Young people across Africa are increasingly demanding a shift from symbolic participation in governance to meaningful inclusion that gives them real decision-making power, according to findings from the AU-EU Youth Voices Lab.
The findings, shared by Theresa Atule Awine on A1 Radio’s Equal Voices programme, are based on research conducted across 14 African countries and highlight a persistent gap between youth engagement policies and actual practice.
Across the continent, young people say they are often invited into governance processes, but their involvement rarely extends beyond consultations. While they are asked to contribute ideas and perspectives, final decisions are typically taken without their input being reflected in outcomes.
Madam Awine described this as a growing frustration among young people who feel “present but powerless” in key policy spaces.
“Young people are being engaged, yes, but in many cases it is just for the sake of it. They are consulted and their views are heard, but when decisions are made, they are not at that table,” she said.
The research highlights that young people do not merely define participation as attendance at meetings or being part of youth delegations. Instead, they associate meaningful participation with full involvement in governance processes, from identifying problems and setting agendas to shaping policies and influencing implementation.
According to Madam Awine, this distinction is critical because it reflects a shift in youth expectations from passive inclusion to active governance roles.
“They do not just want to be in the room. They want the power to make decisions,” she emphasized.
The study also identified three major priority areas for young people across Africa: governance participation, access to entrepreneurship and green jobs, and sexual and reproductive health and rights. These priorities, she noted, cut across countries, regions, and socio-economic backgrounds.
Despite the existence of various youth-focused policies in African countries, the report found that many of these frameworks lack legal backing. As a result, implementation often depends on political will rather than enforceable obligation.
Madam Awine warned that this creates a situation where youth inclusion becomes optional rather than guaranteed.
“These policies exist on paper, but they are not binding. Institutions can choose whether or not to implement them,” she said.
She is therefore calling for stronger institutional reforms, including legally binding youth participation frameworks and the introduction of youth quotas in governance structures to ensure sustained representation.
The findings were presented to African Union and European Union stakeholders in Addis Ababa earlier this year. However, Madam Awine stressed that the effectiveness of the recommendations will depend on how individual countries translate them into action at national level.
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