Over 100 representatives of youth organisations and institutions are set to gather at a summit hosted by the Electoral Commission in Benoni, Gauteng, this week to discuss ways to enhance youth participation in electoral democracy in South Africa.
In addition, thousands more young people from around the country will be able to participate in the summit virtually through a live webcast and interactive facility hosted on the Electoral Commission website at www.elections.org.za.
The youth summit will be used to establish an agenda ahead of the municipal elections in 2016 to encourage youth participation both as voters and as candidates. It will also be used as a springboard for creating recurring engagements and lasting relations with representatives of youth organisations including Institutions of Higher Learning.
The summit will begin by reflecting on how far electoral democracy has come in the past twenty years. A large portion of the summit will deliberate on the modalities of “effective youth participation” in the processes of electoral democracy. The following themes/topics have been identified and will be addressed by keynote speakers:
• Understanding Youth Participation in Electoral Democracy: International Trends
• Understanding Youth Participation in Electoral Democracy: African Trends
• Youth, Elections and Electoral Participation: The South African Case
• Barriers to Entry? Missed Opportunities?
• The role of the media, and especially social media in elections and electioneering
• The face of representation in South Africa: Youth in Positions of Power – Lessons to be learned?
In the run up to the 2009 National and Provincial Elections, a similar youth summit was held in Midrand. It focused on the role of the youth in electoral democracy in South Africa. Since then, a number of engagements with the youth (both formal and informal) have taken place. Some of the important discussions have been about how the Electoral Commission ensures that first time voters are taught the important values of the Constitution in relation to electoral democracy and promotion of responsible citizenship among the youth. There are some recurring themes related to the electoral system adopted by South Africa as well as the changing political landscape that could be discussed.
The objectives of the summit are as follows:
• Establish a platform on which youth can discuss “effective participation in electoral democracy” and set goals towards the 2016 Local Government Elections;
• Establish a platform for on-going interaction and engagement with the youth;
• Promote knowledge and understanding of electoral democracy and the elections process;
• Encourage critical thought on matters affecting the youth in relation to electoral democracy, therefore encouraging responsible citizenship; and
• Promote electoral participation and an informed electorate.
ISSUED BY THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION
Centurion
8 September 2014
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