The youth occupy over 78% of the Ugandan population, and yet, they are hardly meaningfully represented or included in government processes, and this unfortunately leads to the misrepresentation of youth affairs and grievances.
From 18th to 19th October 2022, over 100 young leaders from different political parties, reprsentatives from youth councils, representatives from the Uganda national Students’ Association (UNSA), Civil Society Organizations, persons with disabilities, and the formal and informal sector gathered at Mestil Hotel Kampala. For the National symposium, which was organized to facilitate an intersectional and reflection platform from which young people can meaningfully participate and involve in the decision making processes
With the Power of Dialogue Consortium, Open Space Center organised the symposium together with Akina Mama wa Afrika, the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) based in Uganda in partnership with the Parliamentary Forum on Youth Affairs (UPFYA), the Multi-Party Youth Forum (MYF), and the National Youth Council (NYC).
During his remarks, Wakib Bunnya, the Team Leader Open Space Center, said that Open Space contribution and participation in this symposium is attributed to the ongoing project dubbed the Meaningful Youth Participation Program (MYPP).
“Open Space’s contributions towards the youth symposium reflects on our recent project, the Meaningful Youth Participation Program (MYPP), which focuses on training youth leaders from the local government levels on processes of budgeting, planning and accountability at the grassroot level. As we come up with such platforms, it challenges us to think about solutions and actions ahead of the obstacles young people are facing as we dialogue in this symposium,” he added.
Similarly, the Country Director, of NIMD, Frank Rusa, reiterated that the National Youth Symposium had been organized “to create a space in which young leaders from various political parties can collectively reflect with government officials, political party leaders and duty bearers on safeguarding democratic governance and cede space for young men and women’s meaningful engagement.”
During the various panel discusions that took place at the event, it was argued that the marginalization of youth, PWDs and young women in politics remains a major challenge in Uganda’s political landscape, and all, the participants and delegates agreed on the need for continuing collaborations and advocacy to create transformative change.
They proceeded to explain that various factors were vital to bridging the gap between the participation of the marginalized groups which include mindset change through educating oneself, family, and friends on political agendas; registering and voting for leaders that support women and youth agendas; Starting a funding program to bring more youth and young women along; Identifying a mentor and becoming a mentee; and gender equality education, among others.
To conclude the two day event, the participants at the National Symposium on Youth in Politics committed to; supporting the quest for transformative action and meaningful and diverse representation in government and political parties; sustaining dialogue and engagement between media houses, youth politicians and youth-focused organizations on building mutual trust and ensuring appropriate information flow to the public about youth; supporting the take-off and operationalization of a Fund for Youth in political leadership using the recently set up Multiparty Youth Forum and its structures; engaging and mentoring more young people to take up multi-level leadership positions in the country beginning from the grassroots, and to progressively use the digital spaces most especially social media to amplify the voices of young people and promote youth and young women’s inclusion and participation in decision-making processes.