Our directors look back at a packed 2025 and discuss the future of Young Lives
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Young Lives Newsletter
🎄 December 2025 🎄
As 2025 draws to a close, Director Marta Favara and Deputy Director Kath Ford look back at what has been an exciting and eventful year for Young Lives and discuss about what the future holds for this unique longitudinal study.
Working to achieve 'A Successful and Meaningful Outcome for Children at COP30'
Ahead of COP30, Young Lives partnered with UNICEF, Save the Children, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and YOUNGO (as highlighted in our October newsletter) to develop a set of recommendations focused on securing a Successful and Meaningful Outcome for Children in the final negotiation stages.
This collaboration resulted in a joint Policy Brief outlining clear, actionable recommendations for governments involved in negotiating the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) indicators at COP30, emphasising the need to address the unique vulnerabilities of children. During the two weeks of intense negotiations in Belem, Young Lives and our partners circulated several additional sets of recommendations in response to the emerging draft texts, urging stronger references to children and education in the GGA decision.
You can read the full Policy Brief on our website; our response to the final decision on the Global Goal on Adaptation at COP30 will be published in the new year.
Young Lives' Response to new WHO Guidance on policy and strategic actions to protect and promote mental health
Young Lives welcomes the publication of the new WHO Guidance on policy and strategic actions to protect and promote mental health and well-being across government sectors, a useful and timely framework for integrating mental health across public policy.
We are particularly pleased to see research based on Young Lives evidence on the mental health cost of job loss among young adults cited in the guidance.
Young Lives Peru launches Legacy Report
Congratulations to the Niños del Milenio (Young Lives Peru) team on the launch their report 'What have we learned from the longitudinal study of Children of the Millennium in Peru?: New findings and pending challenges (2018–2025)'.
Detailing findings on health, nutrition, wellness, education and youth employment from our longitudinal study in Peru, the publication is available in Spanish via the button below.
Young Lives' Alan Sánchez invited to speak at Peru’s Week of Inclusion on Reducing Child Poverty
Young Lives Senior Researcher Alan Sánchez was recently invited by UNICEF Peru to speak at the 13th Week of Inclusion, hosted by Peru’s Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion (MIDIS).
Alan delivered a keynote presentation during the session 'What Works to Reduce Child Poverty'.
Dr Alula Pankhurst appears on Meet EBC to discuss the 22nd ICES & Young Lives' Qual 6 in Ethiopia
Young Lives Ethiopia Country Director Dr Alula Pankhurst recently appeared on Meet EBC, discussing the 22nd International Conference of Ethiopian Studies (ICES), hosted by Hawassa University and the Institute of Ethiopian Studies.
He reflected on the 66-year history and evolution of the conference, its growing Ethiopian leadership and its multidisciplinary contributions. He also shared insights from the Young Lives Ethiopia Qual6 study, exploring youth transitions, aspirations and wellbeing in a time of multiple crises.
New working paper
Life-Course Shocks and Food Insecurity: Longitudinal Evidence from Ethiopia, India, and Peru
Using two decades of Young Lives longitudinal data (2002-2023) from Ethiopia, India, and Peru, the authors, Marta Favara, Juliana Quigua and Alan Sánchez, analyse how the timing of shocks influences current household food security. Their findings consistently demonstrate a significant association between recent shock exposure and food insecurity in 2023 across all countries.
Team News
Why we 💜 Young Lives!
For nearly 25 years, Young Lives has been collecting unique longitudinal data to understand how poverty and inequality shape the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in the Global South.
Our dedicated team works hard to ensure this evidence informs policymakers and drives meaningful change to improve young people’s lives. And we’re committed to continuing this vital work through times of crises and for the next generation — but we can’t do it alone.
If you’re a funder dedicated to long-term research and impact, we’d love to connect. Please get in touch to continue the conversation and explore new opportunities for innovative partnerships.
Watch as our international team explain why they love being part of Yong Lives.
New year, new opportunities!
We were sad to say goodbye to three of our Young Lives team this month. Dr Gerry McQuade, who has been part of the Young Lives team in various guises over the past few years, has taken up a post as Research Associate (Health Economics) at Lancaster University. While Research Assistant Joanna Mikhaylova will be staying at the University of Oxford, starting in the Department of Economics in the New Year. Our Project Administrator, Jenny Wood, also remains at the University and is now Office Manager at the Department of Psychology.
We wish them all the best of luck in their new roles.
🎄 Happy Christmas from everyone at Young Lives! 🎄
We wish you and yours a happy Christmas and a peaceful and joyous New Year!
If you have any questions or comments about this newsletter, please contact Young Lives Acting Head of Communications, Penny Rudling at penny.rudling@qeh.ox.ac.uk
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