At the organizational level,
inadequate or ineffective youth policies of EMBs, political parties and
parliaments are factors in the limited participation of young people in formal
politics.
- Limited
data on youth political participation. Data collection is essential to
understand the complexities of youth political exclusion and to develop
comprehensive youth strategies and targeted
interventions to foster youth participation throughout the electoral
cycle. Many EMBs do
not have either (or both) quantitative and qualitative data on youth electoral participation. EMBs may not have easily accessible
data. Even if they do have data, such as citizens’ birth dates in voter
registration systems, they may lack the capacity (time, skills, resources) or
inclination to analyze the data in ways that are useful for these purposes.
- Lack of
an exclusive EMB youth policy and sustainable
funding.
o Provisions for youth involvement are often grouped with other
underrepresented groups such as minorities, indigenous peoples, women, and
disabled people. As a result, EMBs do not adequately profile their initiatives
targeting youth.
o EMBs’ youth initiatives are mostly tied
to voter education initiatives, which are
strengthened and supported when elections are drawing closer yet are
abandoned or ignored after elections are held. Voter education programs are often not extended beyond the
election period, even though such activities are most effective when integrated
into broader civic education programs that focus on broader concepts such as
democracy, participation, and representation.
o Youth engagement projects are not always seen as a priority. As a result,
already scarce funds available for the organization of elections are often diverted
to other areas
of work.
o EMBs often don’t coordinate with the formal education system on the
delivery of civic and voter education and/or engagement with youth initiatives.
- Low
representation of youth in EMB structures. Strict recruitment policies
(e.g., required years of experience) and a lack of training opportunities for
young people within EMB structures contribute
considerably to the underrepresentation of youth in higher levels
of decision-making.
- Voter
registration. In some countries,
complex registration processes and
the costs related to obtaining the necessary documentation to get enrolled constitute serious
barriers for
youth to get registered. Women who may not be able to leave their homes
due to cultural norms and family duties
face major obstacles to get registered
if no special provisions and initiatives (including education and awareness among men) are established to
facilitate their registration. Voter registration for youth studying
away from home can be considerably more difficult
as they often do not have the time and money to travel
back home to get registered
in their constituencies.
- Party politics: Political parties are the gatekeepers of elected positions and decide who will be placed on their candidate
lists and at which position.
Political parties’ nomination processes have not always favored young candidates, as
they are often placed in low positions on candidates’ lists, with very limited
possibilities to get elected. To counter the declining youth political party
membership, youth wings have been established. Unfortunately, political party
leadership has not always taken youth wings seriously, such as when these
groups’ mandates are limited to supporting campaigns and/or recruiting new
party members. In such instances, they often are given no power to influence
nomination processes, set agendas or write party manifestos.
- Interrupted
electoral cycles: If one or more election is delayed for any reason, there
might be the risk that young people, particularly first-time voters, opt out in
subsequent votes. Their lack of opportunity to cast ballots in originally
scheduled polls can easily transform into lack of interest for the political affairs and self-isolation from democratic processes.
