- 62 young men and women from around the world participate in the Forum, including 31 from the UAE
- Empowering young people and enabling their active contribution to international discussions and decision-making on crime prevention, criminal justice and the rule of law reflects the UAE's confidence in the role of youth in addressing global challenges
Abu Dhabi-UAE: 24 September 2026 – The UAE places youth empowerment at the centre of its vision for the future, recognising young people as essential partners in shaping policies, developing solutions and driving sustainable development.
As part of the preparatory meetings for the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice – Abu Dhabi 2026, the UAE is hosting the first edition of the "Young Voices for Justice" Youth Forum in Abu Dhabi, bringing together young people from around the world to explore practical ideas and solutions to crime prevention and criminal justice challenges affecting younger generations.
The inaugural edition of the Forum, taking place on 24 and 25 September, brings together 62 young people from around the world, including more than 31 young men and women representing Youth Councils across the UAE, in collaboration with the Federal Youth Authority. The Forum reflects the UAE's commitment to empowering young people and supporting their meaningful participation in major international conferences and global events, while providing Emirati youth with an opportunity to bring their experiences, perspectives and ideas to an international platform dedicated to shaping the future of crime prevention, criminal justice and the rule of law.
The Forum is being held ahead of the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, which will take place at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi from 26 September to 1 October 2026. It provides a dedicated platform for young people to identify challenges affecting their generation and develop youth-led responses that contribute to building safer, more just and more resilient societies.
In his opening remarks, His Excellency Abdulrahman Murad Al Blooshi, Assistant Undersecretary for the International Cooperation and Legal Affairs Sector at the Ministry of Justice and General Coordinator of the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice – Abu Dhabi 2026, said that engaging young people in the global dialogue on justice reflects the vision of the UAE's leadership to empower youth and encourage them to play an active and constructive role in serving their countries and communities. He noted that this approach represents an investment in the sustainability and future readiness of justice systems.
Addressing the youth, His Excellency said: “You have travelled from across the world, carrying with you something this field urgently needs: fresh eyes, moral clarity, and the courage to imagine justice done better. You are not here to observe. You are here to shape the future of Crime prevention and Criminal justice. For the first time, the voice of youth will be written into the Abu Dhabi Declaration itself. This is a landmark. It means your ideas are no longer welcomed only in the margins of our work. They now sit at its very heart, recognised as part of the global commitment that nations have made together. The Statement you produce will be carried into the opening of this Congress and placed before decision-makers from every corner of the globe.”
He added: “The participation of 31 young people from the UAE's Youth Councils is particularly significant, as the UAE views young people as active partners in developing solutions and shaping the future, rather than simply recipients of policies and programmes. Organising this Forum ahead of the Congress reflects the shared commitment of both the United Nations and the UAE to providing meaningful space for young voices and ideas and enabling young people to contribute to international discussions focused on protecting people and the planet.
"We hope that the ideas and proposals developed by participants from the UAE and around the world will help support the transition from dialogue to action and contribute to the development of youth-led initiatives and partnerships capable of delivering sustainable impact."
For his part, His Excellency Khalid Mohammed Al Nuaimi, Director of the Federal Youth Authority, said: "The participation of members of the UAE Youth Councils in this Forum reflects the UAE leadership's firm belief in the ability of young people to contribute to addressing global challenges and developing solutions based on knowledge, innovation and social responsibility. Youth Councils play an important role in conveying the views and aspirations of young people from different communities and sectors to decision-making and international dialogue platforms."
He added: "The Federal Youth Authority was keen to engage 31 young men and women from Youth Councils across the UAE in the Forum, providing them with an opportunity to exchange experiences with their peers from around the world. This represents a valuable opportunity to transform local experiences into ideas with global relevance and to bring international knowledge and best practices back to the UAE's youth ecosystem, further strengthening the role of young people in promoting respect for the rule of law and building safe and cohesive societies."
During the first day of the Forum, participants applied a design-thinking approach to identify challenges and opportunities affecting young people and moved from defining priority issues to generating ideas that could be developed into practical solutions. On the second day, the groups will test and refine their proposals before presenting them during a gallery walk and project-pitch session, which provides opportunities to exchange perspectives and engage with interested Member State delegates.
The Forum forms part of Generation Justice (GenJust), an initiative launched by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in 2024 to strengthen youth participation in preparations for and follow-up to the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
The discussions also build on the work of the Generation Justice Youth Network and the Generation Justice Global Blueprint for Action, developed through regional youth consultations in 2025. The Blueprint brought together recommendations from young people across a range of areas, including crime prevention, access to justice, digital safety, gender-responsive justice, human rights education and the responsible use of emerging technologies.
On the second day of the Forum, participants will work on drafting a Joint Youth Statement, building on a zero-draft prepared by Generation Justice youth members. Participants will consolidate the key messages, priorities and recommendations that emerge from their discussions. They will also explore how youth-led ideas can contribute to translating the draft Abu Dhabi Declaration into practical action, supporting international cooperation in crime prevention, criminal justice and the rule of law over the next five years.
On the opening day of the Congress, the UAE Ministry of Justice will receive the recommendations and outcomes of the "Young Voices for Justice" Forum, which brought together young people from the UAE and their counterparts from UN Member States through a dialogue platform that reflected youth perspectives on issues related to crime prevention and criminal justice. The recommendations and outcomes developed by youth representatives will be formally presented and discussed as part of the Congress proceedings.
The Generation Justice initiative will continue to play a prominent role throughout the Congress through a dedicated youth exhibition stand within the accompanying exhibition, which will run from 26 September to 1 October, as well as through Youth Lab sessions on 26 and 27 September. The Youth Lab will explore issues including artificial intelligence and misinformation, climate change and crime, digital trust and the culture of lawfulness, crime prevention and health, and community-based approaches to preventing forced marriage and associated crimes.