As a young musician, 25-year-old Aliff
Aolani or Airliftz, has witnessed how
the internet could be a double-edged
sword for aspiring artists.
In 2021, an online petition called #LindungiKurir, revealed troubling work conditions of Indonesian couriers. It quickly went viral. The petition stated that these platform workers were often verbally and physically threatened by Cash On Delivery (COD) customers while receiving only 2,000 Indonesian rupiah (less than a quarter of a dollar) for each package delivered to customers’ doorsteps.
On Instagram @earthtodorcas, Dorcas Tang Wen Yu creates stories and advocates for a better world through her illustrations and poems. Her activism brought her to Egypt to attend the United Nations Conference of Youth (COY) 17, which was held on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference/Conference of the Parties (COP) in 2022. Dorcas was one of the youth representatives who gathered from around the world to discuss urgent action to fight climate change.
Dorcas’ illustration is featured on the cover of this issue. She talks to The ASEAN about her passion for the environment—using her art to inspire action, and working for a better future even when it feels there is little hope for change.
The new age of digitalisation has redefined and significantly widened access to information for many citizens in the ASEAN region. However, the threat of misinformation and disinformation is also an increasing concern in the digital landscape. In response, Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, supported the ASEAN Foundation with a grant of 1.5 million US dollars to run the ASEAN Digital Literacy Programme (ASEAN DLP) from 2022-2024.
6 months—6 themes—90 youth: A contribution to ASEAN-EU relations
It is no coincidence that both the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU), two of the world’s most advanced examples of regional integration, celebrated 2022 as the “Year of Youth.”
It is not a rare occurrence for the youth in ASEAN to have the opportunity to voice their ideas and opinions in front of high-level officials in the region. On occasions such as the ASEAN summits in 2019 and 2020, youth representatives interfaced with the Heads of State/Government. They managed to deliver statements on behalf of the youth, who comprise a third of the ASEAN’s population. However, can the youth be confident that their voices will be heard? How can the region’s policy-making community and key stakeholders act on the youth’s recommendations?
As of 2021, almost half or 44.7 per cent of the ASEAN population live in urban areas. With more than half of the population living in rural areas, including young people, they very likely experience the problems typically associated with rural and remote communities, such as inadequate access to health and education services, internet and ICT, and employment opportunities. Therefore, issues of the digital divide and lack of preparedness for 4IR cannot be overlooked.
Each generation is shaped by unique experiences and circumstances, and there is no better way to understand each other except through dialogue.
