Apart from youth directly being
represented in parliament, there are several other entry points for increasing
their access to the legislature. Parliaments often engage with civil society
through committee hearings. Specific parliamentary committees and multi-party
groups either focused on youth or deliberating issues impacting youth could
conduct public consultations and invite youth CSOs to share their views. UNDP’s
Parliamentary Development Strategy Note[i]
highlights support for these kinds of activities. Helping youth have a focused
impact can entail capacity development for youth CSOs, including on advocacy
and public speaking.
Example: In Jamaica, youth organizations
founded a National Youth Parliamentary Watch Committee in 2009, endorsed by the
Ministry of Youth. This Committee is charged with reviewing “all bills and
policies before Parliament, and critically [evaluating] them for youth
mainstreaming objectives.”[ii]
The Turkish National Assembly has recently established a Child Rights
Monitoring Committee including a website supported by UNICEF.[iii]
Example: The internet provides numerous
opportunities for direct engagement between legislators and online citizens. In
Jordan, UNDP helped the Ministry of Political Development develop its social
media capacities in order to communicate better with young citizens.
Example: In Germany, the youth-led initiative “Parliament
Watch” enables ordinary citizens to scrutinize their members of parliament by
asking questions and accessing information about voting behavior.
Example: In Egypt, after the fall of the Mubarak
government, young people put up projectors in public places and displayed
videos of human rights violations. This initiative proved an effective way of
sharing information that might otherwise be available only on the internet.
[iii]
www.cocukhaklari.gov.tr/en.
