International Youth Day 2025 is not just a celebration of the promise of tomorrow, but a recognition of the strength, talent, and vision of young people today. The Government of Nepal, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the National Youth Council deserve appreciation for bringing us together and placing youth at the heart of the national conversation. Youths are the heartbeat, the foundation, and the driving power of the nation.
This year’s theme-“Local Youth Action for SDGs and Beyond”-is a powerful reminder that the biggest changes often begin in the smallest places: in our tol (town), in our gaun (village), in the communities from Mechi to Mahakali, himal to terai.
We meet today also inspired by the Pact for the Future, adopted at last year’s UN Summit of the Future-a shared global promise to work with and for young people in building peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable societies. Nepal is living a historic youth moment: Over 5.7 million youth aged 15 to 24-nearly 20% of the population and if we use Nepal’s broader definition of youth (16 to 40), it comprises almost 43% of the population.
This is a rare and valuable demographic dividend-a window of opportunity when a large, skilled, and motivated generation can shape the country’s future in extraordinary ways. But windows do not stay open forever-and the time to act is now.
Nepal already has strong policies-the National Youth Policy, Youth Vision 2025, and the updated National Population Policy-that recognise young people as a powerful force for change. The next step is ensuring these commitments translate into meaningful opportunities on the ground, so that every young person can contribute to and benefit from Nepal’s progress.
The challenges are: More than one-third of young people aged 15–24 are not in education, employment, or training-a significant loss of energy and talent. And, many still see migration as their only path to opportunity.
By expanding quality education, aligning skills with market demand, and investing in local innovation and entrepreneurship, Nepal can inspire its young people to build their futures right here at home.
And we must continue addressing the specific barriers faced by young women and girls: Over one-third are married before 18, one in 10 teenage girls is already a mother and one in 10 young women experiences physical or sexual violence.
Ensuring equal opportunities for young women—through education, safety, health services, and leadership roles—is not only a matter of rights, but of national progress.
Beauties, build the thick skin
Yet, there is every reason for aashaa (hope)... Across Nepal, young people are taking the lead in climate action, digital innovation, community service, and social progress. They are shaping solutions, driving dialogue, and showing us all what commitment looks like.
The United Nations stands alongside the Government of Nepal, civil society, and the private sector in creating the conditions for youth to thrive in schools, in the workplace, in local councils, and on national platforms. This is not just about participation-it is about partnership.
And to all the yuvaa (youth) here today and across the country, your energy matters. Your ideas matter. Your leadership matters. Your moment is now. As the song says, timi hau aaja ko nirmata-you are the builders of today. Together, let us create a Nepal that is peaceful, prosperous, and inclusive-where every young person has the opportunity not only to dream, but to achieve.
(The author is UN Resident Coordinator to Nepal. This is an edited version of her remarks to the International Youth Day ceremony organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Youth Council and United Nations Nepal in the capital on Tuesday.)
