As global challenges become increasingly interconnected, multilateral institutions must adapt to the perspectives and priorities of younger generations. Yet youth voices remain largely absent from many global governance structures and decision-making processes. This issue area explores how young leaders, advocates, and policymakers are engaging with international institutions and shaping debates on the future of global cooperation. It examines youth representation in multilateral forums, the rise of global youth policy networks, and the role of cross-border coalitions in advancing shared priorities. The Centre also studies how emerging generations are contributing to discussions on international law, institutional reform, and the evolving meaning of sovereignty in a more interconnected world. Through this lens, the research highlights how youth participation can strengthen multilateralism and help design more inclusive and responsive global governance systems.
4 articles found
The conference worked through the most consequential question in democratic politics today: why are young people systematically excluded from the systems they will inherit, and what will it actually take to change that?
When Ibrahim Traoré seized power in September 2022 at the age of 34, he did more than lead a coup, he personified a generational rebellion against stagnation in Burkina Faso and much of Africa. In a continent where the average leader is 63 years old and where most of the population is under 25, Traoré’s rise was more than a military event, it was a symbolic restoration of youth in political command. Three years later, his policies reflect an ambitious experiment: can a young leader rewire the architecture of African governance by fusing post-colonial radical sovereignty with social reform?
Forced conscription is defended in the name of national unity, security, and discipline in youth. However, critics argue that it is an abrupt detour from personal development, unnecessarily exposing young adults to rigid hierarchies and authoritarian structures. This piece explores the hidden consequences of youth conscription - ranging from educational, psychological and health impacts to human rights violation and urges a critical reassessment of whether such practices are sustainable or do more harm than good.
Youth-led protests have sparked critical political and social transformations worldwide, yet governments are increasingly responding with violence, censorship, and legal crackdowns. This article explores the global pattern of repression against youth movements, from Bangladesh and Kenya to the United States, and calls for urgent international action to protect their rights.
