Deadline: November 10, 2025
Submit abstracts for the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) Youth Forum 2026. This is an opportunity for young people in all their diversity to engage in-person and online for the sustainable development goals (SDG) follow-up and review in Asia and the Pacific.
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.
Objectives
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.
Eligibility
- 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.
Application
For more information, visit APFSD Youth Forum.
