Cross-section of Workshop participants pose for a photo.

The 2-day advocacy workshop was designed to be a hybrid event, offering both in-person and virtual participation options. The physical event was be hosted in Nairobi, Kenya, providing an opportunity for direct engagement and collaboration. The hybrid format enabled the inclusion of a broader audience, reaching youth, young women, and youth networks globally. The first day of the workshop marks a crucial step in the journey towards equipping young advocates with the necessary resources to drive meaningful change.

To organise the workshop, The Youth Cafe partnered with ten organizations from Kenya, Zambia, Ghana, and the Central African Republic, to developed a comprehensive Advocacy Toolkit designed to bolster youth engagement in political and democratic processes.

This toolkit was refined during a hybrid workshop held from June 3rd to 4th, 2024, at Kasarani SportsView Hotel in Nairobi, which included both in-person and virtual participation. The event led to the finalization and official launch of the toolkit, alongside the creation of a Youth Advocacy Action Plan and a Self-Assessment Reporting Template, aimed at empowering young advocates with practical tools and strategies for effective advocacy. Over 50 participants attended physically with others attending virtually. The two-day event was moderated by Youla Nzale and Imeldah Osumba of The Youth Café.

Pamba Ojera, The Youth Café provided an overview of The Youth Café, established in 2012 to empower, amplify, and connect African youth by addressing their needs and aspirations. Operating across six key sectors—Agriculture and Environment, Economic Growth, Education, Health and Wellbeing, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Leadership and Governance—The Youth Cafe is dedicated to fostering youth participation in governance and democratic processes, advocating for social equity and inclusion, and uplifting disadvantaged youth under 35. By spearheading initiatives like the "Advocacy by Design" under the Ignite African Youth Project, the organization equips young individuals with the tools to advocate effectively for their communities, fostering active citizenship and inspiring a new generation of leaders committed to positive change.

Oliver Mshilla, The Youth Cafe provided an in-depth explanation of the newly developed Advocacy Toolkit, emphasizing its significance and intended impact. Designed to enhance the advocacy efforts of young people, particularly young women, in Africa's democratic processes, the toolkit offers actionable guidance, practical strategies, and valuable insights. It targets young individuals and members of youth-led organizations, focusing on areas such as governance, political participation, and human rights. Oliver highlighted the toolkit's user-friendly design and practical applications, including real-world case studies from four diverse countries. He conducted an interactive demonstration to show how the toolkit can be used to formulate strategies, build coalitions, and campaign for change. Emphasizing its role as the first-ever youth-owned and youth-led advocacy toolkit created by African youth, Oliver underscored its potential to empower young advocates and foster a new generation of leaders committed to advancing democracy, inclusivity, and human rights across the continent.

In his opening remarks, Willice Onyango, Executive Director of The Youth Café, welcomed participants and encouraged open dialogue. He highlighted the extensive preparations and collaboration of over ten partners in the Ignite African Youth Project. Onyango emphasized The Youth Café's focus on governance, democracy, and human rights, stressing the need for increased youth political participation due to a decline in youth turnout in the 2022 elections in Kenya. He underscored the importance of voting and building youth capacity through initiatives like "Advocacy by Design." He also highlighted the workshop's inclusivity, including participants with disabilities, for a comprehensive discussion on governance and democracy.

Emmanuel Singa , SOS Civisme (Central African Republic (CAR), in his case study presentation described SOS Civisme as a youth-led organization in the Central African Republic (CAR) focused on strengthening the capacity of youth organizations in security sector reform. The organization educates young people on national and international tools related to human rights, governance, and democracy to foster community ownership among youth. Addressing issues like violent extremism, unemployment, and educational gaps that lead to youth involvement in armed conflicts, SOS Civisme aims to consolidate democracy, peace, and stability in CAR. Key activities include advocacy campaigns in partnership with the UNSCR, national consultations on governance and democracy, data collection on youth involvement in governance, and collaborations with organizations like the United Network of Young Peacebuilders to promote peace and democracy.

Despite facing challenges such as the lack of capacity building for youth in governance processes, low youth representation in the National Assembly, and difficulty mobilizing resources for local events, SOS Civisme remains committed to reducing youth involvement in violence through training programs. These programs, implemented in close collaboration with local communities, focus on economic empowerment to prevent political manipulation of young people. Emmanuel highlighted the organization's multifaceted strategy to mitigate youth participation in violence, emphasizing the importance of capacity-building programs that equip youth with the skills and opportunities necessary to avoid violence, enhance employability, and foster a sense of responsibility.

Clifford Collins Omondi Okwany, Researcher and Lecturer, University of Nairobi in his master class presentation delivered an insightful presentation on "Voice and Democracy: The Future of Youth in Digital Governance and Bridging the Digital Divide." He defined the digital divide in Africa as the gap between those with access to ICT and those without, highlighting disparities in access, usage, and outcomes. Despite a modest increase in internet access from 26% in 2019 to 36% in 2023, Africa still lags significantly in the digital space, with the widest gender gap in internet access. These disparities hinder development in governance and democracy, exacerbated by issues such as lack of governance capacity, youth violence, and poor-quality electoral processes, which further disenfranchise the youth.

Omondi explored the historical context of youth involvement in governance, highlighting the scarcity of research on youth movements compared to youth and violence. Looking ahead, Omondi expressed optimism about the future of youth involvement in digital governance and democracy, stressing the need for political stability, education, and critical thinking among young people. He emphasized the importance of increased youth participation in social movements and the influential role of the media in shaping democratic processes. While acknowledging that democracy is seen by many political philosophers as costly and complex, he argued that it requires active participation from all sectors of society. Omondi concluded by underscoring the critical need to bridge the digital divide to enhance youth participation in governance and democracy in Africa, noting that although progress is being made, there is still much work to be done.

Damian Juma, Propira Global During his masterclass presentation on mental health awareness, Damian Juma of Propira Global highlighted the broad spectrum of mental health, emphasizing its impact beyond just mental illness. He noted that approximately 116 million Africans, including many young people, live with various mental health conditions and stressed that neglecting mental health can reduce life expectancy by 10 to 20 years. Juma pointed out the significant disparity in mental health investment, with Africa investing only $0.5 per capita compared to the global average of $7.40. He emphasized the need to address mental health issues among men, who often suffer in silence, and proposed leveraging Africa's mineral resources to generate revenue for mental health needs. Juma shared his advocacy efforts for youth inclusion in mental health policies and highlighted the progressive support of Makueni County as an example.

Juma also stressed the importance of integrating mental health awareness into communities and encouraging open conversations about mental health experiences. He highlighted self-care routines, such as exercise, mindfulness, balanced diets, social connections, and work-life balance, as essential for maintaining mental well-being.

During the Q&A session, he addressed challenges faced by youth living with disabilities in Indigenous communities and the need for broader mental health support from organizations. He also discussed balancing the benefits of technology with mental health maintenance and the importance of expanding mental health campaigns beyond Nairobi. Lastly, Juma addressed the issue of mental health practitioners suffering from poor mental health themselves, calling for comprehensive advocacy and inclusive policymaking to destigmatize mental health issues in society. He emphasized the urgency of addressing mental health to prevent tragic outcomes like suicide, stating that the mind knows no distinction in pain.

The panel discussion, moderated by Peter Mumbiko of ThinkOut Africa, addressed the topic of inclusivity in democracy for future generations, with panelists Victor Kirui (European Partnership for Democracy), Seline Achieng (Women with Disability Network), and Washington Sati (Deaf Ability Initiative). The panel discussion focused on enhancing inclusivity in democracy, emphasizing the roles of young parliamentarians, community-based organizations (CBOs), and youth involvement. Washington Sati highlighted the lack of representation for persons with disabilities in Kenyan legislative bodies and stressed that true democracy requires diverse opinions. Seline Achieng underscored the need for grassroots-level policy-making and gender rules to include women with disabilities. Victor discussed challenges faced by political parties in supporting Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and suggested amplifying SIG programs through various initiatives.

Key challenges identified include poor systems and limited resources for SIGs, absence of specific data and clear laws on representation, high internet costs, and a significant gap in mentorship for young people, particularly those with disabilities. Recommendations included investing in better systems and resources, developing clear laws for women and PWDs, promoting inclusive technologies, and implementing grassroots civic education programs. The session concluded with a call for organizations like The Youth Café to actively monitor and follow up on inclusivity initiatives, ensuring meaningful engagement between youth, including those with disabilities, and governmental bodies to improve policies.

Dalistani Ngulube, founder and Director of Youth Arise Zambia, presented a case study on climate change advocacy and youth involvement in Zambia. He highlighted the underrepresentation of young people in Zambia’s National Assembly, where only one out of 156 MPs is below 35 years old. Youth Arise Zambia aims to bridge this gap by empowering youth to address critical issues, including climate change, which severely impacts Zambia through disrupted agricultural patterns and food insecurity.

The organization focuses on building youth capacities through skills training, climate change awareness campaigns, and community engagement. Inclusivity is emphasized with significant representation of people with disabilities (PWDs) within the organization’s leadership. Challenges include the low number of young legislators, severe climate impacts, and limited resources for capacity-building and awareness campaigns and technological and financial constraints. Recommendations include integrating climate change education in schools, increasing youth representation in government, investing in capacity-building programs, and ensuring PWDs' inclusion in climate action policies.

The panel discussion, moderated by Youla Nzale from The Youth Café, focused on economic inclusion, youth participation in policy-making, and ensuring cost-effective political processes. Panelists included former aspirants and candidates, such as Peter Mumbiko, Jane, Elizaphan Mwangi and Solomon Maina. They explored ways to enhance political inclusivity, address financial disparities, and improve representation.

Elizaphan, a former MCA candidate, noted the limitations of political party affiliations in representing diverse voices, while Jane highlighted the discouragement women face in political races and urged youth to leverage their skills. Solomon shared his straightforward campaigning strategy, and Peter criticized the political system for exacerbating poverty and suggested that persons with disabilities who are first runners-up should be given seats to promote inclusivity.

The panel discussed cost-effective political processes, emphasizing the need for digitizing electoral activities, implementing structured voting schedules, and ensuring fair campaign platforms to reduce costs and enhance efficiency. They also highlighted the necessity of effective political financing, advocating for the implementation of the Finance Bill Act to level the playing field and reduce financial dominance in elections. Jane also shared her personal challenges and success despite cultural barriers, stressing the importance of youth and women in leadership and community projects.

Key recommendations included digitizing electoral processes to lower costs, developing fair campaign platforms, and implementing the Election Financing Act to ensure financial equity in politics. The panel also emphasized enhancing civic education to shift voter focus from handouts to informed ideologies, empowering rural areas economically, and increasing participation from young people and women. Discussions should prioritize leadership qualities over political dynamics, and candidates should view losses as learning opportunities.

Brian Githinji moderated the debate on "Why Democracy Tomorrow Means Climate Action Today" which examined the intersection of democratic governance and climate action, focusing on whether a revolutionized democratic system is needed or if current structures should suffice. The discussion revealed a stark contrast between the need for inclusive, grassroots-driven climate initiatives and the perceived inefficacies of current democratic processes. Panelists discussed Africa's disproportionate share of global climate finance, with contributions of only 4% to global emissions but receiving just 2% of the finance. It featured diverse viewpoints from both proponents and opposers.

Proposers, including Moses Wangwa and Esther Chacha, argued that democracy fosters unity and public involvement, essential for effective climate action. They highlighted the need for global partnerships, innovative policies, and grassroots efforts to combat climate change. Moses emphasized the importance of reducing carbon emissions through technology and global initiatives like the Great Green Wall, while Esther called for renewed democratic processes, youth empowerment, and climate justice to address the disproportionate effects on vulnerable populations.

Opponents, led by Miriam Akinyi and Kwabe, contended that democracy often falls short in addressing climate issues due to its short-term focus and disconnect from global climate challenges. Miriam pointed out that local expertise and effective planning are crucial for successful climate initiatives, while Kwabe advocated for technocratic governance and criticized democracy for potentially slowing down necessary climate actions. They argued that democracy's focus on short-term solutions and cultural contexts in some regions might impede long-term climate sustainability.

The debate underscored challenges such as the disconnection between democratic governance and climate action, the need for local expertise and public involvement, and the complex interplay between economic and political realities. Recommendations included fostering global and local partnerships, embracing technological advancements, implementing effective policies to reduce carbon footprints, supporting grassroots initiatives, and strengthening democratic institutions to enhance climate action. The discussion emphasized the importance of integrating diverse perspectives and ensuring inclusive, transparent governance to address the climate crisis effectively.