Youth

Youth

Youth

While young people play central and catalyzing roles in movements for democracy around the world, they are less engaged than older generations in voting and party activism. As of 2016 people between the ages of 20 and 44 make up 57% of the world’s voting age population but only 26% of the world’s Members of Parliament (MPs). Young people under 30 only represent 1.9% of the world’s MP’s and more than 80% of the world’s upper houses of Parliament have no MPs aged under 30. While male MPs outnumber female MPs in every age category, gender imbalance is less pronounced among younger MPs around the world. This suggests that young men and women may be more likely to make way for new faces and voices to be represented in decision-making (Inter-parliamentary Union Youth Participation in National Parliaments, 2016). Strategies that may promote the engagement of youth in political processes include: youth quotas; legal reforms to align the voting age with the minimum age for elected officials; proportional representation electoral systems; inclusive parliaments and local governance; removal of barriers for youth electoral participation; outreach and recruitment of students by political parties; and targeted outreach to youth political candidates.

News

Snapshot from the 15 November online peer-to-peer dialogue, Promoting the role of youth in political and democratic spaces (International IDEA
08.12.2022
Promoting the role of youth in political and democratic spaces
International IDEA, in collaboration with the European Commission (EC) and the Youth Political and Civic Engagement Cohort of the Summit for Democracy (S4D), held on 15 November 2022, an online peer-...
Youth4Climate: Powering action flagship global event will convene 150 young leaders to bring forth concrete climate actions - Photo: Youth4climate
20.09.2022
Youth4Climate: Powering action flagship global event will convene 150 young lead...
Committed, inspiring and bold climate leaders from all over the world will meet during the UN High-Level General Assembly week to discuss youth-led engagement and solutions in climate actions.New...
Sudanese women discussing alliance building during the seminar, June 2022. Photo:  UN Women Sudan
24.08.2022
UN Women Sudan supports young women’s participation in the political process
Through roundtable discussions, capacity-building workshops, and seminars targeting women from across Sudan, UN Women Sudan empowers young women to learn skills in alliance-building and participation...
Musical act during the graduation of YWDA, Khartoum, Sudan-09-08-2022. Image credit: International IDEA
23.08.2022
Graduation of Sudan's young women democracy academy (YWDA)
International IDEA Sudan’s programme celebrated the graduation of the first batch from the Young Women Democracy Academy (YWDA) on 9 August 2022. The event took place in the International IDEA...
Blas Llano & Patrick Kemper, Paraguay (IPU)
12.08.2022
Do you say yes to youth? 1 year of the IPU’s campaign
On this International Youth Day, the IPU congratulates all the young MPs making a mark in their respective parliaments. They are the future of democracy but with less than 3% of MPs under 30, young...
MP Sahar Albazar ⓒ Parliament of Egypt
20.06.2022
Young MPs for climate action: Eighth IPU Global Conference of Young Parliamentar...
On 15 and 16 June, some 200 young parliamentarians from 60 countries convened in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt for the Eight IPU Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians.The conference was jointly...
Australia: Young women are turning their backs on political careers at alarming rate, new research suggests - Women’s Agenda
16.05.2022
Australia: Young women are turning their backs on political careers at alarming...
Young women aren’t feeling any more optimistic about our parliamentary landscape, opportunities to build a career in politics or their safety, new research has found.The report, conducted by Plan...
Young women are less likely to run for office today than 12 months ago - Women’s Agenda
21.04.2022
Young women are less likely to run for office today than 12 months ago
Young women and gender diverse people are less likely to run for office or join a political party today, than they were 12 months ago.That’s the explosive finding of new research from a leading...
Guyana Parliament reaches out to youth - IPU
13.04.2022
Guyana Parliament reaches out to youth
In a good example of parliamentary outreach to young people, the second edition of the Guyana National Youth Debating Competition takes place on Friday, 8 April. Some 16 youth groups will participate...

iKNOW Politics Partners Resources

International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA)
Promoting the role of youth in political and democratic spaces
Promoting the role of youth in political and democratic spaces (International IDEA)
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA)
Promoting the role of youth in political and democratic spaces
Snapshot from the 15 November online peer-to-peer dialogue, Promoting the role of youth in political and democratic spaces (International IDEA
UNDP
In Peru, technology brings young people into politics
In Peru, technology brings young people into politics (Picture: UNDP)
UNDP
Youth4Climate: Powering action flagship global event will convene 150 young leaders to bring forth concrete climate actions
Youth4Climate: Powering action flagship global event will convene 150 young leaders to bring forth concrete climate actions - Photo: Youth4climate