WORLD YOUTH MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRACY

BACKGROUND

At the Third Assembly of the World Movement for Democracy in South Africa in 2004, a group of young democracy and human rights activists from around the world came together to found the World Youth Movement for Democracy to build the capacity of youth, exchange ideas and promote collaboration, and to strengthen international solidarity to support young people working in difficult circumstances. The Network has since grown to over 700 members and is a functional network of the World Movement for Democracy, a global network of democracy activists, practitioners, and scholars.

Today the Youth Movement serves as a platform for young activists to address the importance of promoting democratic values, a forum for sharing information and ideas, and an action-oriented, solidarity movement. It provides a space for young activists to build relationships with each other, to collaborate across borders, to deepen their knowledge on key issues, and to develop practical skills. Like the World Movement, the Youth Movement aims to support youth participation in efforts to strengthen democracy where it is weak, to reform and invigorate democracy even where it is longstanding, and to bolster pro-democracy groups in countries that have not yet entered into a process of democratic transition.

The Youth Network held its fourth global meeting at the World Movement for Democracy’s Assembly in Jakarta, Indonesia in April 2010. Youth addressed the key issues of the movement and discussed the network objectives for upcoming years.

VISION

A strategic network that advances democratic values and practices around the world and builds the capacity of youth to be key actors in grassroots democracy promotion.

MISSION

To serve as a platform for young activists to empower each other, share experiences, build solidarity among members, and to develop sustainable democracy and human rights movements by empowering a younger generation in democracy promotion activities.

NETWORK OBJECTIVES

Based on the recent meeting in Jakarta, the World Youth Movement for Democracy identified the following objectives for 2010-2012:

1. Strengthen the development of the Network;
2. Protect youth activists in adverse circumstances;
3. Increase the knowledge of information and communication technology among youth.

Objective 1: Strengthen the development of the movement.

a. Build the leadership structure of the WYMD. Through elections, identify two representatives per region to serve on the Leadership Board. In addition, create an Advisory Council to provide strategic guidance to the Board.

b. Encourage network members to identify issues within their countries and regions for advocacy initiatives and build regional alliances for stronger collaboration to address these issues.

c. Provide a central location for members to search for potential partners, share contact information, and build solidarity.

d. Reach out to other networks and explore collaboration, and encourage members to do the same with their individual networks.

e. Advocate for the UN adoption of International Youth Day for Democracy on October 18th. WYMD will make a concerted effort to brand this day along a central theme and encourage members to host local events around the world to commemorate it in their countries. With 2010 being the UN recognized Year of Youth, we will collect information on the events held and use this to lobby the UN for recognition by showing the energy and momentum of youth.

Objective 2: Protect youth activists in adverse circumstances.

a. Become a go-to place for youth when arrested or facing harassment.

b. Campaign for the release of youth political prisoners and mobilize global action. Use the email listserv, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to share messages of solidarity and to encourage others to send letters to international bodies and government authorities in support of members in emergency situations.

c. Raise awareness of the difficult environments preventing youth from actively participating in democracy. Track arrests by country in a central location online to show trends and raise the profile of the issue.

Objective 3: Increase the knowledge of information and communication technology among youth.

a. Provide practical training sessions on how to use information and communication technology to build advocacy campaigns, mobilize international solidarity, and to strengthen the efforts of youth.

b. Share resources and information on new technology on the Web site, Facebook, Tweeter, and listserv.

c. Compile a collection of online advocacy tools to assist youth in democracy work.

d. Use communication technology to create a space for members to interact, share experiences and lessons learned, and discuss issues relevant to their work.