On International Day of Democracy, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and ODIHR Director call for greater efforts to promote youth engagement and participation

BERN/WARSAW, 15 September 2014 – On the occasion of the International Day of Democracy, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter and Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), called on OSCE participating States to recognize, foster and galvanize the contribution of youth to promoting democratic values and practices, including the rule of law, the protection of human rights, and tolerance and non-discrimination. 

“OSCE participating States should provide young people with greater opportunities to contribute to policy-making processes,” Burkhalter said. “Many decisions we take today affect the generations of tomorrow, and this should be taken more into account.”

Young women and men should also share the opportunity and responsibility for implementing those policies, Burkhalter added.

Link stressed that focusing on less institutionalized forms of participation more favoured by young people, including community-driven initiatives and online activism, is one way governments can promote this engagement.

“Governments should consider steps to effectively integrate youth in political processes, for example, by taking advantage of new technologies,” Link said. “By fully utilizing young people’s potential, talents and expertise we make politics more inclusive and enable democratic institutions to meet the new challenges facing our democracies.”

Burkhalter and Link made the statement in support of the theme for this year's International Day of Democracy, “Engaging Young People on Democracy”, which highlights the challenges and opportunities associated with youth engagement in democratic processes, and the specific perspectives, innovation and creativity that youth offer.

In line with this, Burkhalter stressed that youth had to be high up on the agenda of international organizations like the OSCE as well: “They should have a voice – and a stake – in OSCE matters and their voice needs to be heard loud and clear,” he said.

The Swiss Chairmanship has been working towards a stronger role for youth topics and youth perspectives in the OSCE at all levels, Burkhalter added, including in its efforts for the development of an OSCE Youth Action Plan.

“The 57 Youth Ambassadors of the Model OSCE 2014 have successfully negotiated their own Model OSCE Youth Action Plan, and I strongly believe that many of their recommendations will have a significant impact and should inspire the OSCE to work out its own Youth Action Plan,” he said.

Link underlined the importance of these efforts and others to promoting youth participation: “A decline in the interest and participation of young people in political processes would create challenges for the upholding of democratic values in our societies and to ensuring that democratic institutions are truly representative,” he said.

OSCE commitments oblige all participating States to acknowledge the important role youth can play in fostering mutual respect and understanding between cultures and religions contributing to the promotion of democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms.

ODIHR organizes Youth Leadership Forums for young activists, civil society representatives, civil servants and parliamentarians from the OSCE region, which form part of the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to enhancing its engagement with youth and compliments the Swiss Chairmanship’s OSCE Model Youth project.