Today, adolescents and youth represent the largest generation in human history. One third to
almost one half of the population in developing countries is under 20 years old. The challenges
and opportunities brought by this demographic change need to be addressed and harnessed
in order to achieve national development goals. There is a duty on the part of governments
around the world to assist and collaborate with young people on reaching their development
goals. Young people also need to provide advice and technical guidance on how to best
manage the issues that affect them. While most countries in the Asia-Pacific region have some
type of youth programming, many such programmes exist without a clear framework