BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Fifteen youth leaders from across the Eastern Caribbean have been appointed to the 2026 UN Youth Advisory Group (YAG), reaffirming the United Nations’ commitment to placing young people at the forefront of sustainable development in the sub‑region.
The YAG provides a structured platform for youth advocates to support the United Nations Sub-Regional Team (UNST) by contributing to policy dialogue, programme design, advocacy, and implementation. It serves as a key mechanism for ensuring that youth perspectives meaningfully inform the UN’s work at national, regional, and international levels, in alignment with the United Nations Youth Strategy (Youth2030).
The 2026 cohort, the fifth to be installed, comprises a diverse group of newly appointed and returning members, representing Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Members, who range in age from 18 to 30, possess a breadth of experience and expertise in areas including community development, climate change, mental health, gender equality, disability inclusion, education, food security, youth crime prevention, and indigenous peoples’ rights.
In welcoming the new group, UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Simon Springett, said over the past five years the UN Team has benefitted immensely from the skills, talents, insights, and enthusiasm of successive cohorts. Noting the level of energy and innovation that youth naturally bring to the table, he charged that greater youth involvement is needed to drive transformative change.
“Our youth are our present and our future, and it is clear that we have only scratched the surface of what youth can offer to governments and international institutions. There is need for greater youth involvement in shaping their future,” he underlined.
Rianka Chance of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, now entering her third year on the YAG and returning as Chair, describes the role as both an honour and a responsibility.
“As chair of the YAG, my belief in the transformative power of this collective has only grown stronger. We have challenged and supported one another, united by purpose and ambition. I envision the YAG becoming a unifying force across Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean – driving collaboration, advancing the SDGs, and ensuring inclusive youth engagement at every level of decision-making. The aim is for young people to go beyond participation to shape policy, influence systems, and lead lasting change locally, regionally, and globally,” she asserted.
In keeping with the United Nations’ Leave No One Behind mandate, selection of the YAG cohort is always inclusive, ensuing strong representation from marginalised and underserved youth communities. This year, the UN Team will benefit from the perspectives of youth advocates working on indigenous identity, and social justice, as well as young leaders with notable achievements at national and international levels.
During their one-year appointment, YAG members will serve as UN Youth Advocates in collaboration with other youth ambassadors and contribute to the implementation of critical UN policy frameworks. These include the Youth Development Strategy for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, the UN Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (MSDCF), and respective Country Implementation Plans (CIPs). They will also engage in advocacy, outreach, and regional forums to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The United Nations looks forward to collaborating with these young leaders to advance inclusive, youth-centred development outcomes across Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.
The 2026 YAG Cohort comprises the following country representatives: Chair – Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Rianka Chance; Anguilla – Melissa Edwards; Antigua and Barbuda – Amelia Williams and Shaquan O’ Neil; Barbados – Kalan Alleyne and Jovanaa Ifill; British Virgin Islands – Angeleah Cupid; Dominica – Loik Charles and Emmana Jeffers; Grenada – Kerri-Ann Marrast, Zinzee Noel, and Raheem Smith; Saint Kitts and Nevis – Hasani Mc Donald; and Saint Lucia – Davianne Alexander and Ethan Leandre.
