Regional Youth Agenda Background
Built by youth from across 23 countries
Delegates aged 13-25 from youth-led and youth-focused groups co-created this call to action through research, discussion, and consultation. The agenda responds to urgent realities affecting children across Asia-Pacific, including child labour, child and forced marriage, corporal punishment, and online sexual exploitation and abuse.
This platform presents their shared priorities for stronger prevention, accountability, and youth leadership in child protection decision-making.
The region accounts for around 27.7 million of the world's children in child labour. Poverty, household precarity, and social norms continue to push children into harmful work.
We urge governments and stakeholders to:
- •Strengthen legal protection and close enforcement gaps.
- •Invest in climate-responsive social protection.
- •Prioritise the most invisible and vulnerable children.
- •Institutionalise meaningful youth participation in child labour policy.
- •Align education systems with child labour elimination.
Child, Early and Forced Marriage
CEFM remains widespread in Asia and the Pacific. Driven by gender inequality, poverty, and harmful norms, it limits girls' access to education, health, safety, and future opportunity.
We urge governments and stakeholders to:
- •Close the gap between law and practice.
- •Match commitments with sustainable investment.
- •Ensure every girl stays in school and learns safely.
- •Recognize and support youth and survivor leadership.
- •Address emerging risks with urgency and coordination.
Corporal punishment continues across homes, schools, and care institutions. Harmful beliefs about violent discipline still influence childrearing and leave children unprotected.
We urge governments and stakeholders to:
- •Enact and enforce comprehensive laws.
- •Develop and implement national action plans.
- •Fund prevention and positive parenting programs.
- •Make every school a safe, violence-free environment.
- •Strengthen child protection and accountability systems.
Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
OCSEA is severe and underreported. Shame, stigma, threats, and weak reporting systems silence children, while survivors face long-term effects on mental health, trust, and social participation.
We urge governments and stakeholders to:
- •Strengthen laws and amplify cross-border collaboration.
- •Hold technology companies accountable.
- •Strengthen digital safety education and awareness.
- •Empower children, families, and communities.
- •Amplify youth voices and community action.
