​February 2025- APFSD (Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development)
Advancing Youth-Led Solutions at APFSD 2025: The NOURISH Initiative in Action
In February 2025, I had the privilege of attending the 12th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) virtually as a representative of the NOURISH Initiative. This year’s theme—“Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs”—resonated deeply with NOURISH’s mission to empower underprivileged youth through education, collaboration, and innovation.
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At NOURISH, we believe in youth-led responses to the climate crisis—rooted in equity, technology, and community engagement. Our participation in APFSD reaffirmed the urgency of these goals and highlighted new pathways for impact across the Asia-Pacific region.
1. Youth Uniting for Policy Coherence (Feb 25)
This session emphasized the importance of aligning environmental action with youth-led policy advocacy. I was inspired by the diverse voices pushing for coherence between national strategies and grassroots efforts.
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Key takeaway: Youth must not only implement, but co-design policy frameworks that respond to climate threats.
2. Meaningful Inclusion of Children and Youth in the Asia-Pacific (Feb 27)
This side event was a powerful reminder that children and youth are too often excluded from decision-making, especially those from marginalized backgrounds. Discussions emphasized inclusive education as a driver of resilience, echoing our focus on bridging the resource gap for underprivileged students.
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Key takeaway: Climate education is a right, not a privilege. The knowledge gap must be closed.
3. Accelerating Environmental Rights for Women (Feb 28)
This session highlighted the intersectionality of gender, climate, and justice. Many shared stories of how women and girls in rural communities bear disproportionate burdens from environmental degradation. As NOURISH expands, we are committed to amplifying these voices and designing solutions that are gender-sensitive and community-driven.
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Key takeaway: Empowering young women as environmental leaders is essential to building a just, sustainable future.
NOURISH’s Path Forward: APFSD 2025 directly aligns with our three-pronged approach
Education & Empowerment: We will continue creating accessible, climate-focused learning content for youth globally.
Collaboration & Engagement: We seek new partnerships with NGOs, schools, and institutions to expand our reach.
Innovation & Evaluation: With a strong focus on technology, we aim to launch scalable tools—such as climate surveys and virtual solution incubators—to help youth define and measure their own progress.