Report: Young People Disproportionately Affected by Inequality

Despite their strength in numbers, young people are underrepresented and excluded from high-level global policy discussions on serious issues such as education, the environment and the economy, according to a new report published by Oxfam International on Friday.

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"They (young people) are systematically excluded from policy decisions, even though young people make up one quarter of humanity,” the report read.

The global youth population is the largest it has ever been, with around 1.8 billion people between the ages of 10 and 24, the majority of whom live in urban areas of developing countries, the report notes.

The new study points out that young people will carry the weight of the world’s “unresolved dilemmas” like the impact of climate change and growing levels of inequality.

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“We are the engine in the global fight against inequality and climate change, and as such governments should listen to, learn from, and work with us to create a more equitable future,” said Jennifer Glassco, a PhD student at McGill University who co-authored the report titled, "Youth and Inequality: Time to support youth as agents of their own future."

The authors of the Oxfam study highlight the fact that young people are disproportionately affected by wealth inequality, which is has been heightened due to the "concentration of wealth and resources in the hands of the few."

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The Oxfam report goes on to point out that, economic inequality has tangible impacts on youth's chances for securing productive and stable employment. The global youth unemployment rate currently stands at around 13 per cent, according to figures from the International Labor Organization.

“A large youth population and extreme inequality mean that today’s youth have unprecedented motivation to challenge the status quo and unparalleled potential for effecting social and political change,” the report adds.

The U.K. based charity organization called on international leaders and governments to take immediate action in order to provide young people with platforms to voice their concerns.

“The public, governments and civil society organizations should ally with young women and men to address the multiple inequalities they face. The energy, creativity and talents of empowered young people must be harnessed build a fairer world otherwise we will all lose out,” said Lina Holguin, Policy Director at Oxfam-Quebec.