A new report from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) examines how youth engagement currently functions within water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) innovation ecosystems and why participation so often fails to translate into influence.

The findings, based on pioneering research, highlight that the central challenge is not a lack of youth platforms, but weak institutional pathways that connect youth contributions to decisions, implementation and long-term economic opportunities.

Drawing on global evidence and interviews with young people, government officials, and development and private-sector leaders, the report provides practical guidance on how to design youth engagement that helps strengthen innovation ecosystems while building the next generation of WASH professionals.

The report, “Youth Engagement in WASH Innovation Ecosystems: Insights on pathways from participation to influence”, was commissioned by the UNICEF Sustainable WASH Innovation Hub, which works to accelerate the scale of transformative water and sanitation innovations for vulnerable children and their families globally.

Additional resources include a webinar, social media assets and an accompanying article profiling young people working in WASH.