There are currently 1.8 billion young people in the world – the highest number ever. Especially The Sahel region, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, have very young populations. It’s projected that by 2030, there will be at least two billion young people seeking work and other opportunities to create a bright future for themselves.
To keep pace with this youthful world, the Netherlands is increasingly putting youth at the heart of its development policies. We are investing in education and youth employment, and aim to work on improving prospects for young people through a distinctive approach that bridges the gap between the skills young people learn and what the labour market demands.
Meaningful youth participation
Youth Advisory Committee
To strengthen the voices of young people in its own policy processes, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the National Youth Council (NJR), has set up the Youth Advisory Committee.
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Youth at Heart Principles
The Youth at Heart Principles have been developed by approximately 1200 young people from East- and Horn of Africa, Middle East and North Africa and the Sahel Regions.
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Toolkit Meaningful Youth Participation
Developed with young people and experts, the Meaningful Youth Participation Toolkit offers background, methods, and tools to embed youth participation in international cooperation policies and practice.
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Voices of Youth
News
From Cacao in Ghana to Geopolitics in the Baltic Sea: Dutch Youth Advise the MFA in a New Year of The West Wing
At the start of October, a kick-off session of the upcoming year of The West Wing was festively celebrated at the Ministry of ...
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Dialogue and Impact - the Youth Advisory Committee visits the Ministry
In the week of June 2nd, The Hague set the stage for the much anticipated Youth Advisory Committee Meet-Up Week. Members of the ...
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Meaningful Youth Participation in Practice – The Rabat Process and Nigeria’s local YACs
In May 2025, the Ambassador for Youth, Education, and Work, Jurriaan Middelhoff visited Nigeria. Throughout this activity-filled ...
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Interview with Emma van Nieuwenhuizen, Dutch UN Youth Representative Human Rights and Security and Delegate to the ECOSOC Youth Forum
Between 15 and 17 April, the ECOSOC Youth Forum took place in New York, providing a platform for young people to the United ...
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Visiting Umm al-Dunya: Investing in Egyptian youth for sustainable development
In a world filled with challenges and opportunities, young people are the basis of a bright and sustainable future! Recently, the ...
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Hope, and the fight for change: Youth Ambassador visiting Bangladesh 6 months after its youth revolution
What happens when a generation refuses to stay silent? In the summer of 2024, young people in Bangladesh took to the streets in ...
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