It is imperative that young people are included in governance pro­cesses.

These sentiments were expressed by Radhika Mudliar, a youth advocate during a recent Leadership, Good Governance and Human Rights Work­shop at the Lautoka City Council.

Ms Mudliar said across the globe, weak governance exacerbates griev­ances and fosters distrust of and dis­engagement with institutions.

“Entrenched power dynamics lead to the exclusion of those on the margins of society and it is extremely impor­tant that youth voices must be heard in governance processes,” she said.

The workshop was run in partner­ships between Ignite4Change, the Lautoka City Council and Western Charity Alliance targeting youth ad­vocates, civil society, and faith-based institutions, LGBTIQ and communi­ty-based organisations.

The key objectives of the workshop were to mobilise communities to be­come actively engaged actors in deci­sion and policy making, especially on issues affecting them directly, build capacities and create enabling spaces for community engagement in deci­sion and policy making and to educate to the general community on demo­cratic ideals and good citizenship.

“Workshops organised for youths in the Western Division are often a rare occasion and many youths do not take advantage of it.”

Monisha Naidu, a member of Ign­ite4Change said as the organisation works to increase the active participa­tion of youth in democratic processes, they recognise they are not a homog­enous group.

Their views and the knowledge and skills they possess for engaging with governance structures vary by age, sex and cultural/contextual factors.

Ignite4Change uses specialised ap­proaches to reach and include mar­ginalised young voices—including those of girls and young women, eth­nic minorities, youths with disabili­ties and other frequently excluded groups—helping ensure our initia­tives are an equitable reflection of the rich, diverse communities in which youth live.”

Source: Ignite4Change

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