This content is inspired by The Youth Political Participation Literature and Policy review 1980-2023 – Epoch II Systemic Debates– as outlined in the Youth Democracy Cohort’s scoping study on youth political participation. The study presents a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of youth-related policies and practices from 1980 to 2023. It is based on a literature and policy review, examining youth involvement in political affairs, electoral participation, and civil society engagement within democratic contexts. The findings are framed within four distinct epochs, offering insights for policymakers and programme designers aiming to foster youth-inclusive democratic practices. While the content draws on these findings, it does not represent a verbatim excerpt or official position of the Youth Democracy Cohort.
This epoch is characterised by a commencement of systematic debates on youth political participation. This development follows the emergence of the first key trend framing youth political participation as an important domain: the demographic development in the countries of the Global North.
Global Trends and Context
As Global North countries continue to develop economically and socially, it becomes increasingly
apparent that demographic ramifications are starting to show. Most notably, the populations are growing older, a trend driven by a combination of decreasing natality and increasing life expectancy. As the trend of population ageing becomes painstakingly apparent at the turn of the century, policymakers start to realise that democratic deficit could occur, a situation in which young people and their interests are not represented appropriately via representative democracy processes. This threat increases as populations of young people continue to be in a steady decline in the Global North countries, putting in danger the democratic discourse itself as pressures increase across generations, favouring solutions fit for older generations rather than youth. These trends gradually lead to lowering engagement of young people in institutionalised conventional politics, and search for new ways of being politically active, mostly in the domain of non-conventional politics and lifestyle politics. To counter this incoming peril, systematic deliberations on youth political participation commence. This results in various important contributions to the policy discourse on youth political participation, preparing ground for concrete systematic approaches which are to come in the next epoch.
An Urgent Need to Include and Empower Youth
The policy developments in the area of youth participation include youth as a target group appearing systematically in various policies, recurrent acknowledgements of youth political participation as a key emerging topic, and explorations of concrete mechanisms which could be provided to young people to enable them to better engage in political participation.
As with the previous epoch, there are relatively few international policy initiatives specific to Global South countries although some developments do occur, most notably within CARICOM. These policies tend to follow the agenda for participation set at the global level, though place it within broader contexts of youth development and wider youth issues such as work, education, and health.
Policy Orientation
In the context of Epoch II, it is important to stress that this demographic development does not occur globally but is concentrated in countries of the Global North. This leads to engagement of young people in democratic processes
and youth policy becoming an urgent priority area in the Global North context, while staying away from attention of countries of the Global South who experience vastly different challenges at that time. Responding to the challenges of this era led to the establishment of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), which articulated a common global development agenda for the first time, as well as a recognition that the participation of young people and youth organisations would be key to the realisation of these ambitious goals. Alongside this are a number of key UN policy developments to support youth participation, including an update to the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY) and the adoption of its implementation plan, the System-Wide Action Plan on Youth.
Milestones in International Youth Policies
Key milestones include:
- the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), set out a common global development agenda for the first time
- The Right of Child to be Heard, emphasised the right of children to be heard, laid a foundation for youth participation, and set standard for national policies to include youth voices in judicial, administrative and legislative processes.
- Youth System-Wide Action Plan, highlighted the right of children to be heard, laying the foundation for youth participation, and set standard for national policies to include youth voices in judicial, administrative and legislative processes.
Key European Policies
- European Commission white paper – A new impetus for European youth, outlined important principles and actions for improving youth participation, focusing on five key principles: openness, participation, accountability, effectiveness, and coherence.
- Recommendation 2004 on participation of young people in local and regional life, provided a thorough definition of youth participation and gives a comprehensive policy list that can benefit from more youth participation.
- Resolution 1826, lowering the voting age to 16, acknowledged the importance of preparing youth for voting, urges member states to lower voting age.
