London, August 19 (RHC)-- The new report shows that young people are excluded from decision-making and are among the most impacted by economic crises.  Despite their strength in numbers, young people are underrepresented and excluded from high-level global policy discussions on serious issues such as education, the environment and the economy, according to a new report published by Oxfam International.

The reports says the the global youth population is the largest it has ever been, with around 1.8 billion people between the ages of 10 and 21, the majority of whom live in urban areas of developing countries.  The new study points out that that young people will carry the weight of the world’s “unresolved dilemmas” like the impact of climate change and growing levels of inequality.

The authors of the Oxfam study highlight the fact that young people are disproportionately affected by wealth inequality, which is has been heightened due to the "concentration of wealth and resources in the hands of the few."  The Oxfam report goes on to point out that, economic inequality has tangible impacts on youth's chances for securing productive and stable employment. The global youth unemployment rate currently stands at around 13 per cent, according to figures from the International Labor Organization.