Applications Invited for Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) Youth Forum 2026

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About the Organization

ARROW, established in 1993, is a leading organisation in advancing the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and justice of women, girls and young people in all their diversities across Asia and the Pacific. We focus on empowering individuals through advocacy, research, capacity strengthening, movement building, community mobilisation, and partnerships. Key areas of emphasis include gender equality, and SRHR, including access to contraception, safe abortion, and comprehensive sexuality education, all of which are crucial for bodily autonomy and integrity.

About the Event  

The Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) Youth Forum 2026 will be organised ahead of APFSD 2026 by co-conveners, Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW), Youth LEAD, YPEER Asia-Pacific Center (YPEER AP), Major Group for Children and Youth and Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP (CYMG), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Youth Empowerment in Climate Action Platform (YECAP), and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP).

In 2026, the Youth Forum will be held in a hybrid modality from 18-20 February with the theme, "Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for a sustainable future for young people in all their diversity."

The forum will bring together young people representing diverse age-groups of children, adolescents and youth, from the age group 13-30, to discuss and deliberate on the theme of the 13th APFSD.

The Forum aims to:

• To ensure young people's voices, their realities and perspectives are meaningfully included, in setting, transforming and implementing the regional agenda on sustainable development, with specific reference to the intergovernmental APFSD 2026, ECOSOC Youth Forum 2026, and HLPF 2026.
• To sustain the dedicated youth convening space of “APFSD Youth Forum” and discuss SDG implementation with focus on ‘Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for a sustainable future for all’.
• To assess the progress, gaps, and challenges in the implementation of SDGs slated for in depth review including SDG 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 17 from young people's lens, and also address structural and systemic barriers to youth inclusion in sustainable development.
• To contribute to the voluntary national review process, from a youth perspective. 
• To develop the Youth Call to Action at regional, sub-regional and national level. 
• To provide a platform for National Alliance on APFSD to share the national Call to Action and to be incorporated into APFSD Regional Youth Call to Action. 

Key cluster goals under discussion include Goal 6 (Clean water and sanitation); Goal 7 (Affordable and clean energy); Goal 9 (Industry, innovation, and infrastructure); Goal 11 (Sustainable cities and communities); Goal 13 (Climate Change); with 3 additional crosscutting goals including Goal 3 (Health and Well being); Goal 5 (Gender equality); and Goal 17 (Partnership for the Goals).

Eligibility

Children and Young people (13-30) are encouraged to apply and showcase their work at the APFSD Youth Forum 2026.

Application is open to those who are:

• Between the age of 13-30 years of age (Birth date on or after 21 February 1996).
• Is from Asia and the Pacific region.
• Is progressive and believes in human rights-based approaches.
• Demonstrates unique strengths in the application that is relevant to SDGs under review as part of 13th APFSD.
• Shows understanding of SDGs at the country or regional level.
• Individuals from marginalised / socially excluded groups, communities and applications from far to reach places will be prioritised to ensure diversity and inclusion in participation at the APFSD Youth Forum.
• Considerations will also be given to the individuals who have been part of previous APFSD Youth Forums and contributed to previous APFSD Call to Action OR have attended the intergovernmental APFSD in the past.

How to Apply

• Application deadline: November 10, 2025 (11:59 PM, Thailand time)
• The APFSD Youth Forum will be conducted in English.
• Please mention if you require interpretation services in the application form. Conveners of the Youth Forum will try and accommodate your request to the best of our ability.
• If you are below 18 and you are selected to participate in the Youth Forum, you will be requested to provide consent from your parent/guardian in the later process.
• If you have any questions, contact us through apfsdyouthforum@arrow.org.my.

Click here to apply to the APFSD YOUTH FORUM 2026

For more information please check the Link

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