Co-Designing a Fit-for-Purpose Global Health Architecture

The global health architecture is undergoing significant transformation. Reductions in development assistance for health, shifting geopolitical priorities, and reforms across multilateral institutions are reshaping how global health is financed, governed, and delivered. These changes are affecting health systems worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, with consequences for workforce stability, service delivery, and health equity.

At the same time, discussions on the future of global health governance have largely focused on institutional reform, financing mechanisms, and efficiency, while the perspectives of the generation that will inherit these systems remain insufficiently represented, particularly those of young health professionals and students. Meaningful youth engagement in shaping the future of the global health architecture remains inconsistent. Furthermore, these reforms present a generational opportunity to institutionalize meaningful youth engagement, thereby shifting the status quo of global health governance.

Recognizing both the gap and the opportunity, a coalition of youth-led organizations launched the interdisciplinary research and policy initiative “Youth Needs and Priorities for a New Global Health Architecture and Sustainable Financing,” combining a global survey, qualitative research, and a Delphi consensus process to develop evidence-based recommendations.

Building on this initiative, this session aims to present the findings of our research and initiate an intergenerational dialogue on the reform of the global health architecture. Bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders, the session will explore how future governance structures can be more inclusive, resilient, and responsive, ensuring that meaningful youth engagement is an integral component of global health decision-making.