthermore, healthcare should be geared more towards prevention, and people from disadvantaged groups should be guaranteed equal access to healthcare services. The authors of the declaration also call for better support for youth organizations and for empowering young people to help shape (healthcare) policy, both through new formats for participation and by being genuinely open to their positions and experiences. Besides the Bertelsmann Stiftung, German and international youth organizations support the declaration, including the SV-Bildungswerk, the Digital Transformations for Health Lab and the Junior Doctors Network of the World Medical Association.