Youth involvement in democratic processes is vital for creating a better future. However, the current climate of political instability, rising authoritarianism, and shrinking civic spaces pose challenges to youth participation worldwide.

Counterpart creates spaces for youth to voice their concerns and discuss issues that are important to them. In partnership with Making Cents and the International Youth Foundation, we hosted a panel in celebration of International Youth Day, focusing on the current state of youth engagement in democracies around the world.

Catherine Dudun from Making Cents International tells the panel that today’s youth are resilient and their energy inspires her hope for the future of democracy.

Participants gained a deeper understanding of the global challenges faced by youth while instilling hope that empowered youth can shape the future. They emphasized the need to engage youth on their terms and ensure their voices are prioritized in conversations about democracy and the future.

The panelists for the “Living Democracy: Youth Engagement” event comprised advocates such as Catherine Dudun from Making Cents International, Lanibel Collado from International Youth Coalition, and Maruysa Hovhannisyan from Tumo Lab’s DemTech Sprint Project in Armenia.

The panel on youth engagement explored topics such as youth perception of democracy, the transformative role of technology in shaping democratic narratives, and pivotal ways to harness youth engagement to promote democratic values. Ben Jaffe of Counterpart moderated the panel. He asked each one how their views had evolved.

Dudun noted that many political parties do not reflect the diversity of young people. Hovhannisyan highlighted the impact of fast advancing technology on democracy, stressing the responsibility of tech companies to improve access to accurate information for all. Lanibel reiterated a timely call for peaceful civic engagement and non-confrontational advocacy, particularly in the face of shrinking civic spaces both in the U.S. and abroad.

In highlighting youth voices specifically, the event served as a platform to raise the profile of the struggles youth face and the issues that are important to them. By creating a global dialogue connecting youth from around the world, the event was an example of the ways Counterpart supports youth advocates for democracy.