Authors: Meryl Miner and Željko Vukša-Fejzić*
The global community faces unprecedented challenges to democracy. In Ukraine, Putin’s illegal war continues to target civilians, with the Kremlin’s senseless aggression intensifying by the day. In Sudan, the military and the paramilitary units of the Rapid Support Forces have been in conflict since April. And in Bosnia and Herzegovina, political gridlock and rising nationalist sentiment threaten to undermine the country’s fragile post-conflict order.
Young people have emerged as a beacon of hope during these difficult times, advocating for change and working to build a better future. In Ukraine, young activists are leading the charge for the defense of their country, as well as the perseverance of human rights and democracy. While in Sudan, youth are mobilizing to demand the removal of the military from politics and for the establishment of a civilian-led democratic government. Additionally, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, young political leaders are pushing for reforms and greater accountability.
Young leaders from Kiev to Sarajevo to San Jose are proving that they have the energy, passion, and innovative thinking needed to sustain and build democratic institutions in the face of adversity. The Summit for Democracy in Costa Rica, which focused on youth civic and political participation, provided a necessary platform for world leaders and civil society representatives to explore solutions to modern day challenges ranging from authoritarian aggression to political polarization, as well as the solutions to address them.
The Summit was not a perfect process or event, but it did create an important space for young people to share their unique insights for supporting democratic resilience and fighting against the rising tide of authoritarianism. Through youth and civil society-led events, as well as informal conversations amongst young leaders, the Summit provided a space to unpack in the process of sustaining and building democratic institutions that goes further than making democracy deliver, but actually work for all people, no matter their age.
As governments and international organizations think about what comes next, as demonstrated by the meaningful incorporation of youth voices in the Summit process, the focus should be on taking intentional steps to make young people key players in the fight for global democracy.
Elevating Young People in the Fight Against Authoritarianism
Attempts to challenge authoritarian regimes will almost always be met with aggression. Nonetheless, youth continue to harness their energy, passion, and innovative thinking to build resilience in the face of rising authoritarianism.
The Summit for Democracy in Costa Rica created a space for young people to share their lived realities, underscoring the strategic imperative of empowering young people from non-democratic countries to lead the charge in safeguarding democratic values. A prime example of this was Rosa María Payá, a Cuban human rights activist, who showcased her struggle for justice and liberty in Cuba. Through her account of protests led by political prisoners, she underscored the vital role of young people in challenging authoritarian forces through collective civic action.
Intergenerational Dialogue within the S4D Process
Despite creating more of a space for youth voices within the second Summit agenda, panels featuring high level government leaders did not include youth representatives. All issues are youth issues, therefore it is critical that all aspects of the S4D process – from the planning to its execution – empowers young voices. Further, with the world’s eyes examining the S4D proceedings, it is essential that young people’s inclusion is not just seen as a tokenistic gesture.
More broadly, governments need to establish avenues of intergenerational dialogues that provide real opportunities for communities to develop a collective political discourse. As explained by Elyes Guermazi from Tunisia during the Summit, through his program iiDebate, he created a space for young people to express their opinions and engage in political discourse with decision-makers. By facilitating cross generational, open dialogue around one table, Tunisian youth became active participants in shaping their own future.
Youth-led and Serving Organizations Ensure Sustainable, Democratic Progress
Only by creating opportunities where young people can take ownership of political and socio-economic challenges in their communities can they truly engage in productive participation in governance. Therefore, underpinning all of these recommendations is strong support for youth-serving and youth-led organizations.
The Global Youth Democracy Network announced in Costa Rica by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Linda Thomas-Greenfield could be a significant step toward fostering a new generation of democratic leaders. It is critical that this initiative empowers young leaders to shape its evolving mandate and that it carves a space for in the planning process leading up to the third Summit in South Korea. The Generation Democracy (Gendem) Network – a global youth network led by a group of 12 young people from 12 countries – serves as a prime example of how to meaningfully include youth in both network management and in the democratic process.
Youth Need to be Supported to Act
It falls upon governments and international organizations to take up the mantle of responsibility to empower young leaders with the financial and technical support to implement youth-led initiatives that share the meaningful conversations that took place in Costa Rica and to provide input on how to maximize efforts in South Korea as part of the third Summit.
A powerful example of such efforts is the upcoming Generation Democracy-led consultations, hosted by IRI’s youth delegates in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mexico, the Philippines, Tunisia, and Kenya. Through these consultations, young leaders will be empowered to lead the conversation about what is next for the Summit and for democracy more broadly, as well as to share knowledge and build support for the good practices. By empowering young voices within and outside of the Summit process, youth leaders can inspire their peers to join the fight to ensure governments are held accountable to democratic progress.
*Željko Vukša-Fejzić, Europe Representative, Generation Democracy Global Member Advisory Board
