Empowering the youth frontline in the fight against antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a silently evolving pandemic, gradually weakening the efficacy of medicines we rely on to fight infections. Bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites are adapting, making treatable conditions turn deadly once again by outsmarting antibiotics and other antimicrobials, our largest arsenal in fighting diseases and infections.

It is projected that globally between 2025 and 2050, 39 million deaths could be directly associated with antimicrobial resistance, while another 169 million deaths could be associated indirectly – indicating a crisis as severe as climate change or nuclear threats.

AMR is not only a risk to human lives; it also threatens food security, as treatments for animals and plants lose effectiveness, consequently affecting the progress on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In this state of urgency, youth’s digital fluency, connectivity and openness positions them as agents for change, positioning them at the intersection of vulnerability and opportunity.

More than half of the world's population is under the age of 30 and will likely bear the consequences of healthcare system failures, and at the same time have the opportunity to bring innovative change.

But the question is, how can this generation be empowered in the fight against antimicrobial resistance? How can the youth become the vanguard in the battle of AMR awareness and actions?

It is important to recognize youth as not just future recipients of global health outcomes, but also as frontline leaders who are already pushing this fight against AMR. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized the role of youth as agents of transformative change who can effectively mobilize, educate and shape public opinion around AMR.

According to research conducted by the Quadripartite Working Group on Youth Engagement for AMR, nearly half of surveyed stakeholders rated youth engagement as highly effective which further confirms youth’s powerful impact in antimicrobial resistance advocacy.

During World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW), youth spread awareness about AMR through marches, debates and social media campaigns. Moreover, youth-led organizations like ReAct Africa have launched awareness drives on social and traditional platforms raising awareness about AMR and encouraging cautious antibiotic use. Furthermore, a study at Kampala International University emphasizes that youth driven digital campaigns are catalysts in shaping public health narratives due to their speed and depth.

“One health” clubs in schools and universities across Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Zambia, which are led by young changemakers, have flourished increasing community knowledge and encouraging practical behaviour change.

Young people are at the forefront of tackling antibiotic resistance in creative ways such as building apps that help patients stick to their antibiotic schedules, coming up with innovative waste management solutions to cut down on the environmental spread of resistant bacteria, or developing other groundbreaking approaches. These innovative initiatives are turning into real-world interventions that save lives.

Young people must be at the heart of any successful global response to antibiotic resistance, which has now been finally recognized by many international organizations after the COVID pandemic.

The Quadripartite, along with UNESCO and UNICEF, released the Antimicrobial Resistance Prevention and Education in Schools policy brief in March 2025, which serves as a roadmap for incorporating AMR concepts into school curricula worldwide. This strategy not only educates younger students but also empowers them to become advocates for responsible antibiotic use in their families and wider communities.

The Quadripartite alliance launched the AMR Toolkit for Youth Engagement which offers practical resources for young people helping them with their advocacy, research and direct involvement in policy-making. These institutional frameworks create partnerships which are central to developing knowledge and driving policy change, and ensuring that youth engagement isn't just mere symbolic.

Innovative learning tools developed by youth-led initiatives are popping up everywhere. ReAct's Youth Engagement page and Toolbox provide hands-on resources such as workshops and peer-led courses for students and activists around the world. The 2025 ReAct online workshop set a new standard for making AMR education accessible to everyone.

WHO is backing up these efforts with digital innovations like their Kahoot! game Superbugs and AMR: What you need to know!, using the power of gaming to make complex AMR concepts stick in young people's minds.

Having a blend of these digital tools and traditional advocacy methods like school assemblies, public debates and grassroots clubs has the potential to boost both the reach and impact of youth-led awareness campaigns.

Young voices are finally breaking into the world's most important decision-making rooms. At the 78th World Health Assembly in May 2025, the Quadripartite Working Group hosted a groundbreaking event that brought together youth champions, agency representatives and government officials to emphasize just how crucial young people are in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. These youth advocates are now part of advisory boards, helping write policy briefs and taking part in workshops that can shape how countries prioritize AMR action.

Meanwhile, social media campaigns like #YouthVoices4AMR, driven by networks on Instagram and other platforms, have made AMR resonate with people across different cultures and continents, showing just how powerful and inclusive youth activism can be.

Amazing things happen when young people take charge locally. In Southeast Asia, the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) backs youth who organize public campaigns, host AMR-themed art contests and teach rural communities about antibiotic resistance, tailoring their messages to fit different social environments.

Whether it's rural health clubs in Africa or university forums in Asia, these youth-driven initiatives show incredible adaptability and determination, managing to get conversations started even when resources are tight.

Major challenges still exist despite the small wins as it is still a challenge to get AMR topics into school curricula as it is often met with resistance from educators who question its relevance, and implementation moves slowly even when there's buy-in.

Lack of adequate funding and minimal technical support are barriers faced by youth-led projects. Moreover, we cannot deny that the digital divide still exists where students from underserved communities often lack the internet access or devices needed to participate.

But there is still hope as potential far outweighs these hurdles. We need governments, international organizations, civil society groups and, most crucially, young people themselves working together. We can ensure youth voices are both well-supported and well-organized by investing in better digital infrastructure, creating solid mentorship programmes and offering adaptable funding.

Here's the bottom line: empowering young people isn't just smart strategy, it's a moral necessity. Without their full involvement, we simply can't protect a future where antibiotics and other life-saving medicines actually work when we need them.

This is young people's time to shape what health security means for the next several decades. With their energy, fresh ideas and real-world experience, they're essential in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

Whether we simply survive the AMR crisis or come out stronger and better prepared depends on how much we trust young people, invest in their work, and help their initiatives grow. If we join forces now, we can build a world that's healthier, safer and fairer for everyone.