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International Youth Day 2025: Young workers organising for democracy, justice and a better future

This International Youth Day, 12 August 2025, the ITUC celebrates the power of young people to shape a more just and sustainable world.

With the United Nations theme, “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond,” this year we recognise how young people - especially young workers - are not waiting for change; they are already driving it.

From leading local climate actions to organising unions and resisting authoritarianism, young people are on the front lines of the fight for democracy, decent work, and human rights. Their leadership is essential to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and responding to the converging crises of our time.

In 2025, the ITUC’s campaign “For Democracy that Delivers” is spotlighting the urgent need to rebuild democratic institutions that work for working people. Youth participation is central to this. Around the world, young people are demanding democratic renewal at work, in our societies and in global institutions.

ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle said: “Democracy and trade unions are under attack in every region of the world. The rights to organise, strike and bargain collectively are being eroded. Authoritarian forces and far-right movements are rising. Young workers are among those most impacted, yet they are also leading the pushback.

“Young workers know that democracy is not just about elections. It’s about participation, inclusion and collective action. Young people are demanding a democracy that delivers for people and the planet.”

To mark International Youth Day 2025, the ITUC Youth Committee is launching a new policy paper, “Polycrisis and Young Workers”, which highlights how young workers are navigating a world of overlapping crises.

ITUC Youth Committee Chair Satyajeet Reddy Gongolla concluded: “Young trade union activists are organising in their communities and workplaces for real solutions, from gender justice and a just transition to decent jobs and strong, inclusive unions.

“Young workers are showing what democracy can look like: solidarity in action, inclusion in practice, and justice for future generations.”