Hear us Now! All you need to know about challenged faced by discriminated youth the World over

At the 2024 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), youth from communities discriminated on work and descent (CDWD) presented a comprehensive call for global action. The factsheet, “CDWD Youth and the SDGs: From Margins to Global Action”, underscores the urgent need to address the systemic exclusion of these youth across Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

The report, developed by the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD), in collaboration with rights experts, civil society partners, and youth advocates, brings visibility to the experiences and demands of millions of CDWD youth whose voices remain largely absent from global development and human rights frameworks.

Understanding CDWD Discrimination

Discrimination based on work and descent refers to inherited systems of social stratification—such as caste or occupation-based hierarchies—that deny individuals equal access to rights and dignity from birth. The UN recognises this as a serious human rights violation. Youth from CDWD communities face compounded barriers to education, employment, financial inclusion, and participation in public life. They also suffer disproportionately from climate injustice, poverty, and state neglect.

Despite these challenges, CDWD youth have emerged as powerful voices at the UN and other international platforms. Their interventions are no longer appeals for visibility alone—they are demands for structural transformation and intergenerational justice.

Regional Realities: A Snapshot

The report presents regional data and testimonies that illustrate the wide reach and deep impact of CDWD discrimination.

Latin America

In Brazil, over 1.3 million quilombola people—descendants of African enslaved communities—remain excluded from land rights, sanitation, and education. Nearly half are under 30. Only 4.3% have titled land, and over 67% lack basic sewage systems. Illiteracy among quilombola adults is almost three times the national average.

In Colombia, the Palenquero community numbers around 6,600. Fewer than 3,000 speak the Palenquero language, yet youth have become key to revitalising it through school-based programs. However, systemic stigma, poverty, and language-based exclusion persist.

Europe

Roma youth represent about 25–30% of the 10–12 million Roma population across Europe. They face widespread antigypsyism, resulting in educational segregation, police violence, hate speech, and exclusion from economic and civic life. In 2021, 62% of Roma youth aged 16–24 in nine EU countries were not in education, employment, or training (NEET)—six times the rate for non-Roma peers. Less than 1% complete higher education.

Despite some local activism, Roma youth remain largely invisible in national and EU-level youth policies and institutions.

Africa

CDWD youth in Africa—including those from The Gambia, Mauritania, Mali, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Niger, and Senegal—continue to face structural discrimination tied to ancestral occupations. In Mauritania, many farm lands their families have cultivated for generations but are denied legal ownership. Youth attempting to assert land rights face threats, evictions, and judicial inaction.

Across the continent, exclusion from land, education, and employment fuels economic and political disenfranchisement, particularly for rural and indigenous CDWD youth.

Asia

Asia remains one of the most affected regions for CDWD youth, with caste-based exclusion embedded in school systems, workplaces, and judicial institutions. In India and Nepal, Dalit youth experience discrimination in school admissions, bullying, and even violence. Marginalised communities continue to report lack of access to justice due to police apathy, delayed legal responses, and caste bias.

The report highlights that many CDWD youth in Asia face targeted hate crimes, public humiliation, and lynchings. Legal safeguards, where present, are often poorly implemented.

Voices from the Frontlines

The factsheet includes testimonies from youth leaders across regions. Kalpana Bishwakarma of the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR), India, states:

“As Dalit youth in India, we face daily discrimination in schools, jobs, and even when seeking justice. We demand equal opportunities and a future free from caste-based exclusion.”

Ali Camara, a GFoD rights expert from The Gambia, shares:

“We have tilled this land for generations, but still, we are not allowed to call it ours. Because of our caste, we are denied the right to own land or build homes.”

From Ukraine, Roma youth leader Natalii Tomenko adds:

“Roma youth are actively advancing human rights and contributing to Ukraine’s recovery. Yet, we remain excluded from mainstream youth policies.”

Strategic Demands for Action

The youth-led report outlines five key recommendations to transform the landscape for CDWD communities:

1. Integration into Global Frameworks: Establish youth-focused development indicators within international bodies like the Commission for Social Development, HLPF, and the World Social Summit.
2. UN Special Rapporteur: Appoint a Special Rapporteur on Work and Descent-Based Discrimination to monitor violations, track progress, and strengthen legal accountability.
3. Financial Inclusion: Develop programs that provide CDWD youth with access to entrepreneurship, financial services, digital literacy, and participation in climate finance mechanisms.
4. Gender-Responsive Reforms: Ensure leadership, education, and safety for girls and young women from CDWD backgrounds. They must be included in decision-making at every level.
5. Affirmative Action and Data Collection: Mandate intersectional reforms in higher education, public service, and employment. Disaggregated data collection must precede targeted policies.

Conclusion

The youth of CDWD communities have issued a clear message: dignity, rights, and justice are non-negotiable. The HLPF platform provided them not just space to speak—but to lead. Backed by community organisations, researchers, and global partners, they are demanding more than recognition. They are calling for an overhaul of systems that have long denied their humanity.

As the world shapes its post-2030 development vision, the inclusion of CDWD youth is not just ethical—it is essential.

Let’s not just admire their courage.
Support the movement. Share their stories. Invite them into rooms of power. And most of all—follow their leadership.