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.
UN Women and UNV launch the new Young Women Leaders Initiative to create professional opportunities for leaders of tomorrow and further enhance diversity in UN Women.
This Discussion Paper puts together relevant data on the inclusion of young people and women in European Parliament elections.
This Discussion Paper puts together relevant data on the inclusion of young people and women in European Parliament elections.
The Second Annual Summer School for Young Leaders from African Political Parties took place in Kigali, Rwanda, on 6–8 June 2018.
The Second Annual Summer School for Young Leaders from African Political Parties took place in Kigali, Rwanda, on 6–8 June 2018.
The global proportion of MPs under 30 has increased in two years from 1.9 per cent to 2.2 per cent according to the IPU’s biannual report on Youth Participation in National Parliaments published today.
