There are three core reasons why it is critical that young people engage with governance processes and, therefore, discussions on the post-2015 framework. First, there is significant intrinsic value in upholding young people’s right to participate in decisions that affect them. Young people’s right to participation is articulated across several international human rights conventions, including: the International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights; article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which affords children up to the age of 18 the right of participation; and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, to name but a few. Second, as this report illustrates, there is an instrumental value in young people’s engagement in governance processes due to the value they provide in improving policy and programme outcomes. Third, and as this report will also show, there is further instrumental value in young people’s engagement due to the ongoing reward of developing active citizens who can play a key role today in improving overall development gains nationally and globally, and who can become more active and participative adults to secure future improvements.
This report therefore explores how evidence from young people’s involvement in governance processes can provide lessons and guidance for the post-2015 framework for sustainable development. This includes understanding its mechanisms to ensure accountability, which can enable active citizen participation by young people, focusing on the role that they can, and should, play. It looks at young people’s participatory governance across different areas, including education, anti-corruption, local decision-making on young people’s issues, and environmental awareness. It demonstrates that young people are interested and engaged in the various thematic issues that affect their lives and their communities, and can participate as active citizens in national and local governance processes to help achieve better outcomes for all.