The Story
Today, the world is home to 1.8 billion young people, the largest generation of youth in history. Youth in the Asia-Pacific Region make up 60 per cent of the world’s youth population, or 750 million young persons aged 15 to 24 years. It is a region facing the challenges of extreme poverty, climate change, and gender inequality but also a region where young people are more interconnected than ever before, and many are leading political, social and economic change in their communities and societies.
UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) recognizes that young people are positive agents of change and that they represent an immense and valuable potential that governments and institutions should nurture and invest in. At the same time, it recognizes that young people are facing great challenges and risks, disproportionately affecting girls and young women in many parts of the world. Today’s pressing problems present an opportunity for youth leadership to build a better future across sectors and boundaries.