Kathmandu: Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar, Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), met with Deepali Khanna, Senior Vice President and Head of Asia at The Rockefeller Foundation, in Bangkok on November 28, 2025.

The meeting facilitated constructive discussions on areas of mutual cooperation, with both sides highlighting shared priorities in advancing regional development, promoting social welfare, and strengthening partnerships that enhance the well-being of communities across South Asia.

Ambassador Sarwar reiterated SAARC’s commitment to working with international organizations to tackle pressing regional challenges. Ms. Khanna affirmed The Rockefeller Foundation’s focus on supporting innovative and resilient solutions that improve lives and foster long-term development.

Both parties underscored the value of continued engagement and expressed readiness to explore opportunities for joint initiatives aligned with their shared vision of inclusive growth and sustainable development in the region.

Kathmandu: Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar, Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), met with Christine Arab, Regional Director of UN Women for Asia and the Pacific, in Bangkok on November 28, 2025.

The meeting offered both sides an opportunity to hold constructive discussions on shared priorities, including advancing gender equality, promoting women’s empowerment, and supporting inclusive development across South Asia.

Ambassador Sarwar reaffirmed SAARC’s commitment to deepening collaboration with international organizations to address regional challenges. Arab highlighted UN Women’s continued dedication to promoting initiatives that enhance the well-being and resilience of women and girls.

Both sides emphasized the importance of ongoing engagement and expressed interest in exploring future joint initiatives aligned with their shared vision of equality, inclusion, and sustainable development in the region.

Kathmandu: Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar, Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), joined Bhagyashri Dengle, Regional Director of Plan International Asia Pacific, in Bangkok on November 28, 2025 to launch the Asia edition of the State of the World’s Girls Report 2025, titled “Let Me Be a Child, Not a Wife.”

The event convened government officials, civil society leaders, youth advocates, and international partners to spotlight the urgent need for coordinated action to address challenges faced by adolescent girls, including barriers in education, health, safety, and leadership opportunities.

The 2025 report documents the lived experiences of married girls across diverse settings, highlighting persistent gaps in education, healthcare, protection, and socio-economic opportunities, while amplifying their voices to inform global policy and advocacy.

In his keynote remarks, Ambassador Sarwar stressed that efforts must go beyond prevention and ensure married girls have access to essential services, including education, psychosocial support, protection mechanisms, and pathways to empowerment. He underscored the importance of regional frameworks such as the SAARC Regional Action Plan on Adolescent Pregnancy and the Regional Stakeholders Working Group on Adolescent Pregnancy in tackling root causes and aligning regional priorities with the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Secretary General expressed appreciation for the ongoing collaboration among SAARC, Plan International, civil society, UN agencies, and development partners, noting that these partnerships have strengthened regional dialogue and built national capacities.

He also cautioned that global challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate impacts, displacement, and entrenched gender inequalities, continue to heighten vulnerabilities for girls and, in some instances, reverse progress.

Ambassador Sarwar called on governments, civil society, community leaders, and families to intensify integrated, multi-sectoral actions while ensuring girls’ voices, agency, and participation remain central to policymaking.

Reaffirming SAARC’s commitment, he concluded, “When South Asia protects its daughters, it protects its future. Together, let us continue building a South Asia where every girl is safe, empowered, educated, and free to shape her own future.”