Democracy organisations co-leads of the Youth Democracy cohort (International IDEA, the European Partnership for Democracy, the European Youth Network and AfricTivistes) call on civil society organisations and other stakeholders around the world to promote youth political participation as a bedrock of the Summit for Democracy process for the future.
The call comes in the context of the second Summit for Democracy which takes place in Washington, Seoul, San Jose, The Hague and Lusaka on 29th and 30th of March 2023 at which countries will discuss the most pressing challenges facing democracy. The Summit for Democracy will mobilise leadership and commitments to expand support to democracy globally.
Civil society organisations, foundations and the private sector must seize the opportunity of the second Summit for Democracy to strengthen youth participation beyond the second Summit:
1. The Youth Democracy Cohort’s Call to Action invites all Summit for Democracy stakeholders to engage young people in Summit for Democracy cohorts.
Roughly 52% of the world’s population is under 30-years-old. Therefore, engaging youth in dialogue, actions and decision-making of all the cohorts that continue beyond the second Summit contributes to better diversity and the creation of innovative ideas. This includes particularly young people from the Global South and in countries that have not been invited to join the Summit for Democracy. We invite all cohorts going forward to include young people under 35 years of age.
2. The Youth Democracy Cohort’s Call to Action invites all Summit for Democracy stakeholders to include young people in their post Summit planning.
Young people are the future of democracy for the world. Civil society organisations, foundations and the private sector are invited to consult with young people about their aspirations for the future of the Summit process by organising consultations with young people going forwards, beginning within 3 months of the second Summit for Democracy. The Youth Democracy Cohort is committed to continue advocating for young people’s voices beyond March 2023.
3. The Youth Democracy Cohort’s Call to Action invites civil society organisations, foundations, the private sector and policymakers to push their governments to make at least one commitment on youth political participation within 6 months of the 2nd Summit for Democracy.
During the first Summit for Democracy, only 28 governments made commitments related to youth in general and even less on youth political and civil participation. This is why the Youth Democracy cohort developed a menu of possible commitments to help prioritize, facilitate and enhance youth civic and political participation around 33 actionable and specific recommendations: The Youth democracy cohort has launched the Menu of possible commitments for participating states.
Join the Youth Democracy Cohort in advocating for increased youth political participation by filling a form on the youth democracy cohort website or by contacting us at [email protected].
Together, let’s make the Summit for Democracy a platform for young people to shape the future of democracy.
Signatures
ORGANISATIONS
- European Partnership for Democracy (EPD)
- European Democracy Youth Network (EDYN)
- International IDEA
- Africtivistes
- Accountability Lab
- Yiaga Africa
- Panos Institute Southern Africa
- Southern African Youth Solidarity Network (SASYN)
- The Youth Cafe
- Association des Blogueurs de Guinée (ABLOGUI)
- Keepers Zambia Foundation
- East and Horn of Africa Election Observers Network(EHORN)
- Elections Observation Group (ELOG)
- Operation Young Vote (OYV)
- Alma Civica, Paraguay
- TEDIC, Paraguay
- Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe por la democracia (Redlad)
- Consiliul Național al Tineretului din Moldova (CNTM)
- Red de Promotores Jurídicos Indígenas del Paraguay
- Politicos
- Alliance for Finance Monitoring
- Students for Global Democracy Uganda
- Tayo na Collaboratory (TN!C) for Young Leaders of Democracy, Philippines
- Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG)
- Libyan American Alliance
- Tunisian United Network
- reAcción, Paraguay
- Liberty 32 (Madagascar)
- Generation Democracy/International Republican Institute
- Center for Innovation and Environmental Culture “CICA”
- International Institute of Debate Tunisia
- DRABZEEN Human Development Jordan
- African Youth Panel
- National Democratic Institute
- Democracy Moves
- Youth Leadership Parliament (YLP GHANA)
- Girls Gone Political
- Young and Alive Initiative (YAI)
- Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO forum
- Jóvenes Artistas por la Justicia Social (JAxJS), Guatemala
- Youth for Social Development (YSD) India
- Welfare Association for New Generation (WANG), Pakistan
- Digitally Right, Bangladesh
- Coordinadora Universitaria por la Democracia y la Justicia (CUDJ), Nicaragua
- Center for Migration and International Relations, Nepal
- Hriti Foundation, Nepal
- Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Institute for Government and Public Affairs
- Visible Impact, Nepal
- The Carter Center
INDIVIDUALS
- Nalenhle Moyo, Magamba Network (Zimbabwe)
- Merveille Gozo, Elykia Institute (DRC)
- Rakoto Harison Andriatsihatahomanjaka, Coalition et Mouvement Leadership Féministe (Madagascar)
- Randrianirina Mialy Stephania, Plateforme Jeunes et Engagés (Madagascar)
- Nqaba Matshazi, Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISO) (Zambia)
- Tabani Moyo, Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISO) (Zambia)
- Mishek Gondo, Human Rights Advocacy (Zimbabwe)
- Daniel Orogo, Democracy Moves (Kenya)
- Aparicio Saravia (Uruguay)
- Leonardo Gomez Berniga, TEDIC (Paraguay)
- Ruth Benitez Diaz, Diario Ultima Hora (Paraguay)
- Nathan Chisanga, CMD Transparency (Zambia/South Africa)
- Samuel Wakumelo, CMD Transparency(Zambia/South Africa)
- Mbi Aziseh, Sisi Ni Afrika (Cameroon)
- Khereng Nelson Khereng, Kingdom of Lesotho
- Abner Brito, C-Libre (Honduras)
- Habiba Nakanwagi, Students for Global Democracy Uganda
- Peter Kafuko Waiswa, Students for Global Democracy Uganda
- Patrick Paul Ssali, Students for Global Democracy Uganda
- Francisco Rolando Aguilera, Education and Research Excellence Fund (Paraguay)
- Analía Soledad López Caballero, Alma Cívica
- Sajini Wickramasinghe (Sri Lanka)
- Hema Bhatta (Nepal)
- Bongwong Justin Berinyuy
- Aline Yunery Zunzunegui López (México)
- Alan Eduardo Sánchez Lara (México)
- Elyes Guermazi (Tunisia)
- Nikola Zirojević (Montenegro)
- KOBBY FABIAN, FOUNDER YOUTH LEADERSHIP PARLIAMENT (GHANA)
- Ruth Kay Kangwa (Zambia)
- Sesilia Shirima ( YAI ) (Tanzania)
- Musa Kika (Zimbabwe)
- María Fernelly Aroch Molina (Guatemala)
- Kimberly Escarlet Barrios Arandí (Guatemala)
- Bibhu Prasad Sahu, India
- Shazadi Faiza (Pakistan)
- Aftab Roonjha (Pakistan)
- Wajid Zahid, Pakistan
- Syed Hasnain Akber, Pakistan
- Tahreem Noor (Pakistan)
- Ibrahim Afridi (Pakistan)
- Fatima Yaseen (Pakistan)
- Dinesh Gautam, Nepal
- Naina Samson (Pakistan)