The Youth Participation Crisis

Young people have historically been at the forefront of change—defending civil rights, showing up to vote, and actively shaping the world they want to live in. Yet in recent decades, youth engagement in formal politics has been experiencing a steady decline, with young people voting less, rejecting political party membership, and holding more radical or extremist views. Young people are increasingly indifferent to engaging with formal politics at a time when their participation, though always necessary, is needed more than ever.

What is driving this trend? The relationship between young people and institutions is broken at both ends. Decision-making spaces systematically exclude young people. The Global Youth Participation Index shows how this is a worldwide problem that can take place in tandem with positive socioeconomic progress. And when you’re not in the room when decisions are made, it’s easier to become frustrated with the political conversation. For example, across Africa, young people are more disengaged than their older peers in almost every political activity, besides protesting.

But this doesn’t tell the full story. Young people are moving beyond formal institutions and are championing methods of “everyday democracy” rooted in continued political engagement between election cycles. Globally, youth are the driving force in a new era of protests and civic movements. Informal, youth-led activism is not only motivating increased participation—it is forcing the political agenda to contend with the demands of local communities.

After all, Gen Z is the most informed generation in history. Through technology, young people have access to information about modern challenges and can mobilize through online coalitions. Public institutions and civil society must learn from the grassroots movements that have successfully captivated the new generation. The challenge lies in ensuring that informal and formal participation can coexist, be complementary and reinforce each other.

Global Lessons of Youth Driving Change

Inspiration from local governments demonstrates what’s possible when youthRecognizing that investing in youth means investing in a better future, OGP participating governments are creating meaningful opportunities for youth to participate in government processes. Technical ... More are at the forefront.

For example, since 2008, the Municipality of Medellín in Colombia has included young people through its celebrated Participatory Budget. The program, known as PP Joven, allows young people to express how local funding is allocated to public works and services. Young people were included through the initiative’s successful outreach to Medellin’s Youth Clubs —neighbourhood-level spaces originally designed for young people to access employment opportunities and pursue artistic endeavours. In 2023, 10 youth-led projects were approved following the organization of over 30 co-creation workshops. Through this initiative, Medellín successfully bridged the gap between informal and formal decision-making spaces.

Lessons from Uganda also show how youth can be engaged at a national scale. U-Report, a UNICEF initiative that first launched in Uganda, utilizes polls sent through WhatsApp and other texting platforms to gather public opinion on issues of national interest. During the drafting of the National Peace Policy and Northern Uganda’s Peace Recovery and Development Programme, more than 40,000 text messages were considered. The result? As of 2023, 15 local laws were passed due to U-Report feedback. Over 70 percent of users are younger than 34, proving that young people will engage when the right systems are available and accessible. U-Report is currently active in 90 countries.

Finally, in terms of traditional political engagement, lessons can be drawn from the 2025 NYC mayoral primary campaign by Zohran Mamdani. Outreach and messaging targeted young people via social media, alongside an unprecedented ground canvassing movement. Designed to focus on the issues youth care about through accessible mediums, the youth vote soared compared to previous electionsImproving transparency in elections and maintaining the independence of electoral commissions is vital for promoting trust in the electoral system, preventing electoral fraud, and upholding the democr... More.

Participation Beyond Elections

Young people are no longer satisfied with turning up to the ballot box every few years. Traditional forms of participation are too hierarchical to attract a well-informed younger generation who are desperate for change.

This is why, at the upcoming Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Summit on 7-9 October in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, the Youth Democracy Cohort, Accountability Lab, and OGP will renew a key channel of communication between upcoming and current generations of decision makers. The OGP Youth Collective has been relaunched as an advisory body composed of young experts in open governance and is currently accepting applications for a new cohort of young activists (aged 18-30) and former Youth Collective members (aged 31+) who will make up the Alumni Circle. The Youth Democracy Cohort, Accountability Lab, and OGP will also refresh the 2022 OGP Youth Toolkit following the Summit.

Gen Z-led protests will continue to erupt as they have in countries such as Nepal and Togo until governments take action at the national and local levels. They need to both create new innovative pathways for this new generation and adapt traditional processes to meet the moment. Young people must be granted a seat at the table, but the table itself must be critically modernized.

Open government community members are experts in citizen engagement. It is time to apply that knowledge and concentrate efforts to build the next generation of open government champions. To survive and prosper, our political systems must be open to evolving for the next generation.

Photo: Radak Sammy Okoth campaigning for the rejection of the 2024 Finance Bill in Kenya on June 25, 2024. Credit: EPD and the Youth Democracy Cohort