Asia-Pacific: Regional Organizations

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Regional Youth Funding in Asia and the Pacific

THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN)

http://www.aseansec.org

ASEAN was established in 1967 in Bangkok by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, later joined by Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia. It aims to accelerate economic growth, social progress, and cultural development and to promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries in the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter.

ASEAN has an elaborate framework of cooperation mechanisms for youth policy development and involvement of young people in the development of the region. Overseen by an ASEAN ministerial meeting on youth that convenes once every two years, youth cooperation is directed by the Work Program on Preparing ASEAN Youth for Sustainable Development. The Work Program serves as the major channel for pursuing ASEAN cooperation in youth development, and outlines the following four priority areas: policy development; promoting ASEAN awareness and civic responsibility; promoting employability of youth; and information exchange and partnership. Numerous activities are conducted to implement the Work Program, including:

  • annual ASEAN Youth Day Meetings and ASEAN Youth Day Awards;
  • an ASEAN Youth Leadership Development Program to promote the concept of youth leadership, policy formulation, and youth volunteers;
  • a Regional Capacity-Building Workshop to Promote Youth-Initiated Enterprises for government officials and young entrepreneurs to promote youth entrepreneurship;
  • a web portal at www.aseanyouth.org that was set up to link country-based youth websites;
  • a regional Youth Caucus that provides opportunities for youth representatives to present their discussions to the ministerial level on themes such as education, environment, employment and entrepreneurship, and community engagement.

ASEAN FOUNDATION

http://www.aseanfoundation.org

The ASEAN Foundation was established in December 1997 during ASEAN’s 30th Anniversary Commemorative Summit. Its mission is to contribute to shared prosperity and a sustainable future to all ten ASEAN member countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Funding for the foundation comes from the governments of the member countries, as well as from Japan, China, France, Canada, and several global corporations.

The ASEAN Foundation carries out a range of activities, including:

  • projects to promote education, training, science and technology, health, and cultural life;
  • assistance to uplift the social condition of the peoples in the ASEAN region;
  • fellowships to support exchanges of ASEAN youths and students;
  • collaborative work among academics, professionals, and scientists.

Projects supported by the ASEAN Foundation must meet the following requirements:

  • be consistent with the objectives and priorities of the ASEAN Foundation;
  • address one of the fields of science and technology, environment, culture and information, social development (youth, women, health and nutrition, education, labor affairs, disaster management, HIV/AIDS prevention and control, children, population, and rural development and poverty eradication), drug matters, or civil service;
  • address a regional issue and benefit all ASEAN member countries;
  • be sustainable, co-financed from other sources of funding, and achievable within a specified period of time;
  • benefit people at the grassroots level directly.

At present, the combined funding from these donors totals US$4.3 million, of which the foundation supports its grant-making, operational programs, and the building of its endowment.

THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB)

http://www.adb.org

ADB is an international development finance institution whose mission is to help its developing member countries reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of their populations. Established in 1966 and headquartered in Manila, the Philippines, ADB is owned and financed by its 67 members, of which 48 are from the region and 19 are from other parts of the globe. ADB’s main partners are governments, the private sector, NGOs, development agencies, community-based organizations, and foundations. Under Strategy 2020, a long-term strategic framework adopted in 2008, ADB will follow three complementary strategic agendas: inclusive growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. In pursuing its vision, ADB’s main instruments include loans, technical assistance, grants, advice, and knowledge.

ADB interacts with a broad range of civil society organizations through operational cooperation and dialogue. NGOs, community-based organizations, labor unions, and foundations are among ADB’s partners in fighting poverty and promoting prosperity in the Asia and Pacific region. ADB’s experience shows that cooperation with civil society organizations can improve the effectiveness, quality, and sustainability of ADB-assisted activities. Information about ADB-funded projects addressing young people can be accessed on its website using the project database: www.adb.org/Projects.

A special instrument of ADB, the Asian Development Fund (ADF), since 1973 has served to support equitable and sustainable development for the region. It offers loans at very low interest rates and grants that help reduce poverty in ADB’s poorest borrowing countries. It is currently in its tenth round of funding, with ADF X covering the 2009–12 period. The previous ADF IX funded 54 projects totaling US$1.1 billion. Detailed information on projects supported by ADF is available at http://www.adb.org/ADF/default.asp.

COMMONWEALTH YOUTH PROGRAM (CYP), ASIA

http://www.thecommonwealth.org/subhomepage/152929/

CYP, established in 1973, advocates the effective participation of young women and men in the development process and for social transformation, and aims at their full engagement at all levels of decision making. The program is financed by a special fund consisting of voluntary contributions from member governments.

CYP Asia is based at a regional center in Chandigarh, India. The Asia Center responds to youth development for eight countries of the Commonwealth. Similar to other regional centers, it does so with a focus on three strategic program areas:

  • youth enterprise and sustainable livelihoods;
  • governance, development, and youth networks;
  • youth work, education, and training.

A considerable part of CYP Asia’s work addresses young people and HIV/AIDS. In January 2001, the Asian Youth Ambassadors for Positive Living (YAPL) program was launched and the Asia Center started work to raise awareness of AIDS and other effects of high-risk behavior in Asia. This program was initially developed by the CYP Africa Center using the services of young people living with HIV/AIDS to create awareness on issues, such as HIV/AIDS and drug abuse that affect the lives of other young people.

THE SECRETARIAT OF THE PACIFIC COMMUNITY (SPC)

http://www.spc.int/hdp

One of the world’s oldest regional organizations, the SPC, formerly known as the South Pacific Commission, was established in 1947. It is a nonpolitical, technical assistance and research body with a consultative and advisory role that serves all 22 countries and territories of the Pacific. SPC works toward a secure and prosperous Pacific community, whose people are healthy and manage their resources in an economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable way. SPC has developed an integrated work program to pursue its goals. This combination of diverse disciplines offers a unique approach to the development of the region’s land, marine, and human resources. The organization’s current work program focuses on the following sectors:

  • land resources;
  • agriculture and forestry;
  • marine resources;
  • coastal and oceanic fisheries, maritime;
  • social resources;
  • community education, culture, women, and youth;
  • demography, population, and statistics;
  • information and communication technology, media production and training; and
  • public health.

In 2005, the Pacific Youth Ministers adopted the Pacific Youth Strategy 2010 as the regional framework for youth development in the region. To enable SPC and stakeholders, including national governments and development partners, to respond effectively to youth issues in the Pacific region, the strategy focuses on priority initiatives to be implemented from 2006 to 2010, including accessing integrated education; nurturing sustainable livelihoods; promoting healthy lifestyles; building stronger communities; strengthening institutional capacity, youth, and identities; and gathering research information and data on youth.

THE SINGAPORE-ASEAN YOUTH FUND

http://www.nyc.pa.gov.sg

The Singapore-ASEAN Youth Fund was launched in 2007 and is administered by the National Youth Council of Singapore. It is an initiative of Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Community Development, Youth, and Sports, with the main aim of promoting greater interaction among youth in the ASEAN member countries. The fund supports partnerships among ASEAN youth and youth sector organizations, thus contributing to greater understanding and closer ties within the ASEAN community. The fund aims to foster unity in ASEAN youth and promote greater awareness of ASEAN internationally.

The fund supports projects that meet the following criteria:

  • projects are in line with the laws of the participating countries;
  • projects do not engage in any proselytizing of religion or political ideologies, and respect the religious, ethnic, and political sensitivities of the participating countries;
  • projects are open to participation of youths from all ASEAN member states and involve as many ASEAN member states as possible;
  • projects promote a better understanding of ASEAN cultures among ASEAN youths;
  • applications are endorsed by the relevant national youth focal point;
  • proposals include an action plan to generate greater awareness of ASEAN among youths in the region;
  • projects meet at least one of the following four focus areas: Building a Community of Caring Societies, Managing the Social Impact of Economic Integration, Promoting Environmental Sustainability, Promoting an ASEAN identity.

Over the five years until 2011, the fund has a budget of US$3.3 million. The fund is open to youth organizations and national youth focal points (contact persons for youth affairs) from ASEAN member countries.