Opinion: The best policy for youth is policy by youth
The continuing and extensive youth-led protests in Kenya are just one example of how government policies can completely miss the mark when creating policies that affect young people.
Sexual and reproductive health and rights, or SRHR, are under threat around the world, with young people in particular bearing the brunt. If governments want to protect and enhance the well-being of their nation’s youth, which includes SRHR, they must give young people seats at the table. Policies reflecting youth’s needs Globally, we are witnessing SRHR under threat. Recently in Kenya, there were plans under the now-revoked Kenya Finance Bill 2024 to introduce taxes for essential items such as menstrual hygiene products. In the United States, Roe v. Wade was overturned, ending the constitutional right to abortion. In Hungary, a law was passed to ban schools from teaching about homosexuality and transgender issues. We are also seeing a rise worldwide in conservative populist politicians who want to undo hard-won freedoms and rights in the areas of gender and sexuality. Simultaneously, the youth population around the world is quickly growing, with the United Nations stating that 16% of the world population is between 15 and 24 years old. That’s a staggering 1.2 billion young people worldwide. These “youth bulges” are even more pronounced in certain countries. In Kenya, over 80% of the population is 35 years old or younger, while India holds the record for the largest youth population, with more than 808 million people under 35 — more than 65% of its inhabitants. If you couple these growing youth populations and threats to SRHR with decision-makers and policymakers who lack the knowledge and lived experiences of young people, then the perfect storm is created. Only 2.8% of members of parliament worldwide are aged 30 and below. When governments enforce misaligned policies on their citizens, it can result in potential unrest and instability. What can be done to tackle these aberrations? The answer lies in meaningfully engaging youth, so they are active players in decision-making and policymaking. Meaningful youth engagement Meaningful youth engagement is about guaranteeing young people’s roles at various levels of decision-making — design, implementation, and evaluation stages. It employs all the knowledge, skills, and ideas of youth to create effective and inclusive policies, programs, and laws that affect their lives. After all, who can best understand the challenges and opportunities that youth face other than the youth themselves? Meaningful youth engagement, particularly of marginalized youth, in decision-making and policymaking is essential to ensuring that SRHR is adequately addressed and protected. By consulting and engaging diverse young people, policymakers can gain critical insights into the specific needs and issues affecting this demographic, leading to more effective and inclusive policies that link to the lived realities of today’s youth. Their active participation ensures that policies are not only relevant but also sustainable, as they are crafted with the direct input of those they affect the most. Working with youth promotes a sense of ownership and agency among young people that will lead to greater civic engagement and responsibility. When youth are heard and valued, they are more likely to support and advocate for the successful implementation of policies. More than words The ongoing anti-government protests in Kenya show the risk of not engaging youth sufficiently. The Kenyan government, and other key groups, such as civil society and the church, need to support and create spaces for youth voices from the grassroots up to the national level. To start, youth need to be informed on government processes and the role that they can take up constitutionally so that they can engage from an informed position. Second, the government must purposefully seek the views of youth through public participation processes. Third, young Kenyans must be allowed to exercise their constitutional rights to assembly, demonstration, protest, and petition. Finally, young people must be an actual part of the government, from local councils up to the national parliament. Several countries globally, including Kenya, have implemented youth quotas. Nevertheless, from a total of 67 seats in the Kenyan Senate, only two seats are reserved for youth aged 35 and under. This is a huge discrepancy when 80% of the Kenyan population is 35 years old and below. A higher youth quota must be implemented in the Kenyan Parliament to better represent the youth. The youth is the future Like their peers around the world, young people in Kenya are yearning for inclusivity. They recognize that they are the future and thus must be meaningfully included in policymaking and decision-making processes going forward. What counts for the Kenyan government, counts for governments globally. To ensure the well-being and SRHR of youth, young people must have their seats at the table to sculpt policies and decisions that reflect their lived realities.
Sexual and reproductive health and rights, or SRHR, are under threat around the world, with young people in particular bearing the brunt. If governments want to protect and enhance the well-being of their nation’s youth, which includes SRHR, they must give young people seats at the table.
Globally, we are witnessing SRHR under threat. Recently in Kenya, there were plans under the now-revoked Kenya Finance Bill 2024 to introduce taxes for essential items such as menstrual hygiene products. In the United States, Roe v. Wade was overturned, ending the constitutional right to abortion. In Hungary, a law was passed to ban schools from teaching about homosexuality and transgender issues. We are also seeing a rise worldwide in conservative populist politicians who want to undo hard-won freedoms and rights in the areas of gender and sexuality.
Simultaneously, the youth population around the world is quickly growing, with the United Nations stating that 16% of the world population is between 15 and 24 years old. That’s a staggering 1.2 billion young people worldwide. These “youth bulges” are even more pronounced in certain countries. In Kenya, over 80% of the population is 35 years old or younger, while India holds the record for the largest youth population, with more than 808 million people under 35 — more than 65% of its inhabitants.
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Julia Hochberger is a global health advocate specializing in human rights at Wemos, an international civil society organization advocating global health justice. She advocates for meaningful youth engagement in the financing and design of sexual and reproductive health and rights policies and health services.
Shila Ukumbini Salim is the executive director of Kilifi Youth for Sustainable Development, an inclusive youth-led organization determined to support young people located in Kilifi County, Kenya. She specializes in sexual and reproductive health and rights advocacy.
Elizabeth Warindi is a passionate advocate of gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights in sub-Saharan Africa. She uses storytelling to platform the voices of youth, women, and girls to ensure their voices are heard in SRHR advocacy.
