Youth delegates at COP 11 deliver their official statement, representing the perspectives and priorities of young people in the discussions. Photo by the World Health Organization

Madam President, Distinguished Delegates,

We are speaking as International Federation for Medical Students’ Association on behalf of Global Youth Voices, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, CREA Red, Project Zero by Spanish Association Against Cancer, PROI, European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention Next, South Africa Tobacco Free Youth Forum, TOFAZA Youth, A Non Smoking Generation, and Youth in Action.

As we conclude the final plenary of COP11, we would first like to commend the Secretariat, Parties, IGOs, and NGOs for the important progress made over the past days – marking significant advancements in the global effort to safeguard public health.

These accomplishments reflect the power of collective action under the FCTC . However, this COP has also clearly shown us that the tobacco industry’s interference remains persistent – visible in misleading “harm reduction” narratives and greenwashing activities. These strategies are not new, but they remind us that implementation cannot be taken for granted; it must be strengthened, defended, and accelerated.

We speak today as representatives of youth – the generation most aggressively targeted by the industry, yet one of the most powerful forces pushing back. Young people worldwide face tactics designed to create lifelong addiction. But youth are not just targets; we are experts, advocates, and innovators driving effective tobacco control.

Every day, we work in our communities, universities, clinics, and parliaments to protect our peers from tobacco harm. At this COP, we organized side events, shared evidence, engaged in negotiations, and delivered strong, informed interventions. This demonstrates, once again, that we are not merely affected by the decisions made here, but fully prepared and determined to shape them.

We thank the President, the Secretariat, and all Parties who, in their interventions, recognized the contributions of youth and emphasized the need to strengthen our participation under the Convention.

Indeed, across the entire UN system, structured and institutionalized youth engagement has proven effective – from YOUNGO under the UNFCCC to the Children and Youth Major Group under UNEP. Tobacco control must aspire to the same level of ambition, because confronting an industry that evolves rapidly requires the voices of the generation most affected by its tactics.

Therefore, on behalf of the youth organizations at COP11, representing over 1.5 million young people worldwide, we ask from Parties and the Secretariat to establish a mechanism that institutionalizes youth participation within the WHO FCTC, ensuring we are:

• Recognized, resourced, and empowered to contribute;
• Integrated across all workstreams; and
• Supported for intersessional engagement—not limited to participation at COPs.

Furthermore, we call on the Secretariat and Parties to advance this work during the intersessional period, including meaningful consultations with youth, so that by COP12 a concrete proposal for the mechanism is already underway – ensuring that COP12 builds on momentum rather than starting from scratch.

The question is simple: how can we protect future generations if we do not include them in shaping the solutions? Youth must move beyond temporary engagement; we must be trusted to lead, contributing our perspectives, evidence, and innovation at every level. By COP12, let us be recognized as full partners in decision-making, supporting the Secretariat and Parties in their efforts, and shaping policies that protect the future.

The week at COP11 concludes, but our work continues. The responsibility to act now rests with all of us — Parties, the Secretariat, IGOs, and NGOs in this room alike. The future of this Convention depends on institutionalizing the voices of those most affected, and it is future generations who are counting on us. Let’s not let them down.