With the largest UN gathering of young people this week, the annual ECOSOC Youth Forum offers a chance to reflect on and respond to evolving needs and circumstances.

Whether speaking with senior government officials or heads of leading organizations, a consistent message emerges: the urgency of supporting youth in the Arab States region cannot be overstated. From the demand for decent job opportunities to the recognition of youth as pivotal agents of change, this conversation resonates deeply.

2011 marked a turning point in the region, bringing youth into focus for governments, UN agencies, and NGOs. However, 14 years later, despite the launch of hundreds, if not thousands, of initiatives, much of the programming aimed at supporting young people continues to follow traditional models, which may not fully align with the transformative approaches needed to effectively address their evolving challenges.

While well-intentioned strategies abound across the region, these efforts remain insufficient to meet the growing demands of youth. The systemic changes necessary to support the next generation are still lacking, with urgent crises—ranging from humanitarian disasters and conflict to pandemics—further stretching resources and leaving youth programming vulnerable to underfunding and inconsistency.

In such a constrained funding environment, a new approach to youth support is critical. Many organizations, despite their best efforts, focus limited resources on short-term projects that provide temporary relief without addressing broader systemic challenges. Donor support, often shaped by national priorities, can lead to fragmented interventions that struggle to align with the region’s long-term needs.

The urgency of the moment calls for a transformative, sustainable, and integrated approach—one that not only addresses immediate needs but also drives long-term development. This requires a comprehensive and adaptable framework that unites diverse funding partners around a shared vision and coordinated plan that can quickly evolve based on circumstances and opportunity. By focusing on mutually reinforcing interventions, such an approach can generate ripple effects that youth can directly experience—economically, socially, and civically.

Experience has shown that isolated efforts fall short of achieving meaningful change. Success depends on a programmatic framework targeting interconnected systems across multiple levels: (1) shaping supportive policy and regulatory environments; (2) strengthening the broader ecosystem that enables youth success; and (3) investing directly in young people through skills development and capacity building. True transformation requires synchronized progress across all three.

Above all, this framework must be grounded in working with youth as partners—not just as beneficiaries but as co-creators of the solutions shaping their future.

UNDP’s Arab States Bureau has developed a transformative framework for empowering youth economically and civically- The ShababEEK- Youth Empowerment, Engagement and Knowledge Offer. It is our attempt to do youth programming differently. As resources dwindle, it is essential to re-examine how we collectively invest resources to support youth and combine efforts for greater impact.

Youth across the Arab States region deserve a more integrated, forward-thinking approach—one that not only recognizes their potential but also makes the necessary investments to address the pressing challenges they face. Now is the time to forge a new partnership, aligning our collective efforts and investments with their aspirations and the evolving realities of today’s world.