Participation

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Learn what governments commited to in 1995: The World Programme of Action for Youth on Participation (A/RES/50/81)
J. Full and effective participation of youth in the life of society and in decision-making

104. The capacity for progress of our societies is based, among other elements, on their capacity to incorporate the contribution and responsibility of youth in the building and designing of the future. In addition to their intellectual contribution and their ability to mobilize support, they bring unique perspectives that need to be taken into account.

105. Any efforts and proposed actions in the other priority areas considered in this programme are, in a certain way, conditioned by enabling the economic, social and political participation of youth, as a matter of critical importance.

106. Youth organizations are important forums for developing skills necessary for effective participation in society, promoting tolerance and increased cooperation and exchanges between youth organizations.

Proposals for action

107. The following actions are proposed:

(a) Improving access to information in order to enable young people to make better use of their opportunities to participate in decision-making;

(b) Developing and/or strengthening opportunities for young people to learn their rights and responsibilities, promoting their social, political, developmental and environmental participation, removing obstacles that affect their full contribution to society and respecting, inter alia, freedom of association;

(c) Encouraging and promoting youth associations through financial, educational and technical support and promotion of their activities;

(d) Taking into account the contribution of youth in designing, implementing and evaluating national policies and plans affecting their concerns;

(e) Encouraging increased national, regional and international cooperation and exchange between youth organizations;

(f) Inviting Governments to strengthen the involvement of young people in international forums, inter alia, by considering the inclusion of youth representatives in their national delegations to the General Assembly.

World Youth Report 2005

3. Youth and participation in decision-making

50. The past decade has seen a growing recognition of the importance of youth participation in decision-making, as successful efforts by Governments to engage youth have led to better policy formulation, implementation and evaluation. Youth inclusion strengthens their commitment to and understanding of human rights and democracy. Opportunities for youth participation in home, school and community development are especially crucial in conflict and post-conflict situations, as well as in protecting the rights of girls and young women. The traditional slogan of "youth are the future" fails to take into account that youth are very active contributors to their societies today. Almost all parts of the United Nations system now have youth engagement strategies and frameworks. These efforts could be further strengthened by a more widespread inclusion of youth representatives in national delegations to the General Assembly and other relevant United Nations meetings, particularly at the sixtieth session commemorating the tenth anniversary of the World Programme of Action.

51. Yet, as beneficial as youth participation in decision-making is to both policymaking and youth development, it is not always effectively practised. Effective youth participation requires changes in how societies perceive young people. These changes need to be reflected in appropriate funding, in innovative ways to spread information, in training to facilitate intergenerational collaboration and in organizational structures that welcome new voices. Levels of effective youth engagement range from manipulation and tokenism at one end, to full-fledged youth-designed and implemented programmatic responses at the other. Effective strategies for youth participation must move away from ad hoc activity-based approaches to inclusion in core aspects of social structures, institutions and processes. Efforts should be undertaken to foster intergenerational relationships and support the capacity of young people to participate meaningfully in programmes and activities that affect them. Efforts should be made to ensure that as many young people as possible have the opportunity to represent their age group. Girls and young women in particular may need additional support to overcome social, cultural, and economic barriers to their full participation.

52. Current national efforts to include youth in decision-making must also recognize the changes occurring in the patterns and structures of youth movements. In many countries, political parties are having difficulty attracting young members. Campaigns that encourage youth to vote seek to reverse the trend of reduced political interest by young people. Apathy towards politics and a lack of interest to participate in traditional youth organizations seem to characterize the younger generations of many countries. To many young people, the world of politics is too distant from their daily realities of school, leisure and finding work. Many youth fail to see a connection between those realities and the impact that politics has on their daily lives. Also, very few politicians can claim to represent their age group in democratically elected constituencies. Although participation in formal, membership-based associations is considered a key mechanism to enable genuine social inclusion, there is a marked difference between countries with a strong tradition of youth membership-based organizations and those without such structures.

53. Low voter turnout and membership in political parties should not lead to the conclusion that young people are not interested in the political future of their societies. Although student movements are linked to campuses and teaching facilities, the range of student-driven causes continues to expand beyond concerns of educational reform and funding cuts to include democratic reforms, employment and health issues, racism, arms proliferation and environmental concerns, to name a few. Student movements have played crucial roles in major social and political transitions of several countries in the last 10 years and are likely to continue to be at the forefront of democratization and progressive social action.

54. In many countries, national, regional and local youth councils are outlets for major political and civic participation for youth. Youth councils and forums, which may vary in structure and mandate, have been the traditional channels of cooperation and exchange of information with the national government and other decision makers. Yet this traditional model is under pressure; it depends substantially on stable public funding, an advantage that is no longer guaranteed and not commonly available to youth organizations in developing countries or countries in transition. To receive funding, many youth organizations must be results-focused and project-driven. Formal youth councils are also often perceived to mirror the political structures currently in place. Therefore, some youth feel they are asked to participate in the very same structures that, in their mind, exclude them.

55. Accordingly, Governments and international organizations should seek to work with a broad range of the youth population, both those organized through formal youth organizations and those who are not. Some studies indicate that there is an increasing tendency towards a change in motivation of membership in formal youth organizations: many members have a pragmatic rather than an ideological interest in their activities. Membership is increasingly viewed as a way to forward a young person's career or other prospects rather than an opportunity to advance youthdriven ideas and policies. This may reflect the increasing competitiveness of the job market and the need for young people to expand their networks. Explicit efforts must be made to include those young people who face obstacles, such as cultural norms that favour hierarchical relationships between generations, economic circumstances that prevent them from participating in anything other than incomegenerating activity and lack of access to information and necessary skills.

56. While the importance of voluntary work and its role in a young person's life has not diminished, it has changed. Youth participation today tends to be issuespecific and service-oriented. Reluctant to join a formal organization or council, many young people prefer to find open opportunities created by communities and institutions to become involved in the issues that concern them. As a result, there are emerging forms of youth structures that tend to be based on networks of collaboration and common interests. One example that seems to reverse the decline in traditional participation and civic engagement by youth is Internet-based activities in youth civic and political engagement. Through cross-boundary web sites, tele- and video-conferencing, chat boards and webcams, information and communication technologies are creating new forms of "cyber participation" that provide young people with creative, open and non-hierarchical channels of participation. Insight can be obtained when these activities are subsequently submitted to policy-making channels. More youth are gradually becoming aware of resources outside their communities and of opportunities to share and reinforce each other's work. These new modes of participation, although not substitutes for strong and effective youth councils, can provide opportunities for more young people to become active in decision-making and in shaping their societies.