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Opinion
Credit: United Nations
– Many times I have been asked a simple but important question: How can we make it sustainable if we don’t get compensated for it?
That question is at the center of a conversation that we don’t address enough. Somewhere between exposure and exploitation there is a line that we have not yet learned to draw clearly. And perhaps that is exactly where the real conversation about “inclusion” begins.
The cost of being seen is probably the highest cost that young people must bear in order to carry the passion and aspirations they strive for when trying to make an impact.
As conversations around the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs continue to grow, one question remains: how far have we really come in shaping perspectives, and not just numbers?
Too often, inclusion is measured by attendance, representation, and diversity metrics. But inclusion is not just about presence. It’s about value. It is about whether people are recognised, respected and taken seriously for their contribution. Inclusion does not live in the Excel sheets we fill out or the rooms we temporarily occupy during events.
It begins when age, gender, ethnicity and jobs are not weighed before granting credibility. This is even more important for young people.
A single voice, a single appearance, or a single statement often presents itself as an opportunity. And sometimes it is. But when visibility becomes a substitute for fair compensation, authorship, decision-making power, or real support, exposure becomes powerless and begins to become exploitative.
Exposure alone is not empowerment. Visibility can open doors, but it cannot replace fair structures. Being seen only makes sense when it is followed by trust, ownership, opportunity and value.
Too often, young people are given advice when what they really need is access. They are mentored, encouraged, and told to keep going, but they are rarely sponsored in the spaces that shape outcomes. If we want inclusion to go beyond symbolism, we must build cultures where support does not end in guidance.
It should extend to promotion. Because for many underrepresented voices, the problem is not a lack of talent or preparation. It is the absence of someone willing to open the right door and say: this person belongs here.
The goal is not to reject exposure. Exposure can be powerful. But it cannot be the only thing that is offered. True inclusion begins when participation is respected, contribution is valued, and visibility leads to something more lasting. Being seen may open the door, but being valued is what makes inclusion real.
Bisma Qamar is the Pakistan Youth Representative to the UN-US chapter under the Prime Minister’s Youth Program (PMYP). Her work focuses on learning, development and capacity-building initiatives, with a strong emphasis on creating inclusive and sustainable opportunities through “Matching Talent with Opportunities” by upskilling people by focusing on SDG 4 (Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).
https://www.un.org/youthaffairs/en/youth2030/about
IPS UN Office
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