On youth engagement in democratic processes and spaces

That states and all stakeholders must find ways to ensure that young people participate, speak and be heard, engage, and use their creative energies for the good of the continent and to ensure their presence at the decision-making table. Governments must facilitate their effective participation in democratic processes. Africa will benefit immensely by capitalizing on the democratic dividend of a growing youthful population.

State actors and non-state actors alike, including civil society and the private sector, prioritize the effective participation of young people in governance and economic spaces and that young people themselves must continue to actively pursue effective non-tokenistic participation that allows their voices to be heard and integrated into policymaking.

That partners for democracy across civil society and state institutions, through a range of interventions and the provision of resources, facilitate the capacitating and building of knowledge for young people on democracy and electoral issues, including through supporting, encouraging, facilitating, and accommodating young people with a full agency to engage on issues of democracy.

Civil society groups in Africa, through a Call to Action prepared by the Youth Democracy Cohort, calls for all Summit for Democracy stakeholders to strengthen youth participation beyond the second summit in three domains: to engage young people in Summit for Democracy cohorts, to include young people in stakeholders post-Summit planning; and for governments to make at least one commitment on youth political participation within six months of the 2nd Summit for Democracy – concerning a menu of possible commitments prepared by the Youth Democracy Cohort to help enhance youth participation around 33 actionable and specific recommendations.