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.