THE ROLE OF Young people IN the Democratic process

Presentation by Henry Charles, Regional Director of the Commonwealth Youth Programme Caribbean Centre.

The Valley, Anguilla – March 2007

THESIS

• Young people can and should play a critical role in the democratic process.

• Young people must be empowered to become active participants in and beneficiaries of the democratic process.

PERSPECTIVES OF DEMOCRACY

• POPULAR DEMOCRACY• PEOPLES POWER• SOCIALIST DEMOCRACY• SOCIAL DEMOCRACY• US STYLE DEMOCRACY• WESTMINISTER DEMOCRACY

DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF A DEMOCRACY

• CONSTITUTION• PARLIAMENT• EXECUTIVE ARM• JUDICIARY• LAW AND ORDER• PUBLIC SERVICE• CIVIL SOCIETY

ELEMENTS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS

• Recognition and protection of fundamental Human Rights (freedom of expression, etc,)

• Independent Judiciary • Adult Suffrage (right to vote)• Electoral System ( political parties,• Public Policy (formulation, implementation and

evaluation)• Economic empowerment and Social inclusion• Professional Public Service• Rule of Law (legislation, police)• Private sector• Civil society

OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS – FORM OR SUBSTANCE?

DEMOCRATIC PROCESS

OUR EXPECTATIONS ACTUAL PERFORMANCE

FREEDOM OF EXP.ADULT SUFFRAGEELECTIONSLAWS

Participation Avenues to express views.Exercising right to voteEffective/just lawsGood governanceProfessional political parties

Limited opportunities for effective participation.Increasing voter apathyInadequacy of some legislation.Antiquated political structures

SEPERATION OF POWERConstitution

Independence of JudiciarySupremacy of Constitution and parliament.

Conflict between authority and functions of Organs.Irrelevance of constitutions

POLICY FORMULATION/IMPLEMENTATION.

Effective policiesPeoples participation

Policies are sometimes ineffective and not formulated with participation.Lack of transparency and accountability.

HUMAN RIGHTS Protection of basic rights. Many concerns regarding human rights issues.

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND SOCIAL INCLUSION.

Equal opportunitiesSound economic/social policies.

Widening gap between social groups.Increased poverty.

PUBLIC SERVICES Efficient and professional Public Service

Many questions/concerns regarding efficiency and professionalism

YOUTH IMPERATIVE

• Ineffective youth development strategies• Social problems and challenges have

disproportionate impact on youth.• Deformed youth participation strategies• Absence of sustainable youth leadership

development programmes.• Social exclusion• Deformed Juvenile justice systems• Problem based approach to youth

development.

The verdict

FORM: basic outline, structures of democratic process are evident.

SUBSTANCE: our democratic processes are fragile, inefficient and in need of urgent reform. A source of increasing discontent and alienation.

ENHANCING THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS- ACTION POINTS

• CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM• IMPROVING THE LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY FORMULATION

PROCESS.• ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF THE STATE TO FACILITATE

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE• REFORM AND MODERNIZATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES• REFORM AND MODERNIZATION OF TRADE UNIONS AND OTHER

CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS.• ENHANCE THE QUALITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF LAW

ENFORCEMENT SYSTEMS.• ESTABLISH APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION, POLICIES AND

PROTOCOLS TO ENHANCE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNANCE.

ACTION POINTS

• Reform of the electoral process• Reform of the juvenile justice

system.• Institute effective local

government systems.• National youth policies- strategic

youth development plans.

CITIZEN YOUTH - RIGHTS

• Young people have a right to sustainable livelihoods.

• They have a right to be active participants in the governance and development of their communities.

ROLE OF YOUNG PEOPLE

• Change agents• Leadership • Advocacy • Voters • Public education/building social

and political consciousness• Formulation, implementation and

evaluation of public policy

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT WHY?

• “CYP believes that young people who are empowered by their

societies can be a force of great contribution and advancement both

for themselves and their countries. We also believe that young people

who are marginalized and disempowered by their societies can quickly

become disillusioned and may try to empower themselves through

extreme measures” (Executive Summary, CYP 2006/2008 Strategic

Plan)

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT HOW?• Adopt a rights and asset based approach to

youth development.• Provide an enabling environment for effective

youth participation• Establish effective strategies/mechanisms to

facilitate economic empowerment and social inclusion of young people.

• Improve the quality and accessibility of social services for young people.

• Increase public investment in youth development.

• Mainstreaming youth development

SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS

• Create an enabling environment for the development and upgrading of youth groups and youth networks.

• Support the implementation of a massive programme of civic education and leadership development for young people.

• Facilitate the implementation of strategies to enhance youth accessibility and competence in ICT.

• Political parties and other civic groups must engage in a process of modernization and democratization to improve their relevance to young people. They must also adopt appropriate policies and structures to facilitate effective youth participation in their decision making processes.

• Develop and mainstream more effective employment and micro-enterprise programmes for young people.

SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS

• Provide adequate support for the development and promotion of youth artistic and creative abilities.

• Consider new and more efficient methods of increasing access to tertiary education.

• Create avenues for existing youth parliaments to more effectively influence public policy.

• Consider reducing the eligible voting age to 16 years (this may serve as a powerful incentive to enhance the creativity, relevance, attractiveness and dynamism of political parties in particular and the electoral process, generally)

Let all ideas contend!!!

THANK YOU