From April 15 to 17, Natalia de León Tello, Communications and Youth Coordinator for FP2030 Latin America and the Caribbean Hub, represented the region at the 2025 ECOSOC Youth Forum, one of the world’s most important platforms for youth engagement in the global sustainable development agenda.

Natalia was one of just 15 young leaders selected out of over 20,000 applicants worldwide to join the official ECOSOC cohort of the UN Youth Office (UNYO). This prestigious selection recognized her outstanding leadership and commitment to advancing the rights and wellbeing of young people in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Under the theme “Empowering Youth to Accelerate Action for the SDGs,” the forum gathered young change-makers from across the globe to shape the priorities of the upcoming High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) and the Summit of the Future. Natalia’s presence brought forward the voices of hundreds of youth advocates who are championing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), gender equality, and universal access to rights-based family planning in the region. Check out Natalia’s intervention.

“Being selected as part of the UNYO cohort and participating in the ECOSOC Youth Forum was a huge honor—but also a responsibility. I was there to make sure our region’s priorities were heard and that young people are not just included, but leading,” said Natalia from UN Headquarters in New York.

Throughout the forum, Natalia engaged in high-level dialogues, youth-led panels, and bilateral meetings with UN agencies, governments, and civil society leaders. She amplified the intersections between SRHR, climate justice, and youth participation—issues that are central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Some key takeaways from the forum included:

• A strong call for structural reforms to create more inclusive and equitable decision-making spaces where young people can act as co-creators of policies and solutions.
• Widespread recognition of the urgency to integrate SRHR into climate and development policies, especially in regions like Latin America and the Caribbean where youth face intersecting challenges.
• The launch and promotion of the Youth for the Right to Development campaign, which Natalia actively supported. This global youth-led initiative demands the recognition of the right to development as essential for achieving the SDGs and calls for the meaningful participation of youth in shaping development agendas.
• Increased momentum to invest in youth-led accountability mechanisms to track progress on SDG commitments, particularly around gender equality, education, and health.
• Shared experiences from youth in conflict-affected and climate-vulnerable countries emphasized the need for urgent action on humanitarian access, peacebuilding, and resilience, with youth leadership at the center.

FP2030 celebrates Natalia’s selection and participation as a reflection of the power and potential of youth leadership in Latin America and the Caribbean. The LAC Hub remains committed to ensuring young people are not only heard but meaningfully engaged in the decisions shaping their lives and futures.