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Introduction to International Youth Day
Young people worldwide are drivers of change in their communities. From acting on climate change to demanding electoral reform, they are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also of today. This requires that democracy, human rights, and governance (DRG) programs be responsive to the priorities of young people.
One way to accomplish this goal is by partnering with young people in the design, implementation, and evaluation of DRG programming. In fact, CEPPS’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC), a global youth-led body providing guidance and recommendations on integrating inclusive youth priorities into the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Democratic Elections and Political Processes (DEPP) cooperative agreement programming, was launched earlier this year. The YAC has been focused on identifying strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities present in its youth-focused programs, as well as threats to their success, and are developing recommendations and innovative approaches that deepen meaningful youth inclusion in DRG programming.
This month, CEPPS is pleased to introduce DEPP YAC members Dema, Femi, Kamrunnahar, Martin, and Samantha in this special International Youth Day edition of the “Beyond the Ballot” newsletter. We hope you will find them as inspiring as our team has!
Hi, Change Makers!
More than ever, today’s young people stand at the forefront of significant global change. This year, International Youth Day coincides with the largest year of elections in history when more than 60 countries will go to the polls. The outcomes of their votes will impact not just these voting nations, but the entire world, making 2024 a pivotal year for democracy.
Young people are the lifeblood of democracy, human rights, and governance. Our savvy digital skills and fresh ideas shake up the world of civic engagement and political processes every day. With the internet at our fingertips, we find endless ways to make our voices heard. Recognizing and supporting our involvement isn’t just nice – it’s a necessity. Our participation – together with your participation – fuels democratic values, accountability, and builds a future where everyone thrives.
A vibrant democracy is a combination of different voices and perspectives. When young people are in the mix, we see innovation, social change, and policies that reflect real life needs. This super election year shows just how critical it is to include young people in the conversation. When younger and older generations unite, magic happens. That’s how we create a community where everyone feels seen and heard. This kind of dialogue promotes transparency and accountability and makes democracy stronger. Embracing these multi-generational conversations builds an inclusive society and supports a lively, responsive democracy. So, let’s close the gap and make democracy work for everyone!
This International Youth Day, join us in amplifying your voice and fostering inclusive dialogue for a better world. Remember, your participation is the heartbeat of democracy.
Sincerely,
Dema, Femi, Kamrunnahar, Martin, and Samantha
The CEPPS Youth Advisory Council
Fun fact: Did you know that there are approximately 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 24 in the world today? That’s the largest youth population in history!
Want to learn more about the members of the Youth Advisory Council and their work? Check out their profiles here!
For more from the YAC, check out the video below and learn about their work and the importance of youth participation to inclusive and resilient democracies.
To meaningfully engage diverse populations of young people, CEPPS works across various development sectors such as health, education, business, and others, to better engage with them on the issues that they care about while also connecting them to spaces for decision making and political participation.
From 2020 to 2023, CEPPS, in collaboration with young leaders representing multiple sectors, implemented the Youth DRG Cross-Sectoral Initiative (DRG CSI), a multi-phased program exploring promising practices to advance the political participation, representation, and leadership of young people in decision-making positions and processes. Several key resources emerged from this initiative:
CEPPS utilizes an inclusive monitoring, evaluation and learning (IMEL) approach throughout its DRG programming. The key to IMEL is reliable inclusion data, which can be broadly understood as any data generated through the implementation of a program that aims to understand the extent to which marginalized groups are participating in program activities, tracks results that pertain to marginalized groups, or helps to understand the needs and priorities of marginalized groups. The term can also be understood as encompassing inclusive data collection methods and practices that are accessible and participatory.
CEPPS’s new Inclusion Data Collection Guidance provides recommendations on how to address common challenges associated with collecting inclusion data in DRG programs.
This year, CEPPS and our local partners around the world have worked with young people to support strong, inclusive democracies. This includes leadership programs, civic education, and training.
