Elevating child participation at the 12th Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development
by Queenie Diane Malabanan, Regional Policy & Advocacy Advisor, World Vision East Asia
Under the theme “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for leaving no one behind in Asia and the Pacific”, the 12th Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) was a critical moment for assessing regional progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For World Vision and our partners, it was also an opportunity to highlight a crucial but often overlooked element of sustainable development—meaningful child participation.
Child Participation in APFSD Side-Events
World Vision co-organised two side-events, ensuring that children's voices were integral to discussions on sustainable development. The virtual side-event, “Reaching the Unreached: Inclusive Solutions for Child Health and Nutrition in Asia-Pacific,” featured child-led research from Cambodia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka. These young advocates presented evidence and data-driven solutions to health and nutrition challenges in their communities, proving that children’s insights are valuable contributions to evidence-based policy-making.
The on-site side-event, “Leave No Child Behind: Children at the Heart of the SDGs,” provided a platform for child representatives to speak on their own initiatives to achieve the SDGs, underscoring the importance of normalising child participation in SDG-related discussions and at high-level forums like the APFSD.
The Young Minds Newsroom: A Platform for Children's Voices
At World Vision’s booth, we created a space for young changemakers through the Young Minds Newsroom. Children from Cambodia, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka conducted interviews with representatives from UN agencies, civil society organisations, and development partners, including UN ESCAP, IOM, UN Women, ILO, and ADB. These young reporters brought fresh perspectives and asked incisive questions, showing that children are not just beneficiaries of policies but active contributors to the conversation and solutions.
The booth also featured a compelling photo exhibition based on World Vision’s research, Climate Change, Vulnerability, and Migration: Impacts on Children and Youth in South Asia. This exhibit showcased the voices of children affected by forced migration, further reinforcing the urgency of addressing climate-induced displacement and its impact on children.
Towards More Meaningful Child Participation
During the APFSD youth forum, it was a proud moment to see our child leaders represent the younger voices. Despite being only 15 years old, Paris confidently represented his fellow children in Cambodia, demonstrating the importance of reflecting children’s perspectives within the SDGs and policy-making processes.
To move towards truly meaningful child participation means ensuring children are not only participating but their voices are genuinely heard and acted upon. World Vision calls on governments, civil society, and the private sector to go beyond token representation and ensure children’s perspectives are actively integrated into SDG policy-making and monitoring systems. Meaningful collaboration between governments, civil society, and communities is essential, not only to ensure children’s access to essential services but also to improve children’s participation in data collection and monitoring for the SDGs. Local-level evidence is crucial in identifying gaps in health services, addressing violence against children, and ensuring accountability in achieving the SDGs.
The engagement of children at APFSD is a testament to their potential and their capacity to contribute meaningfully when given the opportunity. Their voices should be embraced as key drivers of change. As we work towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, children must be recognised not as passive recipients of development efforts but as active partners in building a more sustainable, inclusive future.