International Youth Day was celebrated on August 12, 2025 under the theme “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond,” highlighting youth’s role in translating global ambitions to local impacts. As innovators, deeply tied to their communities, youth are essential for progress on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by all United Nations (UN) Member States in 2015 to eradicate poverty (SDG 1) by weaving the environmental, economic and social dimensions of development together. With more than 65% of SDG targets linked to local governance, SDG localization is imperative to progress and requires meaningful youth engagement. With only 16 of the 117 measurable SDG targets in the Asia-Pacific region being on track for achievement by the target year of 2030, bold society-wide actions are essential and youth are providing. Here is some information about the youth-led solutions in Asia and the Pacific and why they are essential.

Poverty in Asia and the Pacific

Poverty reduction, however, has been a bright spot. Eradicating extreme poverty and halving the number of people living in all dimensions of poverty has exceeded the progress necessary to meet their correlating SDG targets by 2030. For example, between 1990 and 2019, the prevalence of extreme poverty in developing Asia fell from 58% to 5% and there has been progress on reducing multidimensional poverty. Thailand, for one, halved its multidimensional poverty between 2012-2019, making it one of 25 countries to do so within 15 years. However, the picture is not perfect. The COVID-19 pandemic set progress back and poverty still impacts millions.

According to the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2024, more than 400 million multidimensionally poor people lived in South Asia alone, many of them being children and youth. Meanwhile, unequal development persists as “benefits often bypass vulnerable groups, with intersecting factors like age, gender, education, location and wealth,” according to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. The region’s poor also feel the impacts of development challenges more acutely, such as pollution, emergencies and digital divides.

What are Youth Doing?

By 2030, the Asia-Pacific region will be home to approximately 725 million youth ages 15-24. However, youth are not just a number: they are 725 million futures and limitless ideas and hopes. While progress on sustainable development remains elusive, youth are not waiting for older generations to act. Across the region, youth are advancing ambitious and innovative solutions addressing issues in their communities that tackle poverty and its associated challenges.

For example, Ecolery—a youth-led enterprise from Bangladesh and winners of the 2025 Generation Hope Goals contest—are working to replace single-use plastic with edible and biodegradable alternatives. While plastic factors into many economic activities, plastic pollution is also a scourge for low-and-middle income countries and reducing this pollution is a priority for many regional youth.

Meanwhile, other youth-led enterprises are also tackling important issues. In Pakistan, Ecostove seeks to provide low-income households with clean stoves, preserving human health and reducing deforestation. In Malaysia, HF Grocer aims to reduce rural poverty by working closely with farmers, food producers and other stakeholders to provide a marketplace for locally and sustainably grown produce.

As digital natives, youth are also blending innovation with inclusivity and digital technology. For instance, The Noe San—a UN Women 30 for 2030 regional youth changemaker—founded Modus Operandi, a digital financial solution provider that empowers underbanked businesses and communities in developing countries by easing and optimizing business transactions.

Finally, 20% of Asia-Pacific people aged 15-24 were not in education, employment and training in 2023. However, youth-led Skillistan is dedicated to empowering Pakistani youth with essential skills to thrive in a modern world and tap into the growing potential for green and sustainable jobs.

Looking Ahead

Looking forward, it is important to recognize the youth-led solutions in Asia and the Pacific, as well as the many barriers they face to play a greater role. Some important recommendations can be found in Action 34 of the Pact for the Future, which world leaders adopted in 2024, that calls for investing in the knowledge, skills and capabilities that youth need to thrive in a rapidly changing world and supporting youth entrepreneurship and innovation because, even with skills and motivation, many young people still find it difficult to get ahead.

– Christian Mortelliti
Photo: Unsplash