Barriers to youth political inclusion

Decision-making must reflect the views of young people. Strong democracies need young people to occupy their rightful seats at the decision-making table. Providing space for young people to safely express their views and opinions as well as their unique perspectives is imperative for democracies to grow stronger and for societies to flourish.

Young people’s passion for politics and optimism for change is clear – not least from the youth-led movements around the world. However there is still a long way to go before young people are fully engaged in formal political life. 

Across the world, only 2.6% of parliamentarians are under 30 and the average age of our political leaders is 62. By contrast, almost half of the world’s people are under 30. In addition to this underrepresentation of young people, youth face other barriers that inhibit their meaningful engagement with political decision makers, including:

• negative cultural perceptions of young people’s knowledge and experience to engage in policy discussions;
• mutual distrust between youth and formal political institutions;
• lack of accessible ways for young people to engage with institutions such as parliaments;
• high minimum ages for voting and/or running for elected office.

These barriers are experienced more acutely by young people from underrepresented and marginalised groups, including young women and young people with disabilities.      

Young people in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

60% of people in the Middle East and North Africa are under 30. Young people were at the forefront of protest movements that led to the Arab Spring in the early 2010s. 

However, like elsewhere, youth in MENA are underrepresented in national political institutions such as parliaments, there is a lack of trust between young people and political institutions, and there is a growing perception among youth that their political participation does not make a difference.

According to a 2020 OECD report, young people in the MENA region feel that there are no genuine opportunities to shape the public discourse and participate in public life.

Some initiatives to strengthen young people’s participation in public decision-making are underway. For example, in Morocco, the new constitution allowed the creation of the Consultative Council of Youth and Community Work (Art. 33). The country has also established youth councils in many regional councils, as well as a youth Parliament, and there is a dedicated space for youth on the Parliament's website. These initiatives can play a crucial role in facilitating young people's political engagement, helping bridge the gap between youth and decision-makers. 

However, it is clear that much more can be done to strengthen engagement between parliaments and young people. 

Addressing youth inclusion in MENA

Around the world, WFD helps decision-makers hear people who are often overlooked so that everyone’s voice is heard and no one is held back.

WFD’s new programme will address youth inclusion in policy making and oversight processes in Algeria, Lebanon and Morocco. It aims to help parliaments become more responsive to the needs and concerns of young citizens by:

1. Supporting parliaments to put in place mechanisms and platforms that facilitate youth engagement on key policy issues
2. Providing platforms and opportunities for young people and parliaments to come together to collaborate on key policy issues
3. Building the knowledge, skills and capacity of youth to engage effectively with their national parliament on key policy issues.

This year, International Youth Day focuses on intergenerational solidarity – the important partnerships across all ages that are needed to advance sustainable democracy. WFD looks forward to working with MENA parliaments to foster more representative policy making and, ultimately, better policy outcomes for young people.