This content is inspired by The Youth Political Participation Literature and Policy review 1980-2023 – Epoch III Systemic Policies– 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 the creation of systematic policies tackling youth political participation, including strategies, action plans, and similar mechanisms. These policies are frequently linked to funding mechanisms and include concrete aims and objectives regarding youth political participation, with many of them also directly linked to concrete evaluation efforts.
Global Context and Trends
The policy developments in the area of youth participation include systematisation of policymaking concerning youth political participation and involving youth and children in designing policies in this domain. Building on the deliberations of the previous epoch, youth political participation is approached systematically as a key priority of long-term policies. Some initiatives were seen with BRICS countries during this epoch. Though, as with the previous epochs, there are generally limited policies that are specific to (or primarily intended for) Global South regions.
Systemic Policies
Examples of such policies include the EU Youth Policy (both from 2010–2018 and 2019–2027) as they
include a strong emphasis on the participation of young people and are directly linked to concrete funding and implementation mechanisms, such as the youth programmes, volunteering programmes, mobility programmes, and specific participation processes, such as the EU Youth Dialogue. Another noteworthy development is the involvement of youth in designing these policies. This is highly notable in the case of the EU Youth Policy 2019–2027 which includes European Youth Goals created by over 50,000 young people from across Europe during one of the EU Youth Dialogue cycles. The European Youth Goals are not only part of the EU Youth Strategy but are continuously used today to set agendas of the EU Member States Presiding the Council of the EU, continuing to steer direct contributions of youth consultations to the ongoing policy debate (e.g. via EU Council Conclusions and Resolutions prepared by the EU Presidency Counties).
Recognising the need to contribute to the development of active citizens from an early age, strategic
policy documents focusing on children are also produced in this period, with examples from both Council of Europe and the European Commission including strategies for the rights of the child. This marks an apparent effort to include incoming generations in public, political, and democratic life as early as possible to systematically support active citizenship in the European context.
Milestones in Systemic Policies Development
Key milestones include:
- UNESCO Operational Strategy on Youth 2014–2021, a strategy that recognised youth as “agents of change, social transformations, peace and sustainable development”.
- Youth 2030: Working with and for young people, the UN Youth Strategy, providing a comprehensive framework for all UN work with and for young people across peace, security, human rights, and sustainable development.
Key European and International Policies
- The European Union Youth Strategy 2019–2027, a strategy with the intention of connecting the EU with youth, promoting constructive dialogue, and creating spaces for youth participation.
- Call to Action on Young women’s political participation and leadership, a key policy document emphasising the importance of young women’s participation in politics; focusing on enabling education, gender-inclusive policies, and gender-balanced parliaments.
