ASEAN Youth Yangon Declaration 2014
We, the young people of ASEAN, aspire for the promotion of non-discrimination, equality, peace, protection, sustainability, and inclusive development of the ASEAN community that are in line with the principles and values of human rights, democracy, justice and freedom in all aspects of our lives. We, the young people of ASEAN, strongly call for the creation of
a sustainable rights-based, inclusive, people-centered, and youth-driven regional community. We, the young people of ASEAN, strongly call for affirmative action by our leaders in ASEAN countries to create an enabling environment at regional, national, and local levels that highly addresses the needs, fulfills the aspirations of young people and ensures youth-embracing Post-2015 Development agenda for the region. To attain our vision, we strongly demand:
1.The full recognition of the ASEAN Youth Movement as a youth-based, autonomous and independent regional institution that represents the voices of young Southeast Asians, and to monitor and evaluate the implementation of youth-related policies, agenda, and recommendations;
2. The facilitation and integration of an inclusive, accessible, non-discriminatory, needs-based, evidence-based, human rights-centered approach to formal and non-formal education;
3. The immediate reform and repeal of policies & laws that indirectly criminalize and discriminate young people based on their political views and status, SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression), religion, and Social economic status; and
4. Meaningful participation of youth in all sectors, with emphasis on young vulnerable groups including adolescent girls, LGBTIQ (young people with diverse s*xual orientation, gender identities, and gender expression), persons with disabilities, indigenous people, religious minorities, migrants, stateless people, people living in poverty, language minorities, women, pregnant girls, children, people living in the context of war and humanitarian contexts, s*x workers, people living with HIV and AIDS, dropouts, drug users and internally displaced peoples; with genuine democratic consultation, sufficient funding allocation and provision of other resources, and protection on the rights to freedom of expression and assembly;
5. Immediate action to fully address and work with young people on the following issues:
– Role of Young People and Impacts of Peace and Reconciliation
– Good Governance, Democracy, and Freedom of Expression
– Ensuring Decent Work and Livelihood for the Youth of Southeast Asia
– Quality education for all Young Southeast Asians
– Empowering Young People’s Sexual & Reproductive Health and Rights (gender, s*xuality, access to health, and comprehensive s*xual education)
– Youth in Migration: Assuring Safety, Freedom, and their Rights (trafficking, refugees, statelessness, and migrant workers)
– Actualizing and Maintaining a Regional Environment (self-determination, preservation of local wisdom and indigenous culture)
We, the young people of ASEAN, must always freely access and shape local, national and regional spaces to lead, claim our rights, and drive a people-centered ASEAN community. Yangon University, Yangon, Myanmar
