Presented by Lesa Andrew at the First High-Level Follow-up Dialogue on Financing for Development in Asia and Pacific. 

Pacific Young Women’s Leadership Alliance, Samoa

Warm Pacific Greetings to esteemed guests! I have the privilege of addressing the forum on behalf of civil society for this session. After deliberating with my CSO colleagues, we wish to highlight the following concerns and opportunities going forward.

• The importance of transparency within financial institutions especially checks and balances to ensure that the appropriate accountability mechanisms are firmly in place. Government handouts when businesses are struggling, but no business handouts when they’re doing well were identified as an area of discussion.
• Debt-saddled small island developing states in the Pacific have to prioritize loan repayments over spending on innovation. Major economies in Asia should do more to assist in our plight.
• Investors and shareholders should be more reflective of society. Minorities such as women, indigenous, disabled peoples, LGBT, etc. are underrepresented.
• Financial literacy in schools should include how debt influences the economy.
• The modern workforce is changing, how can small businesses keep up?
• Asia is dumping US treasury bonds. What effects will that have on the region? There is a concern that it will send US investment elsewhere.