On Monday, 22 February, the BKMC signed a Project Cooperation Agreement with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), marking the launch of a partnership to foster ASEAN Youth Leadership for the SDGs, supported by the government of Japan.

Japan, as the host of this year’s Crime Congress, has put a strong emphasis on the inclusion of youth in criminal justice and crime prevention issues. The Southeast Asian region currently counts a population of 213 million youth constituting the largest ever cohort of ASEAN youth. Responding to this, the Education for Justice (E4J) Initiative of UNODC offered a platform for 33 young leaders of the region to respond to local challenges related to youth empowerment, education, and UNODC mandated-areas.

As part of UNODC’s Dialogue Series, the BKMC was asked to host a webinar series for 33 ASEAN youth leaders, focusing on the SDGs and Global Citizenship. The “ASEAN Youth for SDGs Webinar Series” takes between March and April of 2021 and will elevate the knowledge and skills of 33 ASEAN youth representatives to effectively contribute to the SDGs, take action, and become local SDG leaders. The BKMC will support the young leaders in planning individual SDG Micro-Projects in their communities, which respond to local challenges in the ASEAN, particularly challenges related to justice and the rule of law.