UNESCO

Global Human Skills Council

Get Involved

UNESCO

Get Involved

Bridging Global Skills Science to Action

The UNESCO Global Human Skills Council supports governments, youth-serving organizations, and young people worldwide to turn rapidly advancing global skills research into real-world action.

Why the Global Human Skills Council

Across countries and contexts, governments and organizations are asking the same questions:

How do we use the growing science on empathy, social and emotional learning, and civic skills to shape policy?

How do we move from promising programs to sustained, system-level action?

How do we ensure young people are not only beneficiaries, but leaders?

The Global Human Skills Council exists to bridge this gap between knowledge and action—supporting timely, evidence-informed decisions that strengthen education systems, youth development, and civic life.

What We Do

Technical Assistance & Action

New policy initiatives and investments

Program design, scale-up, and system alignment

Government–NGO collaboration and matchmaking

Group and cohort-based technical assistance

Our role is practical and catalytic—helping partners move from intention to implementation.

Evidence Monitoring & Synthesis

The Council is supported by a dedicated evidence backbone:

The Global Observatory for Empathy & Civic Action, which monitors how research is used in policy and practice and generates co-designed research aligned with real-world needs.

The Global Human Skills Evidence Exchange, a synthesis-ready infrastructure that integrates and translates research into decision-ready guidance for governments and organizations.

Together, these components ensure action is grounded in evidence, responsive to context, and continuously improved.

Youth Leadership

Young people are central to the Council’s mission and governance. Through the Global Youth Congress, youth:

Shape priorities and recommendations

Launch youth-led initiatives

Issue motions and elevate proposals to the Council

This ensures global skills efforts remain relevant, legitimate, and future-focused.

How the System Works

Research & Monitoring

Evidence Synthesis

Guidance

Action

At every stage, governments, organizations, and youth are engaged through co-design, feedback, and learning loops—so evidence does not sit on shelves, but informs decisions in real time.

Our Commitment

We will measure success by action and impact:

Governments served, including changes in policy, initiatives launched, and people reached

Non-governmental organizations supported, including internal reforms and new programs

Youth leadership activated, through the launch of the Global Youth Congress and youth-led initiatives worldwide

Who We Work With

The Council collaborates with:

National and subnational governments

Global and regional youth-serving organizations

UNESCO Chairs and academic partners

Multilateral institutions and evidence intermediaries

Youth leaders across regions and contexts

Get Involved

At a moment when evidence on empathy, social and emotional development, and civic action is expanding faster than systems can absorb it, the Council provides the technical assistance, coordination, and evidence infrastructure needed to act—now.

Governments
Request technical assistance and explore collaboration

Organizations
Partner with us to co-design research, programs, and action

Youth
Join the Global Youth Congress and lead change

Complete our quick contact form to get in touch and / or express an interest in the UNESCO global effort.