With half of the world’s population being under 30, the continued survival of democracy is highly dependent on buy-in and support among youth. Young people, particularly those from marginalised groups, are systematically underrepresented in public affairs, including in parliaments, political parties and at the ballot boxes. Economic and educational barriers to youth participation are exacerbated by a lack of information about democratic processes, good governance, and ways of becoming active citizens.
Young people have played leadership roles throughout history in liberation movements and post-liberation democratization struggles by amplifying popular struggles for democracy, human rights and justice. Regression in democratic governance nonetheless has not impressed the masses of young Africans who perceive leadership and growth reported as non-inclusive and non-transformative.
The ‘Imara Youth Democracy Learning Sessions’ empowers women and young people working on politics, accountability, transparency, good governance in The United Republic of Tanzania (mainland and Zanzibar) and Kenya. The sessions are part of the Global Democracy Coalition, partners for democracy day advocacy work of more than 100 democracy organizations from around the world committed to advance and protect democracy worldwide and to influence the Summits for Democracy and the Year of Action 2022.
The Global Democracy Coalition enables partner organizations to have a stronger voice in influencing the Summits for Democracy and the global democracy agenda more broadly, as part of a collective effort rather than as individual organizations.
