Abstract

Youth participation in ASEAN’s policymaking is an untapped resource for regional innovation and development. It presents a dual approach that addresses youth issues while empowering the next generation to drive regional development. This research paper explores the current state and emerging strategies for meaningful youth participation in ASEAN, drawing on global models such as the OECD’s YOUNG programme, EU Youth Sounding Board, and UNICEF Youth Board. These insights underscore the importance of fostering structured and ongoing youth partnerships to advance resilient development across the region.

Introduction

Youth participation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) policy-making process is an untapped resource for regional innovation and development. The ASEAN youth population comprises 213 million individuals aged 15-34, constituting a third of ASEAN’s population (ASEAN Secretariat, 2020). Crucially, these youths not only represent a significant portion of the region’s population but also play a role as leaders of tomorrow and crucial stakeholders in today’s socio-economic landscape. 

Youth participation enables the co-creation of policies that reflect their aspirations and address their challenges. The utilization of civic engagement aids in developing civic values, social trust, and strengthening of democratic values. (UNICEF, 2021). Youth participation is thus a dual approach that is attuned and responsive to youth issues while paving the way for the empowerment of the next generation. 

Many international organizations are increasingly enhancing youth participation and youth mainstreaming by involving youths in decision-making for their communities. These organizations seek to strengthen policy environments and regulatory frameworks and scale up the capacity of youths (Commonwealth Secretariat, 2008, 2017), facilitate structural changes to initiate dialogue and mobilise cross-sectoral youth development strategies (OECD, 2017), and share good international practices and standards of youth participation (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, 2021). 

Thus, this research paper delves into the current state of youth participation in ASEAN, recent case studies for youth participation, and emerging strategies to integrate youth voices more substantially into policy-making processes in ASEAN. These ensure that the policies enacted ultimately reflect the aspirations, challenges, and innovative solutions that youths bring to the table.

The Current State of Youth Participation in ASEAN

The ASEAN Work Plan on Youth 2021-2025 emphasizes a concerted commitment to youth development (ASEAN Secretariat, 2022, 2023). Within ASEAN, an intergovernmental organization comprising 10 member states, there is immense potential for cross-country knowledge sharing and collaboration, especially on the three ASEAN pillars: ASEAN Political-Security Community, ASEAN Economic Community and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (The Jakarta Post, 2023; Vietnam Plus, 2023).

This emerging potential will be examined in the case studies of the recent ASEAN Youth Conference 2023 and the ASEAN Regional Dialogue on Young People’s Skills, Employability and Transition to Decent Work 2023.

ASEAN Youth Conference 2023

The ASEAN Youth Conference 2023 was a regional platform for ASEAN youths to share their ideas and initiatives for a brighter future for the region. The event was jointly organised by the ASEAN Youth Organisation, ASEAN Secretariat, Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs of Indonesia (Kemenko PMK), AYO Kreasi International, Selangor Youth Community and BI Museum, drawing about 250 delegates from ASEAN member countries and nations beyond the association (Vietnam Plus, 2023). 

The delegates discussed policy areas in line with the theme of “Guardians of the Sustainable Future for a Resilient ASEAN”, such as economic expansion, political security, and socio-cultural development. They also worked together to build international initiatives in line with the emerging opportunities and challenges in the Youth Declaration (Vietnam Plus, 2023). 

The conference also drew the attention of numerous senior leaders in support of youth participation. Tengku Amir Shah, the Crown Prince of Selangor, Malaysia, emphasized the importance of fostering active involvement and advocacy among ASEAN youths to tap into their vast potential (Laotian Times, 2023). Ambassador Derry Aman, Indonesia's Permanent Representative to ASEAN, echoed this sentiment, underscoring the crucial contributions of the youth in bringing forth innovation and advancing economic progress. Additionally, Woro Srihastuti Sulistyaningrum, Deputy Minister of Kemenko PMK, highlighted efforts to enhance ASEAN youth participation and called for collaborative efforts, open dialogue, and innovative partnerships that would ensure young people's perspectives are acknowledged and acted upon (Vietnam Plus, 2023).

ASEAN Regional Dialogue on Young People’s Skills, Employability and Transition to Decent Work 2023

The ASEAN Regional Dialogue on Young People’s Skills, Employability and Transition to Decent Work 2023 brought together more than 150 representatives from governments, UN agencies, youth, the private sector and workers' and employers’ organizations. Thirty-one youths from all ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste participated as speakers, delegates, rapporteurs, and reactors, and highlighted the skills and jobs they need in a rapidly changing work environment (International Labour Organization, 2023a).

The regional dialogue focused on four thematic areas: (1) Inclusive, future-ready education systems; (2) Skills development and employability, with a focus on adolescent girls and young women, within digital and green economies; (3) Youth employment and labour market transitions for a human-centred recovery; and (4) Youth-led entrepreneurship (International Labour Organization, 2023a).

In line with the objectives of enabling intergenerational exchange and promoting a shared agenda on youth, the event facilitated the opportunity for youths to contribute to the shared agenda to inform policies and shape solutions (International Labour Organization, 2023b). 

Overall, the two case studies presented above highlight the dual approach for amplifying youth participation in ASEAN policy-making. This inclusive approach not only enhances the legitimacy of policy decisions but also fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility among the youth towards ASEAN's development goals.

Global Models for Youth Participation: Lessons from OECD, EU, and UNICEF  Approaches

Globally, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), European Union (EU), and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) present distinct yet complementary models for youth participation. While the OECD’s YOUNG programme emphasises multi-level networks and evidence-based governance, the EU’s Youth Sounding Board exemplifies participatory policymaking tailored to specific external action priorities. Conversely, the UNICEF Youth Board leverages mass youth-led outreach as a platform for civic engagement and policy consultation.

OECD’s YOUNG Programme

The OECD Youth Organisations’ Sounding Board for Governance (YOUNG) brings together over 700 youth organisations from 80 countries, creating a global platform for collaboration and advocacy. Unlike ASEAN’s region-focused approach, the OECD leverages its extensive network to inform evidence-based policymaking and build capacity at the local level. This model underscores the importance of robust data-sharing mechanisms and the systematic involvement of youth voices in governance.

ASEAN could strengthen its initiatives by integrating a similar multi-level network, ensuring youth organisations from diverse member states are consistently represented. Building regional platforms that mirror YOUNG’s inclusive, apolitical structure would help bridge gaps in implementation and foster greater alignment with global standards.

EU Youth Sounding Board

The EU Youth Sounding Board centres youth voices in shaping its external action through the Engage, Empower, Connect framework. Their vision is to set up a youth sounding board in all of their delegations across the world. This approach empowers young people to provide direct input into decision-making processes, ensuring policies are relevant and effective for youth. The EU’s commitment to fostering long-term, institutionalised youth participation highlights the value of embedding such mechanisms across governance levels.

ASEAN could adapt the Youth Sounding Board model by establishing its own advisory body for youth participation. This would institutionalise youth voices in policymaking, enabling consistent dialogue between young leaders and decision-makers while aligning ASEAN’s youth strategies with global best practices.

UNICEF Youth Board

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) operates youth groups such as the Young People Advisory Board (YPAB) and Youth Board, which have played a pivotal role in amplifying youth voices in policymaking. During the COVID-19 crisis, the Youth Board facilitated youth contributions to the analysis, planning, and advocacy of youth-related policies and initiatives. Its activities included dialogues and campaigns across various cities, leveraging platforms like U-Report to engage over 7,500 young people in Serbia (UNICEF Youth Board, 2021). This model demonstrates the potential for outreach beyond consultation, empowering youths to co-create initiatives that engage and connect with otherwise hard-to-reach peers.

Crucially, while these global models provide valuable reference points for ASEAN, it is important to acknowledge the inherent limitations in their applicability. The EU’s rights-based approach, for instance, reflects its specific cultural and political context, which may differ significantly from ASEAN’s intergovernmental and consensus-driven structure. Similarly, the OECD’s emphasis on apolitical frameworks may not fully align with ASEAN’s varied governance systems. However, these differences do not preclude ASEAN from adopting key principles, such as fostering multi-level networks and participatory mechanisms, while contextualising them to its unique cultural and institutional diversity.

Strategies for Enhanced Youth Participation

To translate ASEAN youth's potential into actionable policy influence, three strategies have been identified to set up or enhance participatory policy mechanisms:

Institutionalize Youth Advisory Panels

The establishment of dedicated youth advisory panels within ASEAN mechanisms will provide structured, ongoing input on policy development and review. As seen from the OECD YOUNG Programme, EU Youth Sounding Boards, and UNICEF Youth Board, the facilitation of institutional contact at a regular frequency engenders greater synergies between the youths and institutional decision-makers. Notably, these youth panels serve not only as consultative bodies but also as amplifiers for outreach, providing actionable recommendations and facilitating meaningful exchanges among youths across diverse regions.

Youth-Led Policy Labs

The organization of youth-led policy labs allows youths to take ownership in tackling specific challenges within the ASEAN agenda. These labs can serve as incubators for innovative policy solutions, directly feeding into the ASEAN policy-making process. Examples of national-level initiatives include MAJU: The Youth Policy Research Initiative (Singapore) and Keep the Change: Youth Policy Lab (Philippines). Examples of ASEAN-level initiatives include the ASEAN Youth Organization Research Centre and the Young ASEAN Leader Policy Initiative. The coordination or collaboration of youth policy research projects is beneficial in knowledge-sharing and developing data-informed policy proposals.

Advocate for Youth Representation in High-Level Meetings

The advocacy for youth representation in ASEAN summits and high-level meetings will signal a transformative shift in the role of youths as co-creators of regional solutions. While several youth leaders are invited to attend the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Youth (SOMY), future work can look into the barriers and enablers for establishing youth representation in similar meetings across other industries.

Conclusion

In conclusion, by integrating youth voices into the heart of its policy-making processes, ASEAN can ensure that its policies are not only forward-looking but also inclusive and representative of the aspirations of its entire population. By contextualising global insights and implementing regionally tailored strategies to enhance youth participation, youths can be empowered and mobilized to share their ideas, energies, and innovations as key drivers of the region’s development.