Asia-Pacific: International Organizations

The United Nations and Youth in Asia-Pacific

Although some regional UN interventions are serving youth in several countries (e.g., the EU/UNFPA cooperation initiative on Reproductive and Sexual Health of Young People in Asia; RHIYA, see below), there is no “one-stop shop” providing an overview of the UN’s efforts regarding youth across Asia and the Pacific. Nevertheless, the United Nations Development Programme Asia (UNDP) Portal, www.undp.org/asia/ provides access to information about UN action in general, through country offices and regional programs, including specific youth-related activities where they exist. In addition, among the aims of three regional centers of UNDP based in Asia-Pacific is the management of knowledge on best practices. These centers can be contacted for more specific information about engagement with youth in the specific subregions they serve.

Bangkok: http://regionalcentrebangkok.undp.or.th/

Colombo: www.undprcc.lk/

Fiji: http://regionalcentrepacific.undp.org.fj/

EU/UNFPA Cooperation on Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health (RHIYA)

www.asia-initiative.org

The EU/UNFPA Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in Asia (RHIYA) expands on the successful multicountry intervention: the EC/UNFPA Initiative for Reproductive Health in Asia (RHI). The RHIYA continues the successful collaboration among the European Union, UNFPA, European and local NGOs toward improving the sexual and reproductive health of the most vulnerable populations, especially young people, in South and Southeast Asia. Partnering with NGOs and governments, RHIYA aims to improve the sexual and reproductive health of young people between the ages of 10 and 24, through information and education campaigns, the provision of youth-friendly services, and the development of advocacy initiatives.

UNICEF South Asia

www.unicef.org/infobycountry/southasia.html

www.unicef.org/rosa

UNICEF in South Asia works to implement UNICEF’s commitments toward children and young people up to age 18 in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. UNICEF attempts to draw on the strong, local traditions of social participation in this diverse region to design and carry out programs that help communities nurture their children.

UNICEF “Speaking Out! Voices of Children and Adolescents in East Asia and the Pacific”: Survey of East Asia and the Pacific

www.unicef.org/polls/eapro/index.html

“Speaking Out! Voices of Children and Adolescents in East Asia and the Pacific” reports on a survey of approximately 10,000 children and adolescents aged 9 to 17, carried out by UNICEF’s regional office in 17 countries and territories. The young people interviewed were a representative sample of the children in each country and territory in terms of age, gender, geographic location (urban or rural), and socioeconomic status. Representative of some 300 million young people, this survey is believed to be the largest and most comprehensive of its kind ever carried out in the region. Survey questions focused on what children know about their rights, HIV/AIDS, and other related issues, as well as their perceptions of and opinions on family life, school, and society in general.

World Bank in the South Asia Region

General information on World Bank activities that have an impact on young people, among other populations targeted by its development efforts, is available at http://go.worldbank.org/I7VBKP0ED0. Some youth-specific projects have been conducted by the WB in this region, and information about those is available at www.worldbank.org/saryouth.

Youth Consultations in South Asia

http://go.worldbank.org/SXQM4AZZE0

In early 2006, the World Bank organized several consultations with youth and on youth throughout South Asia to learn more about regional demographic trends and policy challenges. These meetings were part of the global WB consultations on youth to gather research for the World Development Report on Youth (2007), an annual bank publication that looks at the state of the world in relation to a particular theme or population group.