On 12 December 2025, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2807 (2025), reaffirming the importance of youth participation and leadership in peace processes, conflict prevention, peacebuilding, recovery, and reconstruction. The resolution strengthens the Youth, Peace and Security agenda and confirms that the Council will continue to consider youth participation as part of its work on international peace and security.
Resolution 2807 (2025) is the Security Council’s fourth resolution on Youth, Peace and Security in ten years. Rather than introducing new commitments, the resolution focuses on advancing the implementation of existing frameworks, including resolutions 2250 (2015), 2419 (2018), and 2535 (2020). It encourages Member States to adopt or strengthen national action plans on Youth, Peace and Security, supports continued engagement with the Peacebuilding Commission, and promotes coordination with the UN Youth Office.
The resolution also encourages the safe participation of young people in Security Council meetings and invites Council members to consider expert-level discussions on Youth, Peace and Security, including in country-specific contexts. Furthermore, references to education center the resolution in the lived realities of young people. For the Global Student Forum, these provisions represent important entry points for engagement, but only if participation is meaningful, protected, and linked to real influence over decisions.
The final text also reflects clear political limits. Proposals to strengthen reporting requirements, establish regular debates on Youth, Peace and Security, or create a dedicated Informal Expert Group, similar to existing mechanisms under the Women, Peace and Security agenda, were not retained. As a result, Youth, Peace and Security remains unevenly embedded in the Council’s work, despite repeated recognition of its importance.
Of particular concern to the Global Student Forum is the removal of references to “youth-led organisations” during negotiations. While the resolution promotes youth participation in general terms, the absence of explicit recognition of youth-led and representative organisations risks weakening the quality and accountability of participation. Without such recognition, youth engagement risks being reduced to ad hoc consultations, adult-led structures, or state-controlled participation that does not reflect the voices of those most affected.
“Who is invited to participate matters as much as whether participation is encouraged at all,” said Jacob Blasius, Executive Director of the Global Student Forum. “Removing references to youth-led organisations creates space for tokenism and undermines the role of democratic, representative student and youth movements. If participation is not anchored in legitimate and accountable organisations, it will not lead to better or more sustainable peace outcomes.”
The adoption of resolution 2807 (2025) comes in a milestone year for the Youth, Peace and Security agenda, marking both the thirtieth anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth and the tenth anniversary of resolution 2250 (2015). These frameworks recognise young people as agents of change in conflict prevention and peacebuilding, yet their impact continues to depend on political will and institutional follow-through.
While students are not explicitly mentioned in the resolution, many students are directly affected by conflict, displacement, and shrinking civic space. Educational institutions are frequently disrupted in conflict settings, and student organisations often play a key role in peacebuilding, dialogue, and community resilience. Ensuring that Youth, Peace and Security implementation includes organised and representative student voices is therefore essential.
The Global Student Forum continues to advocate for the Youth, Peace and Security agenda to be implemented in ways that are rights-based, accountable, and grounded in legitimate youth and student representation. Political commitments alone are not enough; meaningful participation must be institutionalised, resourced, and safeguarded if young people are to be genuine partners in building sustainable peace.
