Skip to main content

Youth

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.

Show on Home Page
Yes
Image
Icon
Banner Image

World News

Australia: Young women are turning their backs on political careers at alarming rate, new research suggests

Submitted by Editor on
Back

Australia: Young women are turning their backs on political careers at alarming rate, new research suggests

Source:

Young women aren’t feeling any more optimistic about our parliamentary landscape, opportunities to build a career in politics or their safety, new research has found.

Young women aren’t feeling any more optimistic about our parliamentary landscape, opportunities to build a career in politics or their safety, new research has found.

Australia: Represent us!

Back
May 16, 2022

Australia: Represent us!

Plan International Australia, in collaboration with YouGov, conducted a poll with a representative online sample of 1,034 Australian young women aged between 18 and 24 to gauge their views on the culture and diversity of representation in Australian politics.

Plan International Australia, in collaboration with YouGov, conducted a poll with a representative online sample of 1,034 Australian young women aged between 18 and 24 to gauge their views on the culture and diversity of representation in Australian politics.

Understanding young people’s political participation

Back
May 13, 2022

Understanding young people’s political participation

Young people care – about our planet, our future and our political systems. In the last decade, young people have initiated social movements, tackling issues that impact their own lives and those of communities around the globe.

Young people care – about our planet, our future and our political systems. In the last decade, young people have initiated social movements, tackling issues that impact their own lives and those of communities around the globe.

Interviews

Zimbabwe: "Fear of sexual harassment keeps young women out of politics"

Back
April 29, 2022

Zimbabwe: "Fear of sexual harassment keeps young women out of politics"

Living in an era when Zimbabwe and the world are fighting for gender equality, it is sad young women still shun politics in fear of sexual harassment which appears to be the greatest challenge in the male dominated sphere, a member of parliament has said.

Living in an era when Zimbabwe and the world are fighting for gender equality, it is sad young women still shun politics in fear of sexual harassment which appears to be the greatest challenge in the male dominated sphere, a member of parliament has said.

Australia: Where are the young women?

Back
April 21, 2022

Australia: Where are the young women?

Driven by the shared belief that all young voices should be heard, Raise Our Voice Australia has proudly partnered with The Body Shop Australia to ask young women and gender diverse Australians about their political engagement.

Driven by the shared belief that all young voices should be heard, Raise Our Voice Australia has proudly partnered with The Body Shop Australia to ask young women and gender diverse Australians about their political engagement.

World News

Young women are less likely to run for office today than 12 months ago

Submitted by Editor on
Back

Young women are less likely to run for office today than 12 months ago

Source:

Young women and gender diverse people are less likely to run for office or join a political party today, than they were 12 months ago.

That’s the explosive finding of new research from a leading Australian social enterprise, Raise Our Voice Australia which surveyed almost 500 Australian women and gender diverse people under the age of 30, seeking their views on the state of politics in the country today.

Young women and gender diverse people are less likely to run for office or join a political party today, than they were 12 months ago.

That’s the explosive finding of new research from a leading Australian social enterprise, Raise Our Voice Australia which surveyed almost 500 Australian women and gender diverse people under the age of 30, seeking their views on the state of politics in the country today.

World News

Guyana Parliament reaches out to youth

Submitted by Editor on
Back

Guyana Parliament reaches out to youth

Source:

In a good example of parliamentary outreach to young people, the second edition of the Guyana National Youth Debating Competition takes place on Friday, 8 April. Some 16 youth groups will participate in the event with the objective of connecting young people to parliament.

In a good example of parliamentary outreach to young people, the second edition of the Guyana National Youth Debating Competition takes place on Friday, 8 April. Some 16 youth groups will participate in the event with the objective of connecting young people to parliament.

World News

International IDEA launches the "Young Women’s Democracy Academy" in Sudan

Submitted by Editor on
Back

International IDEA launches the "Young Women’s Democracy Academy" in Sudan

Source:

The Young Women’s Democracy Academy (YWDA) is a three-month capacity-building programme dedicated to empowering young women between the ages of 18 and 24 with the knowledge and skills necessary to enhance their political participation.

The Young Women’s Democracy Academy (YWDA) is a three-month capacity-building programme dedicated to empowering young women between the ages of 18 and 24 with the knowledge and skills necessary to enhance their political participation.