Breaking the silence: Zimbabwean youth leader calls for urgent investment in mental health
17 July 2026 - For Tanatswa Amanda Chikaura, mental health advocacy began with a personal loss: while studying psychology at the University of Zimbabwe, she learned that a fellow student had died by suicide. Today, the 26-year-old PhD researcher at the University of Cambridge leads the Ndinewe Foundation, a Zimbabwean organization that provides young people with locally and culturally relevant mental health resources, peer support and education.
As aid dries up, countries pledge to close the $4 trillion development gap
17 July 2026 - UN Member States reaffirmed their commitment to the by adopting a declaration on Wednesday that they will implement reforms to help close the $4 trillion SDG financing gap. Those reforms – largely stemming from the made by Member States attending a in Sevilla last year – include mobilising public and private investment, expanding debt relief mechanisms for developing countries, and combating corruption.
UN Forum concludes with renewed commitment to accelerate action on the Sustainable Development Goals
15 July 2026 - concluded this week with the adoption of a ministerial declaration, signaling a renewed commitment by countries to deliver on the
Skills for an uncertain future: How youth can navigate a changing job market
15 July 2026 - Highlighting the importance of equipping young people with what is needed for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship, World Youth Skills Day, marked annually on 15 July, raises an important question related to its 2026 theme, Skills for the Shared Future: how can young people prepare for labour market needs that will continue to evolve throughout their lives?
UN Secretary-General António Guterres announces Prime Minister of Spain as new Co-Chair of SDG Advocates group
15 July 2026 - Amidst the growing number of development crises facing the world, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain as Co-Chair of the Sustainable Development Goals Advocates group alongside Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados.
Despite hurdles, don’t give up on Sustainable Development Goals, UN urges
14 July 2026 - In a world of “parallel realities†where stark inequalities seemingly divide people and challenge the promise of multilateralism, the vision of the is to bring people together and help them achieve a better reality.
What makes young people resilient in a rapidly changing world?
14 July 2026 - As digital technologies and AI continue to reshape education, work and daily life, digital literacy remains essential. Yet some of the most valuable skills are also the most human. This year's theme, "Skills for a Shared Future," highlights the need for education and training systems that are not only responsive to labour market demands, but also empower young people to make informed choices, participate in decision-making and shape the societies they want to live in.
Thai youth leaders push for inclusion, partnership and lasting change
13 July 2026 - Nearly 400 youth recently participated in a national dialogue which marked the 80th year of Thailand’s membership of the United Nations. The anniversary provided an opportunity to look ahead, with young people taking centre stage in discussions on implementing the Pact for the Future, the UN's global blueprint for tackling today's challenges while protecting the interests of future generations.
Here are the special events to look out for at the 2026 HLPF
10 July 2026 - At this year’s High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), UN DESA will curate another dynamic lineup of 13 special events. With a view to fostering broad engagement and ownership for the SDGs, the 2026 special events programme features leading voices from some of the most important sectors such as higher education institutions, the private sector, local governments, scientific community, parliamentarians, and civil society.
‘Shared blueprint for peace’: Development goals deliver for billions, but challenges remain
8 July 2026 - With fewer than five years left to achieve the , a new UN report says sustained investment and international cooperation have improved billions of lives, but warns that governments must urgently accelerate action if the goals are to be met by their 2030 deadline.
Delivering energy access: leaving no one in the dark
8 July 2026 - Despite notable progress over the past decade, millions of people still live without electricity. With 2030 fast approaching, we spoke with UN DESA’s energy data experts Leonardo Souza and Jessica Ying Chan about closing the energy divide for good with insights from Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report 2026.
For over a decade, the Sustainable Development Goals have delivered results — now the world must urgently scale up what works, UN report finds
7 July 2026 - Since their adoption in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have delivered results at scale – bringing access to water, electricity and health care to billions. Without a decisive push to rapidly scale up what works, the promise of the SDGs risks slipping out of reach, according to The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026, released today.
4 things you should know about the latest data on SDG progress
6 July 2026 - As world leaders gather at the to take stock of progress on the 17 SDGs, UN DESA’s Statistics Division is releasing on 7 July 2026. Here is what the data show.
Cooperatives for SDG 16: Building trust and the foundations for peaceful societies
2 July 2026 - On 4 July 2026, the International Day of Cooperatives will bring together cooperative enterprises, policymakers, scholars and partners to reflect on the contributions of “Cooperatives for a peaceful world.â€
HLPF 2026: Where hope turns into action for a sustainable future
1 July 2026 - At the on Sustainable Development, taking place from 7 to 15 July, the international community will come together to take stock of global progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and forge solutions.