Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar, Secretary General, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and Ms. Bhagyashri Dengle, Regional Director of Plan International Asia Pacific launched, Asia Launch: State of the World’s Girls Report 2025 “Let Me Be a Child, Not a Wife”, marking a significant milestone in advancing gender equality and amplifying the voices of adolescent girls worldwide.

The launch event brought together government representatives, civil society leaders, youth advocates, and international partners to highlight the urgent need for collective action to address the challenges faced by girls in education, health, safety, and leadership.

The report highlights the lived realities of married girls across diverse contexts, shedding light on challenges they face in education, health, and protection, while amplifying their voices to inform global advocacy and policy.

In his keynote address, the Secretary General underscored that efforts must extend beyond prevention, ensuring that married girls have access to education, health services, psychosocial care, protection mechanisms, and socio-economic empowerment opportunities.

The Secretary General highlighted the SAARC Regional Action Plan on Adolescent Pregnancy and the Regional Stakeholders Working Group on Adolescent Pregnancy as key mechanisms to address root causes, strengthen policy frameworks, and align regional efforts with global priorities, including the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Secretary General expressed gratitude for the strong collaboration between SAARC, Plan International, civil society, UN agencies, and development partners, noting that these partnerships have enriched regional dialogue and strengthened national capacities.

The Secretary General cautioned that global crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, displacement, and persistent gender inequalities, have heightened vulnerabilities for girls and, in some cases, reversed hard-won gains.
The Secretary General urged governments, civil society, community leaders, and families to intensify efforts through integrated, multi-sectoral responses, while emphasizing the importance of listening to girls, respecting their agency, and ensuring their participation in shaping policies and programmes.

In his concluding remarks, the Secretary General reaffirmed SAARC’s unwavering commitment to ending child marriage, advancing the rights and wellbeing of girls, and fostering an enabling environment in which every girl can reach her full potential.

“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,” he stated.

SAARC Secretariat
Kathmandu, 28 November 2025

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

The meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to engage in constructive discussions on matters of mutual understanding and cooperation. The dialogue highlighted shared priorities in advancing gender equality, promoting women’s empowerment, and strengthening partnerships to support inclusive development across South Asia.

Ambassador Sarwar underscored SAARC’s commitment to fostering collaboration with international organizations to address regional challenges, while the Regional Director reaffirmed UN Women’s dedication to supporting initiatives that enhance social welfare and resilience for women and girls.

The meeting emphasized the importance of continued engagement between SAARC and UN Women in exploring opportunities for joint initiatives that align with their common vision of equality, inclusion, and sustainable development.

SAARC Secretariat
Kathmandu, 28 November 2025

Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar, Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), met with Ms. Deepali Khanna, Senior Vice President & Head of Asia, The Rockefeller Foundation, in Bangkok.

During the meeting, both engaged in constructive discussions on matters of mutual understanding and cooperation. The dialogue highlighted shared priorities in advancing regional development, promoting social welfare, and strengthening partnerships that contribute to the well-being of communities across South Asia.

Ambassador Sarwar emphasized SAARC’s commitment to fostering collaboration with international institutions to address pressing regional challenges, while Ms. Khanna reaffirmed The Rockefeller Foundation’s dedication to supporting innovative solutions that improve lives and build resilience.

The meeting underscored the importance of continued engagement between SAARC and The Rockefeller Foundation in exploring opportunities for joint initiatives that align with their common vision of inclusive growth and sustainable development.

SAARC Secretariat
Kathmandu, 28 November 2025

The 61^st Session of the Programming Committee of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) commenced today. The Meeting, being held in virtual platform, brings together senior officials from the Member States, Heads of SAARC Specialized Bodies and SAARC Regional Centres, as well as senior officials from the Secretariat.

The SAARC Programming Committee meeting is being held under the Chairmanship of Nepal and is attended by the National Focal Points of the SAARC Member States, comprising of Joint Secretary/ Director General of the Ministries of Foreign/External Affairs of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The Session was formally opened by Mr. Kiran Shakya, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal and the Chairperson of the SAARC Programming Committee. In his opening remarks, extended a warm welcome to the participants. The Joint Secretary stated that SAARC, as the premier regional organization of our region, continues to serve as an essential platform for dialogue, collaboration and collective action among our Member States. He added that this gathering remind us that SAARC remains a vital regional mechanism for addressing our shared challenges and harnessing the vast opportunities before us and to stay relevant and effective, SAARC must continue evolving and strengthening its institutions and ensuring that its activities yield tangible benefits for the peoples of South Asia.

Present at the Programming Committee, Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar, the Secretary General of SAARC, thanked the Member States for their steadfast support. He stated that positioned at the forefront of the role of the Programming Committee, as an important Charter Body of SAARC, cannot be overstated. He added that SAARC was founded on the belief that through cooperation and shared purpose, the nations of South Asia can achieve more collectively than individually. He also mentioned SAARC will be commemorating the 40^th Anniversary of the adoption of its Charter in the coming days, and added that while it is a matter of profound joy and pride, it is also a time to reflect on the journey of SAARC, the achievements made, the challenges faced and the future it looks at.

During the Session, the Committee will be reviewing and finalizing the budgets and Calendars of Activities of the Specialized Bodies and Regional Centres for 2026.

SAARC Secretariat

Kathmandu, 26 November 2025