By NE NOW NEWS

Shillong: The inaugural roundtable of the Young People's Action Group (YPAG) was held in Shillong on May 12, marking the launch of what organisers described as the Northeast's first formally institutionalised platform for youth participation in climate and health policymaking.

The roundtable was convened by UNICEF India's Field Office for Assam and Northeast States in collaboration with the Centre for Policy. It brought together young people, researchers, artists, non-profit leaders, practitioners and government representatives to discuss youth engagement in climate and health policy.

"Stakeholder discussions are essential, because solutions emerge when we engage with all stakeholders. Equally important is the inclusion of youth in decision-making, since the choices we make today will directly shape their future," said Wailadmiki Shylla, Meghalaya Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Sports & Youth Affairs, while opening the session.

Agatha K Sangma, Chairperson of the Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and co-convenor of the YPAG roundtable, said the initiative aligns with the state's youth policy.

"Participation is a cornerstone of Meghalaya's Youth Policy, it seeks to expand youth involvement in policymaking, create opportunities for young people to step into leadership, and empower them to shape their own future. The Young People's Action Group, initiated by UNICEF India in partnership with the Government of Meghalaya, reflects this vision," she said.

Chief Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, Shakil P Ahammed, said policymaking must reflect community realities and lived experiences.

"Any policy that lacks the touch and feel of the community is meaningless. True policy cannot come from the heart unless it is shaped through work with people, no matter how small the effort. In Meghalaya, the most remarkable aspect is that every initiative - whether it reaches 10 people or 100 - touches the community. That reflection of lived experience makes policy serene, pure, and forward-looking," he said.

Ms Soledad Herrero, Chief of Field Services at UNICEF India, said the platform gives young people an opportunity to contribute before policies are finalised.

"I have been in many rooms where young people are asked to participate. In most of them, participation means being consulted at the end of a process, whether as adults we got it right. This was different. Meghalaya has created a structure through which the voices of young people are connected to climate and health policy before those policies are written. That is rare. And it sets a standard that others will look to," she said.