LocationsTowards a democracy with and for youth in Latin America
September 30, 2024
2024 is the most active electoral year in history, with at least nine countries in Latin America and the Caribbean holding elections. In this scenario, thousands of young people will vote for the first time. Their participation is essential for building democratic societies, not only because 25% of the total population in the region is between 15 and 29 years old, but also because young people are at the forefront of the knowledge required to lead and drive changes for the construction of more inclusive societies.
Paradoxically, we face a scenario where only 4.7% of the region's parliamentarians are under 30 years old. According to data from Latinobarómetro, 75.7% of youth between 15 and 25 years old believe they are governed by groups that serve their own interests. Their satisfaction with the performance of democracy is just 45%, and distrust in their governments is nearly 40%.
How is UNDP working in the region to build youth confidence in their governments and encourage political participation for the construction of more democratic and resilient societies?
Uruguay: “dialogar acerca”
Although Uruguay is known as one of the most stable democracies in the region, it is not exempt from signs of polarization and the deterioration of public debate. In this context, youth play a crucial role as agents of change.
According to the National Survey on Adolescence and Youth (2018), in Uruguay, only 5% of people aged 14 to 29 are part of political organizations, and only 16% participate in decision-making spaces.
"Dialogar Acerca" is an initiative promoted by UNDP Uruguay aimed at creating a platform that provides youth from political parties with the tools and space to increase their influence on the public agenda. Through this initiative and with UNDP support, the Interparty Youth (Juventud Interpartidaria) was reactivated, bringing together young people from politic
Throught this platform, the beginning of a joint work process to build consensus and promote policies committed to long-term causes was announced at the Legislative Palace. With UNDP's support, training activities and exchanges between political parties and youth from the civil society addressed topics like disinformation, artificial intelligence, deliberative democracy, and adaptive governance.
As a milestone of this process, the Interparty Youth drafted and presented to the presidential candidates a "Document of Agreements of Uruguay’s Political Youth". This document synthesizes generational proposals focused on a more inclusive future, especially regarding security, mental health, and human development. It also calls for a "clean" and responsible political campaign and advocates for greater youth participation in debates and decision-making spaces.
“In a time when polarization and political violence are increasing in the region, the youth in Uruguay’s political parties wanted to send a clear message: It is possible to follow the best traditions of our country, like consensus and interparty dialogue," emphasized Gonzalo Gómez, a young member of the ruling National Party. In the same vein, Ema Wilkins, a young member of the opposition party, Frente Amplio, stated that the document represents "the best practices of our democracy, such as informed debate of ideas and seeking agreements to tackle our society's main challenges."
"We young people want to be part of the decision-making process, and this collective document is proof of that," she adds.
Colombia: Youth Peace Corridors
Similar initiatives are emerging in other countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. They all have in common placing youth as active drivers of democratic change.
In Colombia, the Peace Corridors program (“Corredores de Paz”) aimes at improving the political influence of the youth in the northern corridor of Cauca. This is a strategy to address interethnic conflicts in the area. Funded by the Swedish Embassy and UNDP, the program has trained 50 young representatives from different ethnic groups in skills such as political advocacy, public management, strategic communication, community participation, and conflict resolution, promotion of youth rights, dialogue for conflict transformation, security, and self-care, among other tools.
“We consolidated a space for unity and coordination of the youth from Northern Cauca. We changed history: Indigenous people, Black and Afro-descendant communities, rural, and urban youth, we all worked together to build our own political, social, and community youth agenda, drawing from the interethnic and intercultural richness of such a diverse department,” explained Reishell Martínez, Youth Leader in the Association of Community Councils of Miranda, Cauca.
All the knowledge they acquired was turned into the Youth Political Agenda of the Cauca youth. This agenda was presented to departmental authorities. Seven of its proposals are now part of the strategic Cauca Development Plan. Moreover, the program has increased youth representation in local politics: four participants are now councilors in municipalities like Santander de Quilichao, Suárez, and Buenos Aires, and several hold positions in mayors or governors office.
In areas like Mesetas and Uribe, known for their history of violence and armed conflict, the program trained over 40 young people in political leadership through the "Influencers Club." They gained tools for advocacy, empowerment, and territorial transformation, which they shared with youth from other regions like Buenaventura, Mesetas and Valle del Cauca.
“Corredores provided us with talents that have enhanced our initiatives. The Youth, Peace, and Security Agenda invites us to advocate in territories from different spaces. It tells us that we can indeed be part of the decision-making process,” said Karen Santamaría, territorial and youth leader from Mesetas, Meta.
A similar experience has consolidated in Bogotá through the Youth Councils and the local youth platforms. This is a pioneering advocacy tool that addresses the main challenges and priorities to improve the well-being of youth according to the contexts of each of their territories.
The local public youth agendas are a tool that consolidates the main priorities, challenges, and requirements for the well-being and development of young populations in each territory. They become the main advocacy document so that the concerns and contributions of young people can be integrated into public policy at the local, district, departmental, and national levels.
Peru: Youth Renewing Politics
In Peru, UNDP, in partnership with the National Election Jury, launched the project "Com-Partidos: Youth Renewing Politics," (“Com-Partido: jóvenes renovando la política”) which trained young members of political parties to strengthen their participation. As part of the activities of this project, a meeting was held with the young members of Redpública, an initiative launched three years ago by the UNDP to promote citizen political participation. This space allowed for the exchange of experiences among young people interested in enhancing their participation from both political party spaces and civil society.
Young people from 15 political parties in 10 regions developed the document "Ten Proposals to Promote and Strengthen Youth Political Participation," which was presented to political parties to encourage greater involvement of young members. Embracing these proposals is key not only for promoting youth political participation but also for the representativeness and stability of democracies.
Youth: Key to Strengthening Democracies and Sustainable Development
These examples highlight UNDP's efforts in the region to strengthen democracy through the participation of the new generations. This is essential for peaceful conflict resolution and strengthening political institutions.
Within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promoting peaceful, just, and inclusive societies remains a priority across the region. Youth’s ability to dialogue and build consensus in the political arena is essential to ensuring that the region’s democracies are more resilient to current challenges.
In a world increasingly fragmented, these initiatives offer a valuable lesson on the power of commitment and cooperation, which are essential for the future of democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean.
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