UNFPA ASIA-PACIFIC & THE AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY IN THAILAND PRESENT THE 2015 STATE OF WORLD POPULATION REPORT’s REGIONAL LAUNCH EVENT: “BRAVE, WISE AND YOUNG: YOUTH AT THE FOREFRONT OF HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE”
The State of World Population 2015, the annual flagship report of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), will be released globally on Thursday, December 3.
The UNFPA Asia-Pacific Regional Office thanks the Australian Embassy in Thailand and the Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for agreeing to co-host the regional launch of the State of World Population 2015 in Bangkok on Friday, December 4.
The theme of the 2015 report, titled “Shelter from the Storm”, is humanitarian response, with a special focus on the needs of women, girls and youth in humanitarian settings, including conflicts and natural disasters.
The Australian DFAT is a key supporter of UNFPA humanitarian response including sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender-based violence and youth involvement – all of which are linked to DFAT’s Australian Aid Program gender equality and women’s empowerment priorities.
The highlight of the launch event will be a youth panel, featuring a group of remarkable young persons from Afghanistan, Nepal and the Philippines. Other stakeholders may be represented including DFAT’s Regional Social Development Specialist.
The panel will discuss how youth are increasingly helping lead on humanitarian response, and the challenges faced in sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence prevention and response services during such crises.
The panel will highlight the issues that are truly important to youth in the context of this work, weaving in UNFPA’s priority areas. Panelists will share unique stories, but the common threads will also be underscored.
The Australian Ambassador to Thailand, Paul Robilliard will deliver opening remarks and formally launch the report, along with the UNFPA Asia-Pacific Regional Director, Yoriko Yasukawa.
The audience will include other diplomatic missions, UN agency regional heads, civil society partners and members of the media.
Provisional Agenda: 10 am to noon, Friday, December 4
10:00 am – 10:02 am : Hello and welcome: Roy Wadia, Regional Communications Adviser, UNFPA Asia-Pacific
10:02 am – 10:07 am: Remarks: Yoriko Yasukawa, Regional Director, UNFPA Asia-Pacific
10:07 am – 10:15 am: Remarks: Paul Robilliard, Australian Ambassador to Thailand
10:15 am – 10:20 am: Launch of the 2015 State of the World Population Report (with ribbon cutting)
10:20 am – 11:20 am: Youth panel narratives and discussion
Panelists:
- Leena Shinwari and Wazhma Hazratzay of Afghanistan, two young women who have spearheaded humanitarian response in their communities and used the opportunity for peace-building efforts with warring factions including the Taliban.
- Kabita Balami, youth health educator from earthquake-shattered Nepal, who has trained adolescent volunteers on how to teach young people about crucial sexual and reproductive health issues for their safety and protection.
- Anzaira Roxas and Chloe Reynaldo from the Philippines, both of whom played key roles in the response to Super-Typhoon Haiyan, working amid a devastated landscape to help safeguard pregnant women, young girls and other survivors. Just 15 years of age, Chloe represents a new generation of youth leaders in her country.
- Mia Urbano, Regional Social Development Specialist, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
11:20 am – 11:40 am: Q&A with the audience
11:40 am – 11:52 am: UNFPA Philippines: The Lessons of Haiyan (video)
11:52 am – noon: Closing remarks: Yoriko Yasukawa
Followed by a reception (until 1230pm) with refreshments.
