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.
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.
The Government has announced plans to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote across the UK by the next general election.
Talking about youth political participation means confronting two main issues.
Talking about youth political participation means confronting two main issues.
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.
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.
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 th
The Global Youth Participation Index - GYPI - aims to fill critical gaps in global data on youth political participation by fostering youth-led research that highlights positive engagement practices, challenges systemic barriers, and am
The Global Youth Participation Index - GYPI - aims to fill critical gaps in global data on youth political participation by fostering youth-led research that highlights positive engagement practices, challenges systemic barriers, and am
A new ranking by UN Women and the Inter-Parliamentary Union puts Nigeria 179th out of 185 countries for
A new ranking by UN Women and the Inter-Parliamentary Union puts Nigeria 179th out of 185 countries for
The Latinas Represent Campaign Master Class is our unique training program created by Latinas for Latinas.
The Latinas Represent Campaign Master Class is our unique training program created by Latinas for Latinas.
This election, a lot of focus was directed at young voters.