There are international cross-party networks to ensure that young people have the skills, knowledge and appropriate networks to meaningfully participate in electoral processes. Generation Democracy is a global network of young people that is designed to empower young people to be leaders in electoral processes. Set up and funded through the International Republic Institute, Generation Democracy is made up of more than 400 young elected officials, civil society leaders, activists and journalists across 70 countries.[i]
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), another global democratic advocacy organization, has set up the Forum of Young Parliamentarians (whose delegates must be under 45 years old).[ii] It aims to increase the representation of young people in parliaments across the globe, and ensure young MPs play a full part in the work of parliament. The IPU collects a significant amount of data through the forum to measure the experiences and involvement in electoral processes of young members of parliaments.
In Uganda, where over 70 per cent of the population are below the age of 35, seven major political party youth wings in Uganda established the Interparty Youth Platform (IYOP). While participating in a leadership training program organized by the German political party foundation, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, in 2011, the young party leaders observed the need to have in place a forum for them to dialogue, network and undertake joint leadership development initiatives. They requested the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung to facilitate the platform development process. Following several inter-party consultative meetings, a Memorandum of Understanding that establishes the framework for cooperation among the participating youth wings was agreed upon and signed. IYOP serves as a forum through which young people are able to network and engage on critical topics of youth-related development processes, including democracy and governance, youth participation, trade, climate change, energy, and peace and security.[iii]
[i] Generation Democracy, "2017 Vienna Declaration," International Republican Institute, 2017, http://www.iri.org/sites/default/files/2017-11-14_vienna_declaration.pdf.
[ii] Rules and working modalities of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the of the IPU, https://www.ipu.org/sites/default/files/documents/statutes_-_april_2017-final-e.pdf#page=64.
[iii] Yusuf Kiranda, "Interparty Youth Platform Launched," (Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Uganda Office, December 2, 2011), http://www.kas.de/uganda/en/publications/29609/.