UN Side Event · April 16, 2026

From Financial Literacy
to Financial Agency

Name: From Financial Literacy to Financial Agency: Empowering Youth for Sustainable and Resilient Economies
Start: 2026-04-16T13:15:00-04:00
End: 2026-04-16T14:45:00-04:00
Location: Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic to the United Nations

Empowering Youth for Sustainable and Resilient Economies

Days

Hours

Min

Sec

Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic to the United Nations

One Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, 885 Second Avenue, 48th Floor, New York

The Challenge

Why financial agency matters for youth — and entire economies

Young people today face increasing economic uncertainty, including rising living costs, limited access to affordable financial services, and structural barriers to entrepreneurship and innovation. Financial stress is becoming a defining challenge for younger generations — with 1 in 3 young adults reporting financial stress as their primary mental health stressor (APA).

While financial literacy initiatives have expanded globally, they often remain insufficient in enabling young people to translate knowledge into meaningful economic participation. Financial literacy, when combined with access to financial tools, capital, and opportunities, can evolve into financial agency— the ability of young people to make informed financial decisions, build economic resilience, and actively participate in economic and innovative ecosystems.

The economic potential of improved financial behavior is substantial. Estimates suggest that enhanced financial decision-making could increase household savings in the European Union by over €100 billion annually (ECB). Bridging this gap is essential to unlocking youth-led contributions to sustainable and resilient economies.

2:1

CEE worker-to-retiree ratio projected to drop from 3:1 to 2:1 by 2040s. Aging populations strain pension systems — financial literacy is crucial not just for youth but entire economies.

European Commission Ageing Report 2024; World Bank ECA Region

Global vs. Global South

Metric	Global / Europe	Global South
Financial Literacy	OECD >50%	Sub-Sahara 27%
Youth Unemployment	~10%	S. Africa 59%

The Numbers Tell the Story

Why financial empowerment cannot wait

of Gen Z workers say they are completely in control of their finances

2024 State of Employee Financial Wellness Report

more wealth accumulated over lifetime by financially literate individuals

TIAA Institute

€0B+

potential annual increase in EU household savings through better financial decisions

ECB

reduction in pension system strain in countries with higher financial literacy

OECD

Variation in Financial Literacy

OECD/INFE 2023 Survey of Adult Financial Literacy

Objectives

What this side event aims to achieve

Reframe financial literacy as a systemic driver of sustainable development, emphasizing its role in enabling young people to actively participate in economic systems and decision-making processes.

Identify key barriers that prevent young people from accessing financial tools, capital and opportunities necessary for entrepreneurship, innovation and economic resilience.

Explore policy approaches and practical solutions that integrate financial empowerment into youth, economic and development strategies at national and international levels.

Highlight the role of partnerships (SDG 17) in connecting governments, youth, financial institutions and international organizations to support youth economic empowerment.

Promote youth entrepreneurship and inclusive innovation ecosystems (SDG 9) as pathways for sustainable economic growth and youth-led contributions to the SDGs.

Foster dialogue across regions, including perspectives from both developed and developing contexts, to ensure inclusive and context-sensitive solutions.