ASEAN-Japan Special Youth Forum for Promoting the Rule of Law
| Proponent | : | Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ) |
|---|---|---|
| Implementing Agency | : | Asia Crime Prevention Foundation, Japan |
Background
Today, the world is home to 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24, accounting for 16 percent of the global population1. There has been increased recognition of the important role that the youth can play in promoting the rule of law in the digital era. For instance, the “Global Youth Forum for a Culture of Lawfulness” has been organised by Japan in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) since 2020. At the regional level, the Thailand Institute of Justice has been organising the Youth Fora at the ASEAN Conference on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (ACCPCJ) since 2016. At these fora, the youth deepened their understanding of contemporary issues on the rule of law and justice, understood their diverse backgrounds and values, fostered friendships, and envisioned their future together.
To further expand opportunities for the youth to exchange fresh perspectives on the rule of law in the region, the ASEAN-Japan Special Youth Forum for Promoting the Rule of Law will be conducted in conjunction with the ASEAN-Japan Special Meeting of Justice Ministers. The Special Meeting is going to be held to commemorate the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.
What is the project aiming for?
The Forum is expected to attract around 60 youth participants between the age of 18-25 years old from ASEAN and Japan. It aims to strengthen and promote the “rule of law” and “rule-based framework” by enhancing the understanding and knowledge of the young generation on the rule of law, particularly in the context of digital and technological advancement. It will produce, inter alia, the followings:
- An assessment of the future landscape of the rule of law in ASEAN and Japan;
- Identification of challenges in promoting the rule of law in the digital era; and
- Development of a set of recommendations for submission to the ASEAN-Japan Special Meeting of Justice Ministers and the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, while they are disseminated in local languages by the youth participants via social media.
The upcoming (ASEAN Law Ministers Meeting and ASEAN-Japan Special Meeting of Justice Ministers) meetings will be an opportunity for ASEAN Member States (AMS) to forge the path of regional cooperation with Japan.
Department of Justice Undersecretary Brigido J. Dulay
Chairman of the 21st ASEAN Senior Law Officials Meeting (ASLOM)
The project contributes to the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, particularly on Action Line A.2. Strengthen democracy, good governance, the rule of law, promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as combat corruption. Further, this project supports the Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): one of the thematic areas outlined in the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
The project plans to convene the Forum in July 2023.
As of 30 May 2023
