Meaningful youth engagement is a participatory process in which young people’s ideas, expertise, experiences, and perspectives are integrated throughout programmatic, policy, and institutional decision-making structures so as to best inform outcomes. This process requires young people to be involved in all levels and stages of program, policy, campaign, and initiative development, including all stages of design, implementation, and evaluation; this is especially true of those programs that directly affect their lives.

This participation and engagement must be supported by access to accurate and youth-friendly information, meaningful decision-making mechanisms, and fully integrated accountability mechanisms from stakeholders. This also includes the integration of diverse perspectives and populations in decision-making, especially from those who are most marginalized.

WOMEN DELIVER MEANINGFUL YOUTH ENGAGEMENT

Introduction: When young people are asked to articulate the barriers they face to meaningful youth engagement, to identify the tools and resources that would help them in their advocacy efforts, and to imagine what their ideal world looks like when it comes to meaningful youth engagement, they have clear answers. They want trust and acceptance in their role at the decision-making table; true partnerships and opportunities for intergenerational dialogue; data, evidence, and youth-friendly research; media and communication tools and support; and technical and financial support and resources to more effectively fill their seat at the table.

This is particularly true when it comes to advocacy for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for young people. At the same time, it is clear that institutions who listen to and include young people in their decision-making are more likely to develop programs and policies that reflect young people’s experiences, making those programs more effective while also more efficiently using resources. In addition, experience shows that engaging young people as researchers, evaluators, advocates, and program designers can improve the quality and relevance of data collected and can increase program accountability and support.

The Women Deliver 2016 Global Conference brings together 5000+ world influencers and various stakeholders working on the health, rights, and well-being of girls and women to share their experiences, challenges, and visions in the era of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There will be more than 1,000 young people under the age of 30 actively participating and contributing throughout the conference, and one of the important discussion items on the agenda is how to enhance meaningful youth engagement.

Core Elements for Meaningful Youth Engagement: The ideal world of meaningful youth engagement, as highlighted by the young people in the Women Deliver consultation survey results, is one where:

• Young people provide input at all stages of decision-making, implementation, and monitoring of programs and policies.

• Young people’s voices are heard without judgment, stigma, discrimination, or threat of violence.

• Young people from marginalized populations are integrated into meaningful youth engagement efforts.

• Power-sharing is realized across all ages, and young people’s expertise and contribution is given equal weight.

• A robust youth civil society movement is supported and well-resourced.