Dimension: 5.1.5 Youth inclusion
This dimension concerns the inclusion of young people and youth issues in parliament’s formal and informal political processes.
Parliament Parliament A national body of elected (or sometimes appointed) representatives that makes laws, debates issues and holds the government to account. can play an important role in the development of youth-sensitive policies and the promotion of youth inclusion by engaging young people in its work, by supporting and partnering with youth organizations, and by creating youth education and empowerment programmes. Some parliaments have a parliamentary body specialized in youth matters. It is especially important for parliament to include young people from vulnerable groups in society.
Examples of youth engagement and education activities can include the following:
- Establishing civic education programmes, possibly in conjunction with schools and universities
- Inviting young people to visit parliament
- Providing specially designed programmes for children and young people
- Setting up internship programmes for students in parliament
- Encouraging MPs to engage with young people through different channels, including online
- Supporting youth parliaments
- Organizing youth forums
Youth engagement in parliamentary activities, particularly on topics that specifically affect this age group, should be promoted through the use of digital and other tools and channels that are adapted to young people. The content of proceedings, debates and decisions on issues affecting young people should be communicated in a way that is accessible to young men and women.
See also Dimension 7.2.3: Representation of youth and Dimension 7.3.3: Gender and age balance in parliamentary bodies.
Aspiring goal
Assess your parliament against this dimension
Assessment criteria
No 1: Consultation
Parliament regularly consults with youth organizations with a view to developing effective mechanisms for including young people in formal and informal political processes.
No 2: Youth engagement opportunities
Parliament provides young people with meaningful opportunities to engage in core aspects of parliamentary work, including the work of its committees. Such forms of engagement are substantive and influence parliamentary decision-making.
No 3: Youth inclusion and education programmes
Parliament has developed diverse, meaningful and youth-friendly programmes for youth inclusion and education, including programmes developed in conjunction with schools, universities and youth organizations.
No 4: Continuous improvement
Parliament gathers data and participant feedback on its youth inclusion and education programmes for the purpose of continuous improvement.
How to complete this assessment
This dimension is assessed against several criteria, each of which should be evaluated separately. For each criterion, select one of the six descriptive grades (Non-existent, Rudimentary, Basic, Good, Very good and Excellent) that best reflects the situation in your parliament, and provide details of the evidence on which this assessment is based.
The evidence for assessment of this dimension could include the following:
- Parliament Parliament A national body of elected (or sometimes appointed) representatives that makes laws, debates issues and holds the government to account. ’s strategies, action plans, programmes or other documents involving or addressing youth inclusion and education
- Meeting records and reports describing youth engagement
- Feedback from participants in youth programmes
- Digital and other tools tailored to young people
- Monitoring and evaluation documents on youth inclusion and education
Where relevant, provide additional comments or examples that support the assessment.
Sources and further reading
- Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Youth participation in the democratic process, resolution adopted by consensus by the 122nd IPU Assembly Assembly See: Parliament Parliament A national body of elected (or sometimes appointed) representatives that makes laws, debates issues and holds the government to account. . (2010).
- IPU, Handbook on Child Participation Participation The process through which people, individually or in groups, get involved in an activity or decision. in Parliament Parliament A national body of elected (or sometimes appointed) representatives that makes laws, debates issues and holds the government to account. (2011).
- IPU, Conference Report: Stepping up youth participation in politics and parliaments: From words to action (2021).
- IPU, Youth participation in national parliaments (2021).
Get help with this assessment
The assessment of indicators involves diagnosing and considering strengths and weaknesses, i.e. the things parliament is doing well, and the things it could do better or more effectively, taking into account established good practices that are described in the indicators.
Read the assessment guidance to find out what to consider when conducting an assessment against the Indicators. Find out how to prepare, how to set the objectives of the assessment, how to organize the process, and more. Contact the project partners for expert advice.
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