The youth have long represented an important constituency for electoral mobilization in Africa. Yet, despite their numerical importance and the historical relevance of generational identities within the region, very little is really known about the political participation of Africa’s youth.

Participation in electoral politics has declined across Western Europe in recent decades as citizens have become increasingly disillusioned with conventional forms of politics.

Young people in Britain are often characterised as disconnected from the formal political process and from democratic institutions.

Social media power youth political participation

No digital divide found in participation among ethnic groups

Young people express an increasing rejection of institutional politics and its classic actors, which has led to the assertion that youth are apathetic.

Presidential campaigns have been aggressively pursuing youth, reaching new levels in 2008 using innovative outreach methods and coupling the Internet with intense grassroots mobilization.

Saeed Haqiqi is a journalist and writer from Herat.