City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works Dissertations and Theses City College of New York 2019 Representation of Young People both Domestically and at the International Level Juan Pablo Celis Garcia CUNY City College How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/800 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] Representation of Young People both Domestically and at the International Level Juan Pablo Celis Garcia December 2018 Master’s Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of International Affairs at the City College of New York COLIN POWELL SCHOOL FOR CIVIC AND GLOBAL LEADERSHIP Advisor: Dr. Jean Krasno Second Reader: Professor Kimberly Gamble-Payne Table of Contents Abstract 3 Chapter 1: Introduction 5 Hypothesis 6 Case Studies 6 International Institutions and Their Approach to Representation 8 Chapter Two: Literature Review 11 Chapter Three: The Importance of Youth Representation 16 Chapter Four: Case Studies 22 Sweden 23 Costa Rica 24 Nigeria 25 Brazil 27 Chapter Five: IPU Report and Recommendations 32 Chapter Six: Youth Representation at United Nations and World Bank 39 Chapter Seven: Policy Recommendation and Conclusion 49 Bibliography 54 2 Representation of Young People Both Domestically and at the International Level Abstract Young people have played a crucial role in solving major global challenges. Their energy, innovation, passion, and creativity have allowed for the advancement and consolidation of society. However, till this day, youth continue to be excluded, discriminated against, and underrepresented within political spheres. This thesis evaluates youth representation within decision-making processes at the national and international levels. It comprises seven chapters that analyze the current narrative of inclusive participation of young people from international organizations, national governments, scholars, and independent institutions. Initially, this work considers the questions of how underrepresentation occurs and why young people are important today. The thesis examines the impact of young people in the most prominent sectors of society, such as education, health, migration, and labor. At the national level, Chapter Four looks into representation within four countries, Sweden, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Nigeria. The different case studies give a closer look at current national policies on the matter, and the restriction limiting youth participation that have prompted greater local activism. Moreover, the analysis of the IPU Report on Youth Participation in National Parliaments offers a general perspective on the current situation of low youth participation in parliaments, taking into consideration facts and figures from most recent data collected from national parliaments. Consequently, at the international level, this work evaluates 3 approaches and the current narrative of the United Nations and the World Bank in dealing with global youth issues. It concludes by confirming the argument that the cause of this underrepresentation is mainly due to age-restriction laws for public office positions within national governments, the wrong perception that youth lack experience and knowledge, and the preference of young people to participate in other forms of political participation. Lastly, the policy recommendation proposes strategies to improve the matter, primarily on a top to bottom approach. The suggestions entail strengthening research and data collection, holding governments accountable on their promises, increasing funding for youth programmes, educating the general population about the needed for youth representation, and fostering partnerships between governments, private sector, NGOs, and civil society. 4 Chapter 1: Introduction The participation of young people in public affairs is among one of the most important concerns in the debate on the extension of the democratic process. It is evident that the presence of young people in other types of collective action contributes to the creation of different participatory social experiences, yet there is little youth participation in formal political spaces. Today, more than 50% of the world’s population is under 30 years old (IPU, 2016). According to the 2018 Secretary-General Report, Africa is the youngest continent with 68% of its population under the age of 30, and Asia being the continent with the highest number of young people with 1.1 billion. Yet, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), people under 30 years old make up less than 2% of the world’s members of parliament (IPU 2016). The Not Too Young to Run Campaign stated that 73% of countries restrict eligible young voters from running for governmental positions (UN DESA 2016). However, without extensive input from young people, we could risk the possibility of not considering youth as important contributors to the solutions of global challenges, such as climate change, peace, and security, and the protection of human rights. Moreover, the underrepresentation of young people has been reflected within international organizations, such as the United Nations, where several Members States have not included youth representatives within their delegations. According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), only 50 to 60 Member States, out of 193, have included Youth Delegates as part of their Permanent Missions (UN DESA 2013). For several years, UN agencies and non-governmental organizations have encouraged Member States to include youth representatives in their missions. UN 5 documents, such as the World Programme of Action for Youth and the Guide to Youth Delegates, have raised this issue of underrepresentation. However, there is no legally binding document that requires governments to include young people within delegations. This comparative underrepresentation of young people in elected or international bodies raises the following question: Why are young people underrepresented in public office positions within national governments and international organizations? To address this question, it is important to incorporate the principle of inclusivity, including a balance of participation, where young people, who make up a great percentage of the world’s population, are no longer left behind. Hypothesis The thesis asks this research question: Why are youth underrepresented in both national parliaments and international organizations? Are they systematically being discriminated against? By analyzing scholarly articles and reports, the thesis proposes the hypothesis that the lack of representation of young people in the political sphere is partially due to national age-restriction laws for public office positions, a sense that young people may not have enough experience, and the preference of young people to participate in other forms of political activism as a result of being left out of the democratic process. Case Studies Several scholarly articles, reports, and UN resolutions have previously addressed this issue of underrepresentation, at national and international levels, and lay out approaches to addressing the issue. Research has been undertaken by scholars from 6 Brazil, Costa Rica, and Sweden, as well as youth specialized agencies and organizations who have published important documentation regarding youth policies and youth development. Furthermore, this thesis analyzes previous UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, as well as data from the Youth Development Index and Inter Parliamentary Union. Defining “youth” as between the ages of 18 to 30, I have chosen four specific countries that will be the base of my research design and will guide me in answering my research question. I will further analyze current youth policies in Brazil, Costa Rica, Sweden, and Nigeria, as well as formal and non-formal ways for political participation of young people in each country. Moreover, by looking at documentation and data, it is useful to compare each case and deconstruct each nation’s youth policy to find answers to the issue of youth underrepresentation within governments. There is much more research and data to collect on youth governmental participation that could further explain: Why the lack of representation occurs; What the consequences are as a result of youth underrepresentation and; Why policy decision-making would benefit from greater youth participation. To address the issue, there is a need to examine the processes that involve creating national youth policies and youth intergovernmental resolutions, and how to reinforce Members State requirement to include more youth in policy-making positions and even consider establishing quotas. Sweden, with a minimum voting age of 18, also has a minimum age of 18 for candidacy as parliamentarians and higher-level positions (IPU Parline Database, 2016). Moreover, 12.3% of Parliamentarians in the country are under 30 years old. Rated High by the Youth Development Index with 0.794, Sweden is a country with greater levels of political participation of young people. In the case of Costa Rica, the age of candidacy for 7 parliament is 21 with a minimum voting age of 18. Its parliament contains only 3.5% of people under 30. However, the Youth Development Index has rated Costa Rica Very High on political participation of young