Youth discuss participation in electoral processes

Aug 29, 2017

The 2017 Regional Youth Consultations Forum which ends Wednesday will provide a platform for reflection on barriers and opportunities

Youth in the East African Community are meeting in Arusha, Tanzania to discuss barriers and opportunities for meaningful youth participation in electoral processes and prospects for enhancing their meaningful participation in Africa's democratization processes.

The overall goal of the regional youth consultations is to provide a collaborative, open and inclusive space for young people to critically and objectively reflect on the progress made so far; challenges encountered; and prospects for enhancing meaningful youth participation in Africa's democratization processes, particularly in its electoral processes, EAC secretariat said.

The 2017 Regional Youth Consultations Forum which ends Wednesday will provide a platform for reflection on barriers and opportunities for meaningful youth participation in electoral processes at the individual, organizational and societal levels.

Also improve capacity of youth-led and focused organizations /networks towards enhanced youth organizing and participation in electoral processes at local and national levels with the aim of moving from tokenistic to impact-oriented approaches.

They are to discuss functional linkages between national and regional networks as well as their initiatives aimed at empowering young people to meaningfully participate in political processes in general and electoral processes in particular among others.

The three-day forum will be expected to come up with actionable recommendations grounded in a rights-based approach to youth political participation to improve individual programming of African Union (AU) Organs, and Regional Economic Communities (RECs);enhance efforts towards meaningful youth participation in political parties, government ministries, agencies, according to the Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department Owora Richard Othieno.

The 2017 youth consultations themed; Enhancing Young People's Meaningful Participation in Electoral Processes in Africa" will be convened under the auspices of the African Governance Architecture (AGA) Youth Engagement Strategy (AGA-YES), to assess young people's participation in electoral processes in Africa.

The Secretary General of EAC Amb Liberat Mfumukeko is expected to grace the official opening session of the youth consultation on 28th August 2017.

The forum will be attended by Youth-led and oriented organizations implementing activities that are related to youth in electoral processes, programmes and activities; Prominent youth-led and -focused organizations and networks that work on issues of democratic elections and young people's participation in electoral processes; Youth representatives from political parties, Elections Commissions, Civil Society Organization(CSOs) Non-Governmental  Organizations, government and Members of Parliaments.

Selected think tanks and academic research institutions with experience in promoting youth participation in electoral processes; Selected media practitioners; and Youth focal points for and representatives of the African Governance Platform Members will also attend.

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