Young Women and Heritage Management: Insights from a Systematic Literature Review

Although there is an increasing global focus on inclusive heritage management, the level and nature of young women's participation have not been thoroughly explored in the current literature. Young women occupy a distinctive position in the continuity of World Heritage Sites (WHS) as active custodians of the living associations that help sustain the historic sites. However, they remain largely absent from formal management structures, a marginality shaped by the intersection of age- and gender-based exclusion. This study synthesizes existing evidence to reveal the structural gaps in youth and gender perspectives within World Heritage (WH) management, placing young women in the discourse. This PRISMA-guided systematic literature review investigates young women’s participation in the management of WHS by synthesizing 63 peer-reviewed and policy sources published in English, primarily open-access, between 2000 and 2025. The review addresses four questions: (1) what role do young women play in WH management; (2) where and how do they participate; (3) which structural factors enable or constrain their participation; and (4) how does the intensity of their participation map onto the established participation ladder? To address these questions, data were extracted and analyzed to discern patterns, gaps, and emerging themes. The results of this review indicate that, across the accessible literature, young women's participation in WH management rarely extends beyond consultative roles, with documented examples of decision-making influence being scarce. The study necessitates a dialogue on gender-responsive and youth-inclusive heritage management models to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of WH.