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.
2025 is a crossroads. One road leads to deeper poverty, weaker economies, and human rights stripped away. The other, propels economies forward, building safer societies and fairer futures for everyone.
A new book, Women in Africa, authored by foremost historian Professor Toyin Falola and Dr. Jumoke Yacob-Haliso, has spotlighted the resilience and agency of African women across history and politics.
“We want women to say, ‘This is my place’”, declares Yusra Al-Kharisha. “We want women to move into Parliament, into education and political leadership. We want them to say, “My place extends beyond the home.”
Thousands of young Nepalis have taken to the streets to protest their government over a ban on social media platforms. The protests have garnered national attention as Prime Minister Sharma Oli resigned, and the Nepali parliament was set on fire.
Afghan women and girls are bearing some of the heaviest burdens of a deadly 6.0 magnitude earthquake in the country’s eastern provinces last week.
At least 19 people have been killed and dozens injured during violent protests against the government’s social media ban and alleged corrupti
Today, UN Women is releasing new data which shows that, despite this ban, the vast majority of Afghans – women and men alike – support girls’ education.
In a nationwide, door-to-door survey of more than 2,000 Afghans, 92 per cent said it was “important” for girls to continue their schooling, with support cutting across rural and urban communities.
