WHY LISTEN?

Engaging youth early on in the policymaking process helps create policy that address the real challenges being faced on the ground and at the grassroots.

Youth engagement and consultation helps policymakers understand potential objections and points of failure around policies before they are implemented.

Involving youth and youth organisations at the beginning and throughout creates a sense of shared ownership and encourages their participation in successfully implementing policy.

These resources are here to help you effectively navigate youth engagement. While many policymakers recognise the benefits of engaging youth, they also have important concerns or questions that they they need answered.

“Young people these days are so varied. We can’t always identify who they are or what kind of platforms we can use to reach them.”

Policy Researcher

“When we do invite young people for consultation sessions, there isn’t much of a response. They don’t seem interested.”

Policy Researcher

“The thing with a lot of youth is that they just want to complain about the government. We don’t hear what their solutions might be.”

Senior Agency Staff

How to build an effective youth engagement plan?

What happens to a country when policymakers start engaging with youth? What are the best ways to run consultations or create partnerships with young people? How can you start your first youth engagement plan? Learn more here.

What issues are affecting young people the most?

Between 2014-2016, ESCAP conducted a survey of 10,000 youth in Cambodia, India, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand to investigate the most pressing issues that youth in Asia face. Read the findings here.

Dear Policymaker

Read a letter written by young people about what they’d like policymakers to know.

A Message from Youth to Policymakers