Youth

South Korea’s gender divide has become a flashpoint in its democratic evolution. Amid economic stagnation and rising disillusionment, young men increasingly view feminist policies as threats to fairness, fuelling anti-feminist populism. Yet the roots of this divide run deeper — into the Confucian familism embedded in welfare structures, selective workplace norms, and a military culture that reinforces hegemonic masculinity. While women face structural inequalities, young men confront shifting expectations that clash with traditional roles.

For a generation nurtured on aspirations of prosperity and upward mobility, the stark realities of stagnant wages, soaring living costs and limited career prospects have engendered a profound sense of disillusionment among today’s South Korean youth.

This cohort has been labelled the ‘N-po generation’, a term denoting the relinquishment of numerous traditional life milestones. Initially coined as the three giving-up generation (sampo sedae) — referring to the abandonment of dating, marriage and childbearing — the idea has evolved to encompass additional sacrifices. These include home ownership, stable employment, personal relationships, health, physical appearance and even life aspirations.

Full article available here.

Talking about youth political participation means confronting two main issues. On one hand, there is a dominant narrative portraying young generations as apathetic or disengaged from the future of their communities. On the other, from a more scientific standpoint, the challenge lies in understanding what political participation means today in an increasingly digital, multicultural, and disintermediated context.

New research commissioned by the Istituto Toniolo di Studi Superiori, based on unpublished data from Ipsos, explores the dynamics shaping the relationship between young people (aged 18 to 34) and politics today.

What is political participation?

First of all, there is no universal consensus on the definition of political participation. Interpretations range from traditional institutional views — limiting participation to behaviours aimed at influencing government decisions and selecting representatives — to broader conceptions that hold everything as political.

This spectrum shapes how we describe youth political activism, with narrow definitions excluding emerging forms of participation, while overly broad ones risk diluting the concept.

Full article available here.

Thirty years after the Beijing Platform for Action, progress toward gender equality in political participation remains slow. Discriminatory social norms continue to hinder women’s leadership around the world. This side event—hosted during CSW69 and supported by the European Union, UN Women, International IDEA, IPU, and UCLG—dives into how we can transform social norms to advance women’s full and effective participation in political and public life.

• Chiara Adamo, Head of Unit, Human Rights, Gender and Democratic Governance,

• Rumbidzai Kandawasvika-Nhundu, Principal Advisor, Democracy and Inclusion,International IDEA

• Vandita Morarka, Founder and CEO of One Future Collective

• Sarah Hendriks, Director for Policy, Programme, Intergovernmental Division, UN Women

• Cynthia López Castro , Senator and President of the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians, Mexico

• Emil Broberg, Councillor of Östergötland Region, Member of the Board of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions

• Abosede George-Ogan, Founder and Executive Director, Women in Leadership Advancement Network

• Brenda Kombo, Setting the Scene, UN Women consultant

• Moderator: Kristina Lachaga, Women and Girls Empowerment Advocate, Recording Artist and Host

Highlights: 

• Panel discussion on barriers to women’s leadership and the significance of social norms change.

• Good practices for addressing discriminatory norms and impact through WYDE Women’s Leadership Initiative.

• Voices from parliamentarians, civil society and youth leaders reflecting on the importance of social norm change for sustainable political representation and participation of women. 

Key messages

• The Global Youth Participation Index - GYPI - is the first-of-its-kind global tool tracking youth political participation across the world.
• It brings together civic engagement, electoral inclusion, and youth influence on democracy in one comprehensive index.
• The index amplifies youth voices and highlights diverse pathways to political participation.
• Co-developed with experts and young leaders, and powered by data from over 141 countries.

What GYPI is

The Global Youth Participation Index (GYPI) is the first-ever global tool to measure and compare youth political participation across countries and regions. It assesses how effectively young people are included in political life, from elections and civil society to policymaking and socio-economic conditions.

Why it matters

Despite making up more than half the global population, young people remain underrepresented and underserved in decision-making. The GYPI helps shine a light on gaps, track progress, and drive accountability, offering data that can shape more inclusive and responsive democracies.

What’s new or unique about it

• First youth-specific global political participation index
• Data from 141+ countries across four dimensions
• Developed in collaboration with youth consultants, organisations and experts
• Designed to empower advocates, policymakers, and researchers

In 2024, the Women and Youth Democratic Engagement (WYDE) | Women’s Leadership Initiative was launched as a global multi-partner effort to advance women’s full and effective political participation and representation in decision-making at all levels, particularly for those most often left behind. Funded by the European Union, WYDE Women’s Leadership leverages collective action, partnerships, and transformative social norms to create impact globally, focusing on:  Advocacy and Networking , Global Knowledge Sharing , and Capacity-building. One year in, we’ve sparked a movement and are pushing further every day.

Click here to watch the video published by UN Women.