LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

Asia-Pacific Interagency Group on Youth

Youth occupies an important place in the agenda of international development. As a consequence, the Asia-Pacific Interagency Group on Youth was established to support the regional implementation of the World Programme of Action on Youth, the Millennium Development Goals and international conventions and legal instruments affecting young people, through working with governments, development partners, other stakeholders and young people themselves.

Membership of the Interagency Group comprises UN system entities as well as other key stakeholders, including: ESCAP (acting as chair), FAO, ILO, IOM, PLAN International, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNMC, UNODC, USAID and WHO.

The Interagency Group undertakes joint advocacy for implementing policies that provide youth with opportunities to build their capacity and contribute to development, as well as protect them from negative social and environmental influences. It also is involved in information sharing and networking, enhancing cooperation and coordination, and dissemination of innovative/good practices and lessons.

The year commencing on 12 August 2010 (International Youth Day) has been proclaimed the International Year of Youth (IYY) by the United Nations General Assembly. The theme of the IYY is “dialogue and mutual understanding”. The Interagency Group, through a Task Force, is actively involved in organizing national and regional level events and activities for the IYY focusing on key youth development needs.

Moving forward to promote the rights of persons with disabilities in Asia-Pacific

As the conclusion of the second Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2003-2012, approaches, experts and key stakeholders will come together to discuss further means of promoting the rights of persons with disabilities in Asia-Pacific.

Organized by ESCAP, the “Expert Group Meeting-cum Stakeholder Consultation to Review the Implementation of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2003-2012” was held at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok from 23 to 25 June 2010. The Meeting reviewed the Decade achievements and remaining challenges faced by persons with disabilities and offered proposals to governments on the way forward.

It was attended by selected Government focal points on disability, representatives of organizations of persons with disabilities, United Nations agencies and other key stakeholders. For more information about this meeting, please click here.

High-level Intergovernmental Meeting to Review Regional Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and its Regional and Global Outcomes

A high-level intergovernmental meeting to review the regional implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995) at fifteen years for the ESCAP region was held from 16-18 November 2009 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok. Reaffirming their commitment to women's empowerment, Ministers and senior officials from 40 countries closed the three day meeting with the adoption of the Bangkok Declaration for Beijing +15 which will intensify the region's effort to improve the lives of women and girls. more.....

Expert Group Meeting on Closing the Gap: Strategies to Combat and Monitor Exclusion in Asia and the Pacific

Expert Group Meeting on Closing the Gap: Strategies to Combat and Monitor Exclusion in Asia and the Pacific was held from 29 September to 1 October, in Bangkok, Thailand, for the Development Account project on interregional cooperation to strengthen social inclusion, gender equality and health promotion in the Millennium Development Goals. more.....

UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS

NEW PUBLICATIONS