Young People's Vision for a Sustainable, Resilient and Inclusive Asia Pacific

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Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development
(APFSD) Youth Forum 2023

“Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels in Asia and the Pacific with Young People at the Forefront”

Over 400 young people in all their diversities across 36 countries in the Asia-Pacific region gathered for the Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) Youth Forum 2023, held in hybrid modality, from 18th – 20th March 2023 in Bangkok,Thailand. Their participation in this youth forum brings forth their collective voice and is a representation of their place across various social movements in the region, reflected collectively in the ‘Asia Pacific Regional Youth Call-to-Action Ahead of the APFSD 2023’. This APFSD Youth Call to Action puts forward their concerns and embodies the demand for sustainable, inclusive, and human rights focused solutions, with focus on the SDGs under review for this year – SDG6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG17 (Partnerships for the Goals), alongside SDG3 (Health and Well-being) and SDG5 (Gender Equality). 

Download the APFSD Youth Call-to-Action here

Besides the Regional Youth Call-to-Action, 16 APFSD country and sub-regional briefs were developed through collective discussions and engagements between youth advocates at the APFSD Youth Forum. Download the briefs below.

APFSD Youth Forum Call to Action 2023: Afghanistan

APFSD Youth Forum Call to Action 2023: Bangladesh

APFSD Youth Forum Call to Action 2023: Bhutan

APFSD Youth Forum Call to Action 2023: Cambodia

APFSD Youth Forum Call to Action 2023: East, North-East, and Central Asia

APFSD Youth Forum Call to Action 2023: India

APFSD Youth Forum Call to Action 2023: Japan

APFSD Youth Forum Call to Action 2023: Malaysia and Singapore

APFSD Youth Forum Call to Action 2023: Myanmar and Laos

APFSD Youth Forum Call to Action 2023: Nepal

APFSD Youth Forum Call to Action 2023: Oceania

APFSD Youth Forum Call to Action 2023: Pakistan

APFSD Youth Forum Call to Action 2023: Philippines

APFSD Youth Forum Call to Action 2023: Sri Lanka

APFSD Youth Forum Call to Action 2023: Thailand

APFSD Youth Forum Call to Action 2023: Vietnam

The final day was dedicated to finalising and adopting the Youth Call to Actions and discussing ways forward for youth engagement in regional and global forums. Representatives from five national APFSD Youth Alliances (Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Mongolia, and Papua New Guinea) shared their experiences of establishing country-level platforms to advance SDG implementation and youth engagement at the national level.



The second day centred on climate action and SDG 14 (Life Below Water), with high-level opening remarks from UNDP, UNFCCC, UNICEF, ARROW and the Embassy of Sweden.



Plenary presentations highlighted critical challenges in the Asia-Pacific region, including:
  • Rising greenhouse gas emissions with the region accounting for approximately 60% of global emissions
  • Significant regression on SDG 13 (Climate Action)
  • Disproportionate climate impacts on women and girls
  • Ocean pollution with approximately 80% of global ocean plastic pollution originating from Asia

Access the APFSD Youth Forum Abstracts here →

An Innovation Walk showcased 18 youth-led innovations addressing various SDGs through technology, indigenous knowledge, and community-based approaches.

Access the APFSD Youth Forum Innovation Booklet here →



Day one focused on gender equality, and health including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The opening session featured addresses from co-conveners and a video message from Dr Felipe Paullier, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs.



Plenary sessions included presentations from UN agencies and experts on the status of SDGs 3 and 5 in the region, highlighting alarming statistics on maternal mortality, HIV infections, mental health issues among youth, and barriers to SRHR access.