This week, YOURS is in Bangkok, Thailand, taking part in the ASEAN Youth United for Road Safety Conference, convened by the Thailand Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, with support from WHO Thailand. Bringing together youth leaders, government representatives and regional partners from across ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific, the conference is creating an important platform for young people to contribute to the future of road safety in the region.
At the heart of the conference is the development of the ASEAN Youth Recommendations for Road Safety, a youth-led document that will be presented to the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Youth, within the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Youth, and later at the UN High Level Forum on Road Safety. More than a set of recommendations, this is an opportunity for young people to help shape regional road safety priorities and influence decision-making beyond the conference itself.
Representing YOURS, Molly Stoneman, Partnerships & Business Development Director, joined the panel discussion “Road Traffic Accident Situation Among Youth”, where she shared practical experiences on meaningful youth participation and highlighted how young people can move from lived experience to evidence-based advocacy. Drawing on YOURS’ work across the region, the session reinforced the importance of equipping young people with the knowledge, networks and opportunities to influence safer and more sustainable mobility systems.
Molly offered lessons from the 2025 Global Youth Statement for Road Safety [LINK] as a practical example of youth consultations informing evidenced recommendations, which can be used as a lobbying tool to explain youth needs and outline solutions. This model applies to the forthcoming ASEAN Youth Recommendations, which can launch new conversations between youth and their representatives.
Alongside the panel discussion, YOURS also held bilateral meetings with representatives from Thailand’s Department of Children and Youth to strengthen relationships and explore opportunities for continued collaboration in advancing youth leadership for road safety across the region.
Bilateral conversations with the Thailand Department of Disease Control of the Ministry of Health, and with WHO Thailand, demonstrated Thailand’s commitment to youth participatory programming. We heard clever examples of inclusive mobility programmes from Thailand, such as car seat donation centres and student data mapping initiatives, and shared ideas from across ASEAN.
The conference also provides an opportunity for experienced youth advocates to exchange ideas, explore evidence-based solutions that respond to the Asia-Pacific context, and collaborate on approaches to securing stronger commitments from governments, civil society and the private sector. Through these conversations, YOURS is contributing not only to developing the recommendations but also to ensuring young people are supported in turning those recommendations into meaningful action.
As the ASEAN Youth Recommendations continue their journey towards regional and global decision-making spaces, YOURS remains committed to supporting the ASEAN Youth Network through training, networking opportunities and expert guidance, helping transform youth-led ideas into lasting impact for safer roads across the region.
