Young people are mobilising more than ever before for democracy. Hopes are high that the young can act as a democratic catalyst to turn back the powerful wave of authoritarianism across the world. But is this really possible? This report examines what is driving young people to […] read more
A Comparative Study of Political Generations in Australia In most advanced democracies, declining electoral turnout is disproportionately concentrated among young people.[i] For example, in the 2024 United Kingdom general election, less than half of 18- to 24-year-olds cast a ballot, compared with three-quarters of people aged 65 […] read more
Can Democratic Elitism Explain Bhutan’s Minimal Youth Political Participation? Ever since Bhutan’s introduction of democracy in 2008, a recurring question has been why so few young people are involved in the country’s politics. A 2018 study observed that even students of political science do not see politics […] read more
Youth Expression and Communication Strategies in Afghanistan After becoming a nation-state, Afghanistan experienced several waves of attempts at democratisation. The last major effort began in December 2001, when a republican political system re-emerged in the country. Over the following 20 years, until the system’s collapse in August […] read more
Lessons From the 1970 UN World Youth Assembly for Contemporary Youth Engagement Over the last decade, the United Nations (UN) system has increasingly invested in creating institutional space for greater youth participation and leadership. Launched in 2018, Youth2030 is a UN-wide youth strategy that prioritises “meaningful youth […] read more
Enhancing Youth Representation in Zimbabwe Through Effective Quotas Across the globe, quotas have been used to promote the inclusion of underrepresented social groups. Indeed, the introduction of such provisions in politics is widely regarded as a legitimate way of ensuring equal opportunities.[i]Previously, representational politics centred on gender […] read more
The Cost of Politics for Ghana’s Aspiring Young Parliamentarians Democracy costs money, and so does politics. Indeed, money plays a critical role in politics, elections, and democracy globally.[i] Political parties cannot function without financial resources, nor can political debates and campaigns. However, when the cost of politics […] read more
The Global Youth Participation Index (GYPI) was developed to provide a comprehensive, data-driven understanding of how young people engage in public life across the world. By measuring participation across 141 countries and multiple dimensions, the Index highlights both progress and persistent barriers to youth inclusion. Building on […] read more
Political participation in Mexico remains a privilege largely reserved for those with financial resources, political connections, and time. Young candidates, in particular, face immense barriers when attempting to enter politics, as high financial costs, restrictive party structures, and the risk of violence restricts their political mobility. The […] read more