Youth Forum

About this meeting

UN forum in Bangkok calls for more effective policies to enhance youth participation in sustainable development

Countries from Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Western Asia gathered at the United Nations in Bangkok to explore opportunities for scaling up youth participation in sustainable development and decision-making processes. Participants, which included policymakers, representatives of youth-led organizations and academics recognized the need for governments to encourage youth empowerment, as well as ensure development policies are youth-friendly and inclusive.

At the opening of the three-day Interregional Youth Policy Forum, hosted by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Deputy Executive Secretary of ESCAP Mr. Kaveh Zahedi highlighted that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ICT and demographics provide major opportunities for increasing youth involvement and engagement, but that greater investment is needed in skills to turn these opportunities into reality.

“We must overcome the inequality of access to decent education,” stressed Mr. Zahedi. “Within countries, the wealthiest 20 per cent have attendance ratios in secondary education, which are over five times greater than the poorest 20 per cent. The poor are thus largely barred from opportunities at an early age.

Amongst the policy recommendations emphasised at the forum where promoting high-quality technical vocational education training, providing national internship programmes, and creating employment centres for young people. Participants further underscored the role of innovation and ICT in encouraging youth participation in sustainable development and decision-making processes.

ESCAP, together with the UN regional commissions for Western Asia and Africa jointly launched the Youth Policy Toolbox this week – an online repository that provides governments and civil society easy access to a variety of good practices and e-learning opportunities on youth empowerment.

The forum, held from 21-23 November, served to facilitate dialogue and an exchange of experiences between policymakers and civil society, as part of ESCAP’s ongoing work in strengthening the capacities of governments to develop youth inclusive policies.