The youth movement expand space.
Despite the obstacles, we see a democratic movement driven by civil society and especially youth organizations. Youth movement try to create and expand space through capacity building, advocacy, connecting and doing joint collaborations for the opposite direction.
How is the youth movement
contributing to expanding
the civic space?
Youth experts build capacity
The youth movement and youth-led organizations strengthen young CSOs, enlarging the civic space and making the current ones more efficient. The joint efforts to strengthen youths already organized in CSOs whilst including youths far from political power and influence broadens civil society and pave the way for a sustainable and inclusive democracy
Connecting common goals
We create networks and work together through diverse coalitions to strengthen the role of youths all over the world. We see that the impact of our efforts and the achievements of our goals increase when we join forces and cooperate with other actors. More initiatives are implemented because of the partnerships that we create. Our experience in building networks and working together show that in unity there is strength, there is power. By working together, we can achieve more and go further
Securing youth rights
We hold a unique position as the voice of an aggregate of the youth in our respective countries. The grassroot work that we do is being scaled up through advocacy to reach the policy level and sensitize decision- makers regarding youth issues
To gain legitimacy for our causes and have thorough impact, we conduct evidence-based advocacy. When we advocate for issues, it originates from research and from democratic processes where youths have formed the suggestions
Youth as leaders
It is commonly said “the youth is the future”, but young people must be able to participate and take leadership now. Youth should take the lead in identifying their issues and agenda. Youth should take the lead and be included in coming up with national youth policies and youth-related legislations as well as all decision-making processes.
Representatives of young people in government, in the bureaucracy and elected posts, at the grassroots, national, and international levels should be increased proportionally to the number of young people.
The current situation of LSU:s partnerorganisations
Philippines
Center for Youth and Advocacy Networking- CYAN
Youth groups are more equipped to mobilize in digital spaces. They can be seen protesting through online games and social media.
Beyond that, offline youth-led mobilizations have been continuously flourishing even in regional areas in the Philippines.
Myanmar
National Youth Congress- NYC
Despite the challenges and extreme unsafe circumstances, the population and especially youth have continued to protest against the military through various ways, the civil disobedience movement (CDM) where civilians peacefully have through measures such as for example, banging on pots and pans, car horns, slogans and using art exhibits to highlight the atrocities taking place in Myanmar.
While it has not been safe to protest in large group of masses, strategies such as small groups gathering have occurred.
Kenya
Youth Alive! Kenya- YAK
We are mobilizing more youth and women to participate in the elections as first-time voters as well those who continuously don’t vote contributing to the youth voter apathy. This is being done through civic education in our platforms as well as the use of distribution of electoral IEC materials.
We are also mobilizing resources to support youth and women who want to view political leadership, communication, and campaigning. We are also continuously advocating for the strengthening of youth in political parties’ structures and the implementation of the Kenya National Development Youth Policy 2019 in providing interventions to youth issues.
Zimbabwe
Youth Empowerment and transformation trust- YETT
Despite major challenges and the complex, and at times, threatening operating environments, YETT, and its partner organizations have continued to provide spaces for youth and their organizations to connect, collaborate, create and strengthen a network of young people.
The youth movement in Zimbabwe has continued, to the best of its ability given current circumstances, to facilitate and push the youth agenda in and to ensure the meaningful participation of youth in the processes which affect them. Collectively, youth in Zimbabwe, because of their sheer size, strategic positioning in their communities, and enduring energy, can have the greatest influence and if this power is directed well, it can ensure sustainable development for the country.
Turkey
Gençlik Örgütleri Forumu – GoFor
As an umbrella organisation, we gather different youth voices that maybe are not heard and consolidate these voices to be heard. We empower youth organisations through capacity building trainings and micro-funding the youth organisations to make advocacy on the local level.
We also implement youth-mainstreaming towards the international/national fund givers, national CSO’s, government agencies and European programmes.
Belarus
Belarusian National Youth Council – RADA
Raising our voices, supporting each other, doing consultations, working with current updated needs, demands, and challenges that we and our member organizations are faced with.
RADA provides both personal and organizational support to youth organizations and initiatives, quickly responding to their actual needs. Most frequent requests are: relocation for personal, work after official liquidation, psychological support, support of activities of organizations in Belarus.
We also engage ourselves and promote engagement among youth in advocacy and solidarity campaigns.
Lebanon
Youth Advocacy Process – YAP
Youth are keeping up the momentum, they are voicing out their needs and priorities. They are working collectively over rights- based and unified agendas.
The Parliamentary Elections in Lebanon are approaching, and youth are coming together to demand the endorsement of Reforms in the electoral law on top of which is lowering the voting age to 18 years old.
Philippines
Center for Youth and Advocacy Networking- CYAN
Existing dictatorships were empowered by the pandemic to crackdown on youth groups all over the world who are only asking for accountability for their respective government’s failed crisis responses.
More human rights abuses against innocent young civilians and activists were implemented in the guise of response to pandemic regulations.
Myanmar
National Youth Congress- NYC
Despite the challenges and extreme unsafe circumstances, the population and especially youth have continued to protest against the military through various ways, the civil disobedience movement (CDM) where civilians peacefully have through measures such as for example, banging on pots and pans, car horns, slogans and using art exhibits to highlight the atrocities taking place in Myanmar.
While it has not been safe to protest in large group of masses, strategies such as small groups gathering have occurred.
Kenya
Youth Alive! Kenya- YAK
Currently, Kenya is preparing for the General election set for August 2022 with the current political leaders having made proposals for constitutional change to add more positions to suit them as it’s currently, with minimal youth participation in it. We are also faced with lesser youth and women participation in the elections due to the dynamic involved such as financing, stereotyping, culture, and violence faced by both youth and women.
Kenya’s 2010 constitution established a ground-breaking gender quota, requiring “not more than two-thirds of elective public bodies shall be of the same gender.” Ten years later, after numerous attempts, the government still has not adopted legislation to fully implement this constitutional requirement. As a result, this September 21, the Chief Justice of Kenya advised President Uhuru Kenyatta to dissolve parliament.
This decision, and the ensuing political fallout, highlights significant barriers that continue to impede the full and equal participation of women in all spheres of public life.
Zimbabwe
Youth Empowerment and transformation trust- YETT
Despite major challenges and the complex, and at times, threatening operating environments, YETT, and its partner organizations have continued to provide spaces for youth and their organizations to connect, collaborate, create and strengthen a network of young people.
The youth movement in Zimbabwe has continued, to the best of its ability given current circumstances, to facilitate and push the youth agenda in and to ensure the meaningful participation of youth in the processes which affect them. Collectively, youth in Zimbabwe, because of their sheer size, strategic positioning in their communities, and enduring energy, can have the greatest influence and if this power is directed well, it can ensure sustainable development for the country.
Turkey
Gençlik Örgütleri Forumu – GoFor
As an umbrella organisation, we gather different youth voices that maybe are not heard and consolidate these voices to be heard. We empower youth organisations through capacity building trainings and micro-funding the youth organisations to make advocacy on the local level.
We also implement youth-mainstreaming towards the international/national fund givers, national CSO’s, government agencies and European programmes.
Belarus
Belarusian National Youth Council – RADA
Raising our voices, supporting each other, doing consultations, working with current updated needs, demands, and challenges that we and our member organizations are faced with.
RADA provides both personal and organizational support to youth organizations and initiatives, quickly responding to their actual needs. Most frequent requests are: relocation for personal, work after official liquidation, psychological support, support of activities of organizations in Belarus.
We also engage ourselves and promote engagement among youth in advocacy and solidarity campaigns.
Lebanon
Youth Advocacy Process – YAP
Youth are keeping up the momentum, they are voicing out their needs and priorities. They are working collectively over rights- based and unified agendas.
The Parliamentary Elections in Lebanon are approaching, and youth are coming together to demand the endorsement of Reforms in the electoral law on top of which is lowering the voting age to 18 years old.
Best practices of expanding space
Youth groups have been constantly mobilizing against the government’s ineffective national policies. In 2020, a series of mobilizations were implemented by youth groups across the archipelago to clamour for a better and effective pandemic response. Since the implementation of the national lockdown regulations, several sectors including the health, education, and environment have been slowed down and affected by the corrupt and regressive policy decisions made by the government. Because of this, community pantries, most of which are youth-led, sprouted in many communities across the Philippines both as a symbol of “Bayanihan” (to be a community) and as a form of activism against the government’s ineffective and hopeless efforts for the pandemic.
Youth and civil society put their lives in peril to expand civic space for a democratic society for all to enjoy, it is thus important that we also have international solidarity and concrete action which will help build a democratic society.
We are in constant negotiations with international stakeholders to expand and establish new opportunities for youth and civil society in Belarus.
Considering opportunities offered by information technology especially mobile phones the Kenyan youth have an opportunity to significantly change their lives of their communities. But this transformation requires that youth are fully ‘present’ in the political, economic, social, and cultural arenas. They will need to marshal their energies and stay focused on the things that are important for the continent of Africa. In the case of Kenya, youth should not wait to be invited to take up political leadership. Instead, they will need to invite themselves to the table and take advantage of the opportunity provided in the constitution, and demand accountability and transparency in the conduct of national affairs.
Active CSOs in Lebanon have started their projects on the upcoming Parliamentary elections through organizing campaigns and encouraging youth to engage in them. It is important to raise the ceiling of our demands and negotiate our priorities with the political class.
The social, economic, and political challenges in Zimbabwe are entangled and the operational environment and the context in which youth are surviving in Zimbabwe are difficult. However, YETT’s years of experience working with youth have affirmed the organization’s resolve to work with and for youth. Youth have been taking a more active role in the development of key policy and legislation in a bid to protect the civic space through actions such as drafting petitions and working with Parliament to push for the protection of the civic space. There is no better time than the present to work with youth in finding sustainable solutions for the country.
