The ASEAN Secretariat, UNICEF and ILO held a regional youth dialogue in Indonesia on October 18. ASEAN SECRETARIAT
ASEAN, UNICEF and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) have jointly delivered recommendations aimed at advancing opportunities for young people across the region.
The ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC), UNICEF and ILO, with support from the UN Development Programme (UNDP), UNESCO and UN Women, concluded the “Breaking Barriers, Building Futures: ASEAN Regional Dialogue on Young People’s Skills, Employability and Transition to Decent Work” event in the Indonesian capital Jakarta on October 18.
The two-day regional dialogue resulted in a recommendation that underscores the necessity for increased collaboration, including with the private sector and young people themselves, to enhance equal opportunities for the region’s youth, as announced by the ASEC on October 18.
“In line with ASEAN leaders’ strategic commitments to promote meaningful youth participation, human resource development and the transition to a green economy, involving stakeholders is pivotal to ensure that all labour and education policies and initiatives are inclusive and fully beneficial to ASEAN’s young people, especially those in vulnerable and underserved areas,” stated Ekkaphab Phanthavong, deputy secretary-general for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC).
Myo Zin-Nyun, deputy regional director of UNICEF East Asia and Pacific, said it is imperative to work with young people as equal partners to ensure they shape this agenda, inform future policies and lead solutions in their communities.
“This regional dialogue is a bold step in ensuring that they are at the centre of the conversation and are enabled to influence and engage in meaningful dialogues on how to build a better path to productive occupation and decent work,” he said.
Panudda Boonpala, deputy regional director of the ILO Regional Office for Asia and Pacific, stressed the need for an integrated policy response in the form of national youth employment strategies that are gender-responsive and tailored to their needs and aspirations.
“With rapidly advancing technologies, changing climate and shifting demographics, the need for a smooth transition to productive work for young people in ASEAN cannot be overstated,” Boonpala said.
The press release stressed that youth in the Asia-Pacific region continue to face labour market challenges such as low wages, informal vocations and a lack of access to good occupations. Rapid digital and green transitions necessitate flexible, market-oriented skills, particularly for young women, to ensure equal opportunities and access to the job sector.
The dialogue adopted a lifecycle approach to youth skills while emphasising the importance of conservationist and technological skills in contemporary education systems and labour markets. It also highlighted key gender barriers faced by adolescent girls and young women, reinforcing ASEAN’s commitment to gender equality.
Discussions at the event revolved around four thematic areas, including inclusive, future-ready education; skills development and employability; youth employment and job sector transitions for a human-centred recovery; and entrepreneurship.
The event received endorsement from the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Youth (SOMY) as an initiative under the ASEAN Work Plan on Youth 2021-25 and the ILO-ASEAN Work Programme 2022-25.
