Press release

"MICRONESIAN BOUND" RUNNER UP WINNER FOR PRESTIGIOUS UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT AWARD

Award marks first time a Pacific Island organization ranks in top two places

Bangkok (United Nations Information Services) -- Youth, defined by the United Nations as the age range of 15 to 24 years, make up about 20 per cent of the population of Asian and Pacific countries. They bear a disproportionate burden of unemployment, with young women, school leavers, and dropouts being particularly vulnerable. Millions of young people still lack access to basic education and other skills.

Empowering young people means creating and supporting conditions under which young people can contribute to the economic, social, and cultural advancement of their societies and gain self-fulfilment. One organization strongly committed to improving the development of young people in the Pacific is Micronesia Bound, a non-profit organization based in the Federated States of Micronesia.

For its work in providing essential life skills and vocational training to unemployed Micronesian youth, and those in especially difficult circumstances, Micronesia Bound has been chosen as runner-up in this year's prestigious ESCAP Human Resource Development Award (HRD) for Youth Empowerment.

The 1999 ESCAP HRD Award for Youth Empowerment is sponsored by the Government of Australia. The first place award, with a prize of US$300,000, was given to All-China Youth Federation for the high level of its training and educational programmes for Chinese youth.

The selection of Micronesia Bound as runner-up marks the first time an organization from the Pacific islands has placed in the ranks of the top two winners.

The HRD Award is given annually by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Each year's Award focuses on a different theme, with "Youth Empowerment" chosen for 1999. ESCAP received applications and nominations for the Award from 83 individuals and organizations in 24 countries throughout Asia and the Pacific. The Executive Director of Micronesia Bound will be presented with the runner-up Award at an Award ceremony on June 5^th during the 56^th ESCAP Commission Session in Bangkok, Thailand.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2000 ESCAP HRD Award with the theme: "HRD for the Empowerment of People with Disabilities."