Empowering Young Voices for Change

The Youth Café initiative focuses on fostering youth engagement in civic and political spaces. By creating inclusive platforms for dialogue and collaboration, it aims to amplify young people’s voices and empower them to drive change within their communities.

Hear directly from the Youth Café team as they reflect on their journey, sharing their proudest achievements, how the support they received amplified their impact, and the invaluable lessons they’ve learned along the way:

Objectives

• To provide a safe space for youth to discuss critical societal and political issues.
• To promote the active participation of young people in civic and democratic processes.
• To build capacity and confidence among youth for effective advocacy and leadership.

Highlights & Deliverables

• Dialogue Sessions: The Youth Café organised over 20 interactive cafés in diverse communities, addressing topics such as democratic participation, gender equality, and social justice. Why Democracy Tomorrow Means Climate Action Today Youth for Future Dialogue with the former Prime Minister of Mali.
• 3 advocacy masterclasses organised, impacting 1,500 young people directly through live virtual sessions and 3,000 young people indirectly through views and downloads of the recorded sessions. Session 1, Session 2, Session 3, Session 4, Session 5, Session 6, Session 7,
• Youth Advocacy toolkit : The organisation developed and distributed a practical toolkit to guide young advocates in shaping impactful campaigns.
• Community Impact: They directly engaged over 500 participants, with measurable increases in awareness and action on local issues.
• Policy Recommendations: The Youth Café compiled key insights from café discussions into a policy paper shared with local stakeholders to influence decision-making processes.
• Research and Review Papers: Youth Policy on the Summit for Democracy, African Youth Communique, Review of African Youth Participation at the Summit.

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A Vision for Community Development

Founded in 2014 in Kindia, Ouvrir Les Horizons is a youth-led NGO dedicated to enhancing living conditions for communities in Guinea, with a particular focus on children, youth, and women. Through innovative initiatives in health, education, environmental preservation, and human rights, the organisation fosters empowerment and engagement across societal sectors.

Highlights of Impact: Lessons from the Field

This video showcases how funding has allowed Ouvrir Les Horizons to bridge the gap between young people and decision-makers in Guinea. From capacity-building to fostering democratic culture, the team shares their journey, the impact of their efforts, and key lessons learned:

Objectives: Building a Youth-Driven Future

• Provide young people with access to information, tools, and collaborative spaces to encourage active participation in civic and political life.
• Strengthen trust and cooperation between youth and local decision-makers to foster inclusive governance.

Key Activities & Initiatives

• Training for Active Youth Participation: Training 120 young leaders on Civic Tech, human rights, and participatory governance.
• MOOC on Civic Tech and Exchange Forums: Online resources and forums on Civic Tech and youth engagement.
• Created the Centre for the Promotion of Democracy and Human Rights for young people in Kindia.
• Menu of Commitments Awareness: Campaigns targeting 5,000 students in universities and high schools.
• Media Outreach: TV and radio programs promoting youth political participation in French and local languages.
• Community Consultations: Identifying youth needs through 10 interactive consultations.
• Dialogues with Leaders: Workshops to engage decision-makers and youth on adopting commitments for change.
• Civic Tech Competition: Supporting five innovative youth-led projects with funding.
• Lessons-Learned Workshop: Sharing insights, results, and best practices from the project.

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Empowering Young Voices in Zimbabwe

GWEN Trust is dedicated to empowering adolescent girls and young women in Zimbabwe through safe spaces for learning, personal growth, and civic engagement. With youth constituting over 60% of the population, yet facing limited participation in democratic processes, GWEN is committed to creating platforms for young people to thrive, engage, and shape the future of their communities.

Video Introduction

Watch our video to discover the key highlights of the project. See how the funding received enabled GWEN Trust to make a significant impact on youth participation in democratic processes.

Objectives

• Increase youth participation in decision-making processes at local, national, and governmental levels.
• Create platforms for engagement to help young people take an active role in civic and political spaces.
• Advocate for youth inclusion in policy development, particularly with the adoption of the Youth Act.
• Promote the global commitments of the Youth Democracy Cohort to empower youth leadership.

Highlights & Deliverables

• Post-election dialogues engaging 80 youth, parliamentarians, and government officials to promote inclusive elections.
• Youth leadership training for 80 young individuals in advocacy, public speaking, and electoral participation.
• Social media campaigns engaging young people in discussions on democratic participation through platforms like WhatsApp, skits, and local radio.
• Creation of a Youth Desk in every government department, fulfilling the President’s commitment from 2017.
• Inter-generational dialogues bringing young people together with community leaders to foster youth inclusion in governance and development.
• Baseline survey assessing the state of youth participation in Zimbabwe’s civic and democratic processes.

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Strengthening Youth Engagement in Governance

Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI) is a youth-led organization dedicated to fostering civic freedoms, youth entrepreneurship, and good governance in Nigeria. Their flagship projects – YouthGovTracka and the Office of the Citizen toolkit – empower young Nigerians with the tools and knowledge to hold their elected officials accountable, bridging the gap between citizens and governance, and promoting youth participation in the political process.

Watch the video to discover how BBYDI’s innovative platforms and tools, funded through this initiative, are transforming political engagement in Nigeria.  

Objectives

1. Enhancing Accountability: Track the campaign promises and performance of Nigeria’s 36 governors-elect, particularly focusing on youth-inclusive policies.
2. Empowering Citizens: Equip young Nigerians with the necessary tools to engage with elected officials and demand better youth governance.
3. Promoting Youth Political Participation: Support the localization of the Youth Democracy Cohort’s Menu of Commitments and encourage broader youth participation in governance.

Key Deliverables & Highlights

• YouthGovTracka Platform: Developed to track the performance of governors based on their youth-inclusive policies and campaign promises.
• Youth Focal Points: 36 youth leaders across Nigeria recruited and trained to lead advocacy and track government performance.
• Office of the Citizen Toolkit: A comprehensive guide, including advocacy tools and resources for effective citizen engagement with elected officials, now available in three local languages.
• Social Media Campaign: A collaborative campaign, including jingles and live radio shows, to engage young Nigerians and promote the Youth Democracy Cohort’s Menu of Commitments. (see in X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram). Menu of Possible Commitments Jingles produced and shared through various radio stations, accompanied by live radio shows that facilitate discussions and interactions among young Nigerians: English, Yoruba, Hausa
• Regional Trainings and Activities: Step-down trainings and regional town hall meetings in six geopolitical zones, fostering dialogue between youth, government officials, and civil society organisations like the Tertiary Debate Competition in Nigeria’s North-east, Youth Summit in the South-South, Oratory competitions in the South-east, Northwest Debate Competition, and the South East Oratory Competition

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Advocating for Youth with Disabilities in Governance

Blind Youth Association Nepal (BYAN) is a youth-led organisation dedicated to empowering youth with disabilities across Nepal, with a focus on inclusive education, employment, and political participation. This project aims to raise the voices of youth with disabilities in Nepal’s political discourse and increase their representation in governance. By addressing barriers to participation and advocating for equal opportunities, BYAN seeks to create a more inclusive youth movement in Nepal.

Objectives of the project

• Raise Awareness: Advocate for the inclusion of youth with disabilities in civil society organisations (CSOs) and youth-led movements.
• Support Participation: Facilitate the involvement of youth with disabilities in local government planning and decision-making processes.
• Promote Human Rights: Enhance the knowledge of youth with and without disabilities about democracy, civil rights, and political rights, fostering a culture of human rights in youth-led political parties.

Highlights & Deliverables

• Youth Sensitisation: 20 young leaders and youth parliamentarians were sensitised on the political participation of youth with disabilities.
• Dialogue Engagement: More than 250 young people, both with and without disabilities, participated in dialogues to promote the inclusion of youth with disabilities in the mainstream youth movement.
• Workshops and Advocacy: Three provincial workshops were conducted, empowering 50-60 youth with disabilities with knowledge on democracy, civil rights, and political participation, and preparing them to engage in local advocacy campaigns.

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Empowering Youth for a Democratic Future in Paraguay

Conquista Joven: Alma Cívica is a dynamic initiative aimed at fostering a network of ethical, talented, and impactful citizens in Paraguay. By focusing on civic education, political leadership, and participatory democracy, Alma Cívica equips young people aged 17–35 to lead their communities and strengthen democratic practices across the nation.

Discover Their Impact

In this video, Alma Cívica highlights how the “Conquista Joven” project has empowered youth to engage in democracy during a critical electoral period.  

Objectives

• Generate and disseminate evidence: Provide insights into youth political participation through the Democracy and Youth Observatory.
• Raise awareness: Educate young people on the importance of civic engagement via forums, camps, and the Menu of Possible Commitments.
• Strengthen leadership skills: Train young activists to design and implement impactful public policy projects.

Activities & Deliverables

• Democracy and Youth Observatory: An interactive platform offering data on youth perspectives, alongside nationwide civic education camps.
• “Youth + Democracy” Cycle: A series of forums and a Democracy Bootcamp to empower youth and promote participatory democracy.
• Academy for Innovation in Youth Policies: A hybrid training program with expert-led sessions on democracy, policy, and leadership.
• Youth Laboratory: Young leaders develop and implement public policy projects with mentorship from experts.
• Creative Outputs:
  • Virtual platform compiling insights on youth political participation.
  • Podcasts like Civic Soul podcast, amplifying youth voices and featuring findings from the Youth Observatory.
  • Forums and webinars focused on the Menu of Possible Commitments and youth priorities.

Explore how Alma Cívica is empowering a new generation of leaders to shape Paraguay’s democratic future!

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Empowering youth for accountability, democracy, and social justice

Accountability Lab South Africa is building a movement of young change-makers to drive impactful advocacy and creativity in governance. Through innovative initiatives such as music, film, and youth convenings, the organisation engages young people in shaping democratic practices and holding governments accountable.

Insights from the Ground: Hear Their Story

In this video, ALSA shares how the funding they received has empowered them to elevate youth engagement and amplify youth voices across South Africa. 

Objectives

• Promote youth participation in governance through dialogue and advocacy around the Menu of Possible Commitments.
• Monitor government actions on Summit for Democracy (S4D) priorities and youth-driven tasks.
• Build regional networks to enhance youth-focused collaboration on democratic commitments.

Highlights

• Youth Convenings: 12 provincial events introducing and refining the Menu of Possible Commitments with young South Africans.
• Voice2Rep Music Competition: 5 musicians trained to create an EP amplifying democratic themes, reaching an audience of 100,000 through streams and downloads.
• Creative Storytelling: 5 short films featuring youth voices on governance priorities.
• Advocacy Meetings: 8 influencing sessions with government and parliamentary representatives.
• Regional Collaboration: 3 learning visits to foster cross-country youth networks and synergies.

Deliverables

• 12 youth provincial convenings organised.
• 5 mini documentaries/short films created, featuring youth voices on critical commitments that young people want the Southern African government to meet. What’s on the Menu? Mzansi.
• Voice2Rep music competition
• 5 young conscious musicians trained and mentored to produce an album with 3 to 5 songs focused on the themes of the Menu of Possible Commitments with an estimated reach of 100,000 measured through streams and downloads: Freedom of Expression, Ba Buedi, First Time
• 8 meetings held with relevant policy and law centres at the national and provincial level.
• 3 regional learning and networking visits paid to other participating countries and organisations.
• Thematic infographics you can see on their social media.

Explore how Accountability Lab South Africa is inspiring the next generation of accountability leaders and making their voices heard!

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Empowering Youth for Accountability

Accountability Lab Nepal engages young leaders in fostering accountability, transparency, and open governance at the local and national levels. Through innovative initiatives and diverse communication channels, the organisation bridges gaps between communities and government, reshaping narratives and empowering youth for democratic change.

Highlights from the Journey

Discover how Accountability Lab Nepal leveraged Youth Democracy Cohort funding to redefine priorities, advocate for stronger democratic practices, and build creative solutions for societal challenges.

Objectives of the project

1. Enhance youth participation to improve awareness and hold sub-national governments accountable for Summit for Democracy (S4D) processes.
2. Monitor the advancement of S4D commitments for evidence-based advocacy.
3. Foster collaboration with diverse networks for innovative advocacy approaches and consistent dialogue.

Highlights

• Youth Engagement:
  • 12 fellows redefined S4D priorities for local contexts and advocated through 15 consultations.
  • 7 S4D Conclaves across provinces, engaging 300+ participants.
• Monitoring & Advocacy:
  • Quarterly updates on S4D commitments shared through factsheets.
  • Policy Park dialogues bringing together youth, researchers, media, and government representatives, engaging 200+ participants.
• Creative Initiatives:
  • 6 artistic products created to promote democratic values through artivism.
  • Accountabili-Tea Podcast: 8 episodes discussing youth leadership, democracy, and S4D participation.

Explore these impactful activities and discover how Accountability Lab Nepal continues to drive meaningful change for democracy and accountability.

Deliverables

• S4D priorities redefined by 12 young fellows.
• S4D monitoring Factsheet: Update 1, Update 2, Update 3.
• 6 products created by 6 artists that advocate and promote democratic values.
• 7 S4D conclaves organised (1 each province) engaging 300+ participants: Conclave 1, Conclave 2, Conclave 3, Conclave 4.
• 8 AccountabiliTEA Podcast episodes : Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5.
• 8 policy park episodes recorded engaging 200+ participants: Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5.
• 4 Artivism Fellows: Introducing fellows, fellow 1, fellow 2, fellow 3, fellow 4.

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