November 4, 2023 – Cairo, Egypt – In a powerful session at the 12th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF12), young leaders from Bangladesh took center stage, demonstrating the transformative role of youth in urban governance. S M Shaikat, Executive Director of SERAC-Bangladesh, opened the Children and Youth Assembly with a call to recognize youth as present leaders, not merely future ones. “Young people are not the future leaders. They are actually leading many spaces, many systems, even countries,” Shaikat emphasized, pointing to global examples of youth-led initiatives that are reshaping governance structures and community outcomes.
One of the spotlight topics was the impact of the Urban Youth Councils in Bangladesh, which Shaikat described as a model of how young people are influencing policy and piloting projects at the local level. The Youth DeclarACTION on Sustainable Urbanization, launched in Mymensingh, stands as a testament to youth’s ability to mobilize democratic power for urban development. “With democratic power and mandate, youth councils are officially recognized and empowered to influence change,” Shaikat highlighted, underlining the councils’ role in transforming local communities through proactive policy engagement.
On 5th November at the WUF12 session titled “Mechanisms for Trust-Building and Empowering Youth in Urban Decision-Making,” experts and youth advocates, including representatives from SERAC and the S²Cities initiative, discussed critical strategies for boosting youth involvement in building safer, more resilient cities. The discussion included successful approaches to trust-building in urban governance and highlighted youth councils as instrumental in fostering collaborative urban solutions.
A dedicated panel discussion on Bangladesh, led by Shaikat, featured impactful youth-led urban development initiatives, with insights from UN-Habitat’s Douglas Ragan and youth rights advocate Joyati Das. The panel showcased stories of young leaders shaping cities in ways that prioritize sustainable, inclusive development. The session concluded with a lively roundtable and Q&A, where Lutfa Pathan, Program Officer at SERAC-Bangladesh, and Iram Ajmain Mugdho, Urban Youth Councilor of Rajshahi City Corporation, shared firsthand experiences. Mugdho underscored the leadership role today’s youth are taking and the immediate impacts they are making in urban spaces across Bangladesh.
WUF12’s focus on youth empowerment in urban decision-making reflects a growing recognition of young people as active agents of change, capable of making lasting impacts on urban policy and community well-being. With initiatives like the Urban Youth Councils, Bangladesh stands as a global example of how youth-led governance can drive meaningful, sustainable development.