Halting democratic backsliding in Asia

The Asia-Pacific region has been grappling with a troubling trend of democratic backsliding. However, strengthening political participation among youths in the region can serve as a bulwark against the erosion of democratic norms.

This message was echoed by youth leaders who joined the Asia Center-led regional dialogue “Youth Voices, Strong Choices: Political Participation in the Asia-Pacific,” co-convened with the Global Democracy Coalition and Club de Madrid on 26 November 2024.

Apart from youth leaders, the event also brought together representatives from IGOs, INGOs and CSOs based in Thailand. With a total of 41 representatives, the event offered an opportunity for all present to share their views, present their activities and engage with youth beneficiaries.

Voicing their concerns, youth from Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia expressed their frustration at being excluded from political participation. They felt that if this concern can be addressed, youth can effectively contribute toward halting the democratic backsliding in Asia.

Among the challenges, they pointed out, was the lack of effort to remove barriers that hinder their participation within political parties. This includes the absence of youth engagement from rural communities and economically-disadvantaged groups who remain visibly disengaged from urban political party activities. The noticeable lack of representation from the working-class and marginalized communities has exposed the structural economic and political lack-of-resources barriers hindering youth participation within political parties in the Asia-Pacific region.

Even when youths hold decision-making roles, such as in parliament, young parliamentarians often face challenges in gaining influence within their parties and are kept from leadership roles. As a result, their potential to drive significant reforms or shape policies is frequently stifled, limiting their ability to advocate for the issues that matter most to youth and marginalised communities.

They also often lack the necessary resources and institutional support to build their capacity and sustain meaningful engagement in political settings. This lack of support manifests in various ways, including limited access to mentorship, insufficient opportunities for professional development and a scarcity of funding or logistical resources to carry out their initiatives.

Without these, young people often find it difficult to navigate the complexities of political systems, build strategic alliances or effectively champion their causes. The absence of such support further reinforces the barriers to youth involvement in politics, leaving young parliamentarians isolated and vulnerable to political marginalization.

To overcome these challenges, the youth gathered presented some ideas on how to build a culture of political engagement among the young people in the region.

First, promoting education and awareness programs that emphasise the importance of youth participation in democratic processes, human rights issues affecting them and their communities, and the value of civic responsibility is essential. Initiatives such as the Experiential Citizenship Education Programs for Schools, and Life Skills Development by CMCA (Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness) in India provide an opportunity for young adolescents and youths to engage in democratic processes at the grassroots level.

Second, establishing quality leadership and mentorship development programs helps equip young people with the skills and confidence necessary to engage in democratic processes and constructive advocacy within their societies. Toward this end, initiatives like the Women and Youth in Democracy Initiative (WYDE) Network of Young Decision-makers in Malaysia offer a platform for young leaders to build their capacity.

Third, creating or strengthening youth participation platforms such as youth councils, youth parliaments, and youth advisory boards, is crucial to ensure young people have a voice in democratic governance and decision-making. The Children’s Assembly in South Korea, for example, serves as a strong model of youth parliament, allowing youths to participate in the legislative process by proposing and debating solutions to real-world issues.

Finally, these initiatives must be complemented by policies that address the specific needs and challenges faced by youth, particularly those from marginalized communities, with legal and financial support to ensure meaningful opportunities for empowerment. Save the Children’s Adolescent and Youth Empowerment in Sri Lanka is an example of support for technical leadership aimed at ethical child participation, which feeds into governance and national-level practices.

In addition to these initiatives, it is also essential to rethink how youth can apply digital activism to build grassroots awareness about key challenges and direct electoral participation, providing a platform where youths can voice their concerns, share experiences and collaborate on solutions. This shift is particularly important in addressing the persistent barriers that continue to hinder youth participation in democratic processes, which remain dominated by an older generation that holds key decision-making positions.

By addressing the barriers that hinder youth participation in democratic processes, the gathering affirmed the need for constructive communication and active youth participation, along with providing youth with resources to sustain their momentum on a long-term basis.

The role of student movements and civil society collaborations in fostering collective action has proven successful in some instances, such as in Hong Kong, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Empowering youth is therefore not just a necessity; it is a crucial step toward building a more inclusive and resilient democracy to prevent further democratic backsliding. To this end, it is important to continue building a culture of democratic and civic participation among young people in the region.