Meet Janice Rodrigues: Australia’s Youth Representative to the UN
The new representative has been visiting young people across metropolitan, regional and rural Australia.
At a time when many young Australians are demanding a greater voice in decisions that shape their future, Janice Rodrigues is trying to ensure youth voices are not overlooked.
As the 2026 Australian Youth Representative to the United Nations (UN), Rodrigues draws on her commitment to anti-racism, gender justice and migrant rights, bringing youth perspectives into national and international conversations with urgency and resolve.
The role of the youth representative
Appointed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and UN Youth Australia, Rodrigues is currently travelling across all Australian states and territories leading ‘Listening Tour’ consultations. These consultations provide a platform for young Australians from diverse backgrounds and communities to share the issues that matter most to them.
Rodrigues will synthesise these insights into an Annual Youth Representative Report, ensuring youth perspectives inform policy decisions, culminating in an address to the United Nations in New York in September.
Amplifying youth voices
Rodrigues is acutely aware of the impact of policy decisions on young people.
“Young people are already inheriting the consequences of policy decisions made internationally and domestically,” she says.
Acknowledging the role’s impact, Rodrigues says it is an opportunity where “young people can actually speak up to power” and advocate for what young people need to see more of.
What makes the consultation program unique is its national reach. Rodrigues visits young people and youth services across metropolitan, regional and rural Australia.
It is "important to have [different] voices and lived experiences represented” at the highest levels, both in government and at the UN, she says.
Key issues shaping the lives of young Australians
Emerging issues in 2026 consultations include war, social media and artificial intelligence. Rodrigues emphasises that mental health, climate change, education and gender equality are recurring concerns consistently raised by young Australians year after year.
However, according to Rodrigues, a broader theme among young Australians is a growing lack of hope.
While young people are working to drive collective change, many feel unheard.
She says that for many, “it feels like the systems that have power are overwhelmingly against [young people] them or are not listening to them”.
Rodrigues also highlights that many youth lack awareness of their legal protections.
“A lot of young people don't know what rights they have access to or what they're entitled to,” she adds.
Rodrigues remains motivated by a strong sense of “accountability” and “responsibility” to Australian youth.
She reflects that, amid global challenges, Australians are comparatively fortunate relative to many people around the world.
“We're pretty lucky,” Rodrigues says.
Youth voices and change
When asked whether young people feel heard in decision-making spaces, Rodrigues said most young people do not feel their voices are reflected.
Rodrigues’ goal for the remainder of the year is to translate what young people are sharing into “tangible outcomes or recommendations for government”.
She hopes to see meaningful change, whether locally or federally, however small, that improves the lives of young people in Australia.
Many youth groups are “already doing a lot of the work”.
She aims to amplify their voices and connect them with decision-makers.
“Most of them already know what’s best for their communities,” Rodrigues says.
Rodrigues acknowledges that the opportunity to push for change on an international stage and bring Australian youth voices to the UN is “quite powerful”.
“[As youth] are inheriting the future, we want to have a voice in it as well,” she says.
She encourages university students to get involved in the Youth Representative program as volunteers, including through various divisions of UN Youth Australia.
Young Australians are also invited by Rodrigues to share their perspectives at upcoming consultations, including during regular online sessions held every few weeks.
Rodrigues prioritises meeting people where they are at and building genuine relationships in this role.
The Youth Representative believes that even brief moments of connection, whether a five-minute conversation or simply sitting in silence, can create space for real understanding and meaningful change.
