APFSD 2026 Side Event: Launching the APFSD Youth Forum Regional Call to Action 2026

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Note: Attendee will have to register under UN’s INDICO’s platform to attend the 13th APFSD, which will, in turn, give access to join this side event.

Organiser

Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW)

Co-organisers

Introduction

With the aim to reinforce the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda at all levels in Asia and the Pacific in the remaining 4 years, the panel discussion will feature government officials, UN agencies and young people who will discuss the progress, gaps and challenges in the implementation of goals under review including Goal 6, 7, 9, 11 and 17 in its intersections with gender equality (SDG5), health (SDG3) and climate change (SDG13) as the crosscutting goals.

The panel will interrogate the regional realities of the 2030 Agenda implementation in regards to the goals under review, highlight some of the actions taken by governments, UN agencies, youth networks and young people to advance these goals, stress on immediate action needed to ensure meaningful engagement of young people in advancing the 2030 Agenda implementation.

The side event will also launch and amplify the key recommendations from the APFSD Regional Youth Call to Action 2026 to the larger APFSD participants, governments, UN agencies and all participants including young people attending the panel. The Call to Action brings together young people’s sustainable, innovative and resilient ideas, views, solutions and recommendations discussed at the APFSD Youth Forum 2026 which will be held prior to the APFSD intergovernmental meeting. The Call to Action will be developed by more than 400 young people from approximately 25-35 countries in the region with a focus on meaningful engagement of young people in regards to realisation of the SDGs under review.

The Programme

The in-person side event will bring together and amplify young people’s voices from Asia and the Pacific region in the form of the APFSD Regional Youth Call to Action 2026 for the acceleration of Agenda 2030 implementation in the region along with the governments, CSOs and UN Agencies. Co-moderated by a young person, the side event will follow an integrated round table format, where keynote speakers are seated at round tables together with participants instead of at a separate panel table to emphasize on open dialogue. The floor discussants will be the APFSD Youth Forum scholars who will be seated in the roundtables as well.

The session will include a keynote address featuring government officials, UN agencies and young people who participated at the APFSD Regional Youth Forum 2026. The speakers will highlight the challenges and gaps in the implementation of Agenda 2030 in the region, the best practices and innovative ways to address challenges and provide key recommendations and priority actions for the acceleration of the Agenda 2030.

Expected outcomes

• Launch and amplify the APFSD2026 Regional Youth Call to Action that collates young people’s realities, voices and demands on the Goals 6, 7, 9, 11 and 17, which could include matters like just and sustainable transition, inclusive and sustainable cities, water and sanitation
• Discuss the theme of 13th APFSD from an intersectional lens.
• Reflect on the scope of multilateral partnership for the attainment of goals under review
• Identify mechanisms through which young people can engage meaningfully in their national VNR processes
• The APFSD 2026 Regional Youth Call to Action recommendations are included in the outcome document of APFSD 2026.