Empowering ASEAN’s Future
Empowering ASEAN’s Future: Youth, Skills, and Advocacy at the Forefront
This past weekend, the historic city of Luang Prabang, Lao PDR, served as the backdrop for the 3rd ASEAN Youth Dialogue, a forum where Southeast Asia’s next generation of leaders convened to address the region’s most pressing challenges. The event, hosted by the Lao Youth Union, with support from UNICEF and UNFPA, underscored a collective commitment to harnessing youth leadership in the pursuit of a more equitable and sustainable future.
June Kunugi, UNICEF’s Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific, delivered a keynote address that emphasized the pivotal role of young people in shaping ASEAN’s future. “You are not just the future—you are the present,” Kunugi remarked, addressing the assembled delegates.
“Your voices matter, your actions count, and together, we must ensure that every young person has the opportunity to thrive.” This set the tone for a dialogue focused on youth empowerment, gender equality, and leveraging digital skills to drive progress.
Education and Skills as Cornerstones
ASEAN’s youthful demographic is often hailed as the region’s greatest asset, but the real test lies in translating this potential into tangible gains for development. The dialogue highlighted a persistent gap in education and skills development, particularly in rural and underserved areas. UNICEF’s work across the region—and in Lao PDR specifically—aims to bridge this divide by advocating for investments that ensure every child has access to quality education and the tools necessary for success in an increasingly digital world.
In Lao PDR, UNICEF’s Youth Champions initiative is a key part of this effort, providing young people with platforms to advocate for change in their communities. These youth advocates are trained in leadership, public speaking, and digital skills, equipping them with the tools to champion issues like education, climate action, and gender equality. By amplifying the voices of young people, UNICEF ensures that their perspectives are not only heard but also acted upon by policymakers.
One of the standout initiatives highlighted at the ASEAN Youth Dialogue is UNICEF’s STEM for Girls programme, which focuses on empowering young women to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In a region where gender disparities in education and employment opportunities persist, this initiative is particularly vital. The STEM for Girls programme provides targeted training in digital literacy, coding, and entrepreneurial skills, opening up new pathways for girls to thrive in the modern economy.
The importance of education as a foundation for long-term growth was a recurring theme throughout the weekend’s discussions. In Lao PDR, where nearly half the population is under 25, UNICEF has been working closely with the government to enhance the education system and promote youth skills development. UNICEF’s focus goes beyond basic literacy and numeracy; it seeks to equip young people—particularly girls—with life skills, digital literacy, and entrepreneurial capabilities. This emphasis on holistic development is crucial as ASEAN countries face a rapidly changing global economy.
Barriers to Progress
Yet, progress in education remains elusive for many young girls across the region. One particularly entrenched challenge is child and early forced marriages. Despite legislative efforts, child marriage remains a significant barrier to girls’ education, health, and economic prospects. Kunugi called attention to this issue during her speech, noting that “too many young girls are losing their chance to fulfil their full potential.” She called on ASEAN leaders to redouble efforts to create pathways for girls to remain in school and access opportunities.
UNICEF has been a key advocate for ending child marriage in Lao PDR, where the practice remains prevalent in certain rural communities. Through targeted programmes, UNICEF is working to keep girls in school and provide them with opportunities to build skills and aspire to leadership roles in their communities. “This is not just about preventing harmful practices,” Kunugi said. “It’s about equipping young people with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive.”
One such initiative that UNICEF is supporting to enhance knowledge about child marriage and encourage young people to reflect on their future paths is the interactive edutainment board game, "Choose My Way."
This board game helps young people understand how to plan their lives in areas such as education, relationships, savings, and future life choices. It highlights the different consequences that can arise depending on the decisions they make. The game conveys important prevention messages about child marriage and allows young people to experience various life paths in an engaging and educational way.
Harnessing Digital Transformation
The dialogue also spotlighted digital transformation as both an opportunity and a challenge for ASEAN youth. While the region’s young people are often lauded as the most digitally connected generation in history, significant disparities remain, particularly in rural areas. Digital access is uneven, and the digital divide continues to limit opportunities for many.
Ms. Kunugi stressed the importance of ensuring equitable access to technology and digital literacy programmes. “We must ensure that all youth have access—particularly young women and those from disadvantaged communities,” she said. UNICEF has been at the forefront of efforts to expand digital literacy and skills training in Lao PDR, promoting the idea that young people must not only be consumers of technology but also innovators who can leverage digital platforms to drive social and economic change.
The Path Forward
As the ASEAN Youth Dialogue drew to a close, one clear message emerged: the youth of Southeast Asia are ready to take on leadership roles, but they need support from their governments and international partners. Platforms like the ASEAN Youth Dialogue, which this year received funding support via UNICEF from the Government of Australia, are essential for ensuring that young voices are heard and that their ideas are taken seriously by policymakers. Following the Dialogue, the youth delegates then had the opportunity to share the results to ASEAN leaders at the high-level Youth Interface in Vientiane.
UNICEF’s ongoing work with the Lao Youth Union and other partners aims to amplify youth advocacy, particularly in areas like education, child marriage, and climate action. The dialogue reinforced the notion that youth are not passive observers of the future; they are active participants in shaping it.
The ASEAN Youth Dialogue served as a powerful reminder that the region’s future hinges on the ability to invest in its youth—ensuring they have the education, skills, and platforms needed to thrive in a complex and fast-changing world.
As Ms. Kunugi aptly put it, “The future of ASEAN is not something that will happen to you—it is something you will create.”
