Are young people politically engaged?
This discussion was inspired by easygoing_cockatoo of Caleb British International School in Nigeria, who wants to talk about young people and politics. They have won five stars for having their idea published!
Politics = activities or discussions that help people make decisions about how to live together in a group – for example in a community or country. If someone takes part in politics they are politically engaged.
This got us wondering about you and your countries.
Is the number of young people who are politically engaged increasing or decreasing in your country? What evidence have you seen for this?
Is being politically engaged about the things you do or about how you feel? Why?
Share your ideas, then read what other students think. Reply to them using the thumbs up, thumbs down and question mark icons.
Comments (98)
I believe the number of young people politically engaged in my country is increasing. Schools now have student politics ,allowing us to vote for class prefect and voice our opinions on school matters.
Some of us here our parents discuss on national issues and we bring these discussions to school, sharing our perspectives with friends.
Political engagement for me means taking action and expressing how I can contribute to positive change. This might involve addressing issues on social media, raising awareness or or emotionally expressing disapproval on government actions. I think it is crucial for young people to actively participate, share ideas to improve things and standing against what they believe is wrong.
I agree because... during our last election many youths poured their hearts out getting involved, many of them were under 30 years of age and many of them did this by going on social media all contributing together for the good of our country, that is also why I feel it is a necessity for young people to participate in the political activity of every country.
Well said highspirited_concept, the amount of youths that participated in the last election was quite suprising but impressive. A lot of youth who didn't believe in the term "free and fair election" started to believe in it and they finally gained their voice. It was a wonderful thing to see, because more than half of the population of Africa comprises of youths, so seeing such massive amount of people signified a beacon of hope for the next generation.
You are right storytelling_economics , politics is now brought to the grassroot.Even schools allow students to have participation in politics and neglegt political apathy.Even in the last period election, youths took to polling centers to excise their franchise and vote their leaders in democracy.
I'm not sure about this because..that same last year a man contesting for the election was declared winner and looking at the results from polls at states he failed drastically, but INEC(the announcer of presidents) still declared him president, they most have been bribed by that party after that on social media we started seeing people saying their tired of politics and they want to leave my country and now most young adults are not interested of helping My country.
I positively agree because... I think many politicians from different countries are trying to win the elections to do good for the country and their fellow youths. So it will be better if youths participate in politics and do good for their country. Thanks.
i agree with you
I agree with you because,
It is often not possible for us to hear so much about politics' and not be pushed to take part in it. We watch our parents complain about political unfairness and badness every day, With the curious mentality of a child he or she would want to explore what it's like to be involved in politics and that is when the school elections and others come in. I personally believe that one's perception of something soon becomes reality, so once a child has seen how politics these days is always going towards the negative aspect, the child would like to explore what he can do to ensure that when it is his or her own turn he would not mess up.
The thing is, if us the younger generation do not engage in politics now, sorry to say but there might be no future of good leaders.
Because of the way our leaders have made politics these days it is making younger ones to feel politics is just a dirty and filthy game, that is how I felt during the covid-19 period when our leader looted almost all of the palliative that the federal government had provided for the less privileged.
So if you are aspiring to give your people a better future get on your feet and let's start working and walking toward political fairness and making sure that we recapture the real image of politics that our present leaders have succeeded in damaging when it is time for us to rule.
THANK YOU
I strongly agree with you because an example is me. I used to love politics due to it's wonderful debates and talks but know I hate it because they play the blame game in these politics and people talk to each other anyhow and if we do not learn politics, in the future, the next generation we will suffer as politicians. As you said, I also feel that we will like to talk about current events to our mates and share ideas but some parents might blame the president and his or her ward comes to school to tell others and their mentality also changes.
You are right about leaders used totally wrong their power having a bad impact on younger generations.
Young people think that politics is not a fair system and those who are into it are because of the power and the money. For this reason Young people feel distant and they prefer to be occupied with different things.
Your comment is very engaging! I find it very comforting that you can sit down and talk with your parents about politics and come bring that topic to school with friends. But what are some of the negatives the you or your friends possibly don’t talk about? What if you are not able to go on social media and raise awareness on that platform what else could some alternatives be when trying to spread the word about this topic? This would be something interesting to hear when thinking about things to help outside your country and other places.
I agree because...all these minor political activities carried out in schools such as voting prefects is a good way to grow one's public speaking skills and strengthen the debating skills of students who aspire to be politicians. These activities help the youth know more about their environment, meaning, politics can be educational (civic education).
It educates us to know our rights, responsibilities and the effects of our actions on the environment.
The media is also a political feature of the country. When there is an issue in the country, the media shows the efforts the government is putting in and the feelings of the citizens. The youth can express their feelings in the media; after all, the media is to be independent of the government's influence.
I firmly agree with you ambitious panther. Politics has gotten a high increase amongst young people, I know some times it's hard for us because our parents always see the negative part of politics.
Politics does not really involve presidential elections but it can start in our small units like in schools we have class monitors, school prefects and the rest of them all.
In our communities we have the king, the prime minister, the treasurers, the secretaries and the cabinets of chiefs. These are also politics in little ways that apply to our everyday life.
I agree because... the number of young people politically engaged in my country are increasing. Schools like my own, now have students politics, allowing us to vote for prefects posts. like i was asked to write a manifesto on the post i want to apply, and i applied for labour prefect, after i presented my manifesto , i was called for an interview with my principal , and he asked me why i want to apply for the post and i gave him my reasons , later i was assigned the post. Also my parent also talk about national issues and the bring it in relative to schools.
For me, political engagement is the process of involving our self to help in benefiting our selves and how i/we can contribute to positive change. This might involve addressing issues on social media, raising awareness or or emotionally expressing disapproval on government actions. It was a wonderful thing to see, because more than half of the population of Africa comprises of youths, so seeing such massive amount of people signified a beacon of hope for the next generation.
THANK YOU........
I am uncertian about this statement as I believe that youth political engagement in my country is declining. Although some schools may have student politics, it is not always guaranteed that students will have the opportunity to participate. Furthermore, even if we overhear our parents discussing on national issues, we may not fully comprehend the complexities of the topics they address. Additionally,our friends may also lack a complete understanding of the situation and may not be able to provide further clarification.
I would like to clarify that your final statement may not encompass everything that youths defend, as not everything they support is necessarily right.
I know right, in Nigeria today we hardly hear in the news that a person below the age of 45 getting a political position and the reason being lack of experience, in my country young people are considered too young to partake and n anything politics
Moreover the law of our land do s not really allow young people to sit on the chair of power for instance you have to be 35 to be eligible to be the president or Vice President at the age of 35 is a person still considered young? So o don’t think young people have a stand in politics in Nigeria because they are underestimated
Hello @ambitious_panther
I am in agreement with you on this point you have stated about young people participating in politics in Nigeria increasing. Whereby you have stated elections for class representatives as an example. But where our opinions are
different is in the aspect of political participation.
To me political engagement is about the things you feel, from my perspective political engagement means the participation of citizens in the decision making process in choosing leaders. So I think that political engagement is about my feelings which from there involves my actions in the decision making process. How is it possible for someone to make decisions without them being based on your feelings.So to me it is from your feelings that you take your actions not your actions over your decisions. I think that political participation at a young age is good because it teaches the young one at a young age how to make decisions which makes the individual to easily adapt to the decision making process in the larger society.
THANK YOU.
I strongly agree because nowadays many young people have been sharing and spreading information about things such as voting online to get it more attention, even people who aren't even old enough to vote. This shows that many young people are involved and doing their best to express their opinions politically. I believe that younger people should also be included in more political actives.
I disagree with you ambitious_panther. Mostly the privileges of voting for a class monitor is not granted in all schools. Some teachers choose to select class-monitors based on their own perspective on who they believe is most suitable candidate, rather than allowing students to participate in the decision making process throw voting. This approach does not involve student input in all instances.
Thank you.
I find your comment interesting to read, and it is encouraging to see that you are bringing up national issues, but there is one thing I am curious about: how would you describe the politics in your school and your country? Also, what are the disadvantages that you and your colleagues may not have discussed? This is something I would like to hear your thoughts on, and all topical speakers are welcome to respond to my questions.
Thank you
I agree because... What you said was right because I even experienced it in my classroom. But you made an omission. In the country, young people are not engaged in election. In the country, if you are not up 18 are not allowed to participate in election even though what we are getting from the government either negative or positive it is going to affect the underage.
I agree with you on your comment because to me politically engaged does not necessarily means voting in an open election but it also occurs in organizations for kids who engage in meetings. It will definitely require them to elect leaders who will take charge of the meeting so ability for them to elect those leaders makes them to be outstanding young citizens. So I believe the number of the citizens politically engaged are increasing.
In my country Nigeria, the number of youths politically engaged has decreased. This has been made obvious seeing that the amount of youths that participated in our last election( in 2023) was less than the population of youths in the last four elections that took place before this. One of the reasons why this happened was due to the Nigerian government's response to the End SARS protest which demoralized our youths from further participating in political activities. End SARS (Special Anti-Robbery Squad) was a protest that took place on the 20th of October 2020, which called for the disbandment of a government organization that had gone rogue due to police brutality in Nigeria. This was a peaceful protest with most of the protesters being youths. The government sent soldiers to create an open fire which later caused the mass burial of 103 people. I still remember that day explicitly, school was called off even though we just resumed from covid and the whole night was filled with the sounds of gunshots. People showed their support through social media by posting and tagging #ENDSARS which became a sort of trend in that period. I believe that this hugely affected the engagement of youths in our country. The fact that many lives were cut short due to them fighting for their rights in the 21st still gets me dumbfounded.
Nigeria's Government is also not the most trustworthy as well, there have been cases when people sold their votes for food and money, but at the end of the day, the leaders whom we wanted didn't get elected, not to talk of the 2019 election when the ballots were ransacked and a 20 year old man was murdered as well. There have been many cases where rigging, bribing, and murder took place, which may have put a lot of Nigerians in a place of discontent and fear. If you were in an environment like this, don't you think you would be forced to be politically disengaged as well? What's the point of a democratic rule of law when our voices aren't being heard?
Not to worry, not all hope is gone. Civic education had been made an official subject in Nigerian schools in the year 2007. I truly believe that engaging civic education and social studies ( also known as National Value Education) into our curriculum brings a better hope for the future leaders of Nigeria. What do you think about this? How politically engaged are youths in your country? Thanks for viewing and I hope you learnt something new from this!
I'm sorry to hear about the awful violence as a result of the End SARS protest. What kind of things have found it helpful to learn about in civic education?
Hello Harriet,
I firmly believe that citizenship education is not only important but essential because it equips individuals with the knowledge and skills they need to be active and responsible citizens in a democratic society. This understanding extends to government structures, constitutional rights, and citizen responsibilities, providing the tools for meaningful participation in the political process. The importance of civic education becomes particularly clear when considering its role in fostering civic responsibility and promoting informed participation in elections and community initiatives. To illustrate this point, consider grassroots movements represented by community organizations advocating for environmental sustainability. These initiatives are tangible proof of how well-informed and engaged citizens can address real-world challenges, influence local policy and drive positive social change. In a broader context, citizenship education not only enhances an individual's awareness of rights and responsibilities but also develops critical thinking, empathy, and a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of global and local communities. It is therefore the cornerstone in shaping individuals to become active contributors to the democratic fabric of society. Understanding what is happening around them and in their country is crucial for individuals to take an active role in shaping a better future for themselves and their communities.
Good day Harriet,
The adoption of Civic education as a compulsory subject in the Nigerian school curriculum has evidently improved the political,economic,and moral education of majority of the students.
Civic education is a subject which aims to teach students their rights and how to defend them if violated. It also inculcates positive values in children.
Civic Education helps us become good citizens.
It helps us develop a sense of responsibility and respect for others.
It teaches us about our rights and duties as citizens.
By learning Civic Education, we can contribute positively to our communities and the country as a whole.
Overall, civic education encourages youths to be politically involved in their country and develops the attitude of children.
I agree because... The number of young people who are politically engaged in Nigeria is a topic of debate among scholars and activists. Some argue that the youth are becoming more involved in politics, especially after the #EndSARS protests in 2020 that challenged police brutality and corruption. Others claim that the youth are disillusioned and apathetic, citing low voter turnout and lack of representation in government. The evidence for both views is mixed and depends on how one defines political engagement.
Political engagement can be understood as both a behavior and an attitude. Behaviorally, it refers to the actions that people take to influence or participate in politics, such as voting, protesting, campaigning, joining parties or movements, etc. Attitudinally, it refers to the feelings that people have about politics, such as interest, awareness, efficacy, trust, etc. Both aspects are important for a healthy democracy, but they may not always align. For example, some people may vote out of habit or pressure, but not care about the issues or candidates. Others may be passionate about politics, but not have the opportunity or resources to act on their beliefs.
Therefore, to answer the question of whether the youth are politically engaged in Nigeria, one has to consider both their behaviors and attitudes, and how they vary across different groups, contexts and times. There is no simple or definitive answer, but rather a complex and dynamic picture that reflects the diversity and challenges of the Nigerian society.
I disagree with you because during the election many of those same youths all contributed towards the good of our country and even with the #EndSARS protest many of them were more motivated for the hope that the election brought in 2023.
I disagree because Nigeria has a population of about 226.2 million people as of 2023. 70% of the population were below 30 years old. That's 158.34 million people. 42% of those 70% were said to be below 15, so let's say the youth above 18 was 71 million people. 93.4 million people registered for their voters card, 87.2 million people collected their voters card and then, only 24.9 million people voted. Even if all the people that voted were youths, that's still about 26% of the youth population, and we know majority of the voters were not youths. I'm not saying many youths didn't attend the election, but compared to the total population of youths, less than a quarter of them voted. Is that what you call political engagement? I also think the influence of social media and the entertainment industry also took a toll in the amount of youths that want to be politically engaged, because how many Nigerians want to become a politician compared to those that want to be actors, singers and social media influencers. The injustice that takes place in politics especially in Nigeria isn't encouraging either. How many people believe our current election wasn't rigged, or that our votes were counted, or that we even voted for the man that was declared our president? Would people want to be associated with this politics knowing the wrongdoings that take place?
I understand what you mean, and there is very much evidence that the election was rigged, I have seen the proof of it but I still believe that even through this the youths of this country still feel that they can make a difference in the system, they believed through the #EndSars protest that they could make a change even in the election they still believed but even through all of that I know, that the youths of this country still have hope and belief for this country of ours. Thank you
Can you share the evidence you have?
According to the Premium times Nigeria, the 25 February election is that the leadership of INEC is guilty-as-charged for eroding the credibility of the election by proposing an integrity test for the elections, and the INEC Result Viewing Portal or (IReV) element of the integrity test failed and therefore the credibility of the election was lost, and the fact of the matter is that the integrity test was crafted by INEC itself. This failure to me is really destructive because it created the basis for loss of confidence of all Nigerian citizens in INEC and its processes.
In my honest opinion, I feel like the young generation are not politically engaged. That's why most countries in the world have leaders who are mostly old and these experienced ones doesn't want to engage the young ones, leaders of tomorrow simply because they want to remain in power.
But, another factor is that most of the youths of today really don't want to get into politics, the feel politics is a dirty business. They spend most of their time trying to making money either through Entertainments e.g Music,comedy,acting and even fashion or through other means like going for collar jobs,earning money and living a simple life without having the stress of engaging in what politics has to offer.
Good one my friend!!But I respectfully disagree with you. Basically the reason why young people are not politically engaged, it is because they are not given the chance to. Governmental system belive and demand that political candidates should be aging people.
Some people say youths are the leaders of tomorrow actually it means they are leaders when they become old! which is the later tomorrow. For instance.... Currently the president of Nigeria is the Honourable Bola Ahmed Tinubu🇳🇬. Tinubu has been aspiring to become the president of our lovely country since he was a youth, from being a chairman to being a governor then to the presidential seat.
The main reason why adults are the most ones in politics is because they used most of the time to develop themselves from their youthful age which of course took a lot of time and they got there when they were old.
So we the younger generation also known as the leaders of tomorrow will still be leaders. All one needs is patience!
Rightly said spirited concept.
Youths are not politically engaged because they are not given the chance to.
In Nigeria people always respect the older ones opinion more .I presume it is a tradition,that no matter the idea it is always right as long as it's from a aged person
There's a saying in Nigeria that says
What a young man cannot see while standing up,an older person would see it just by seating.
I think this saying just basically explains that it's older people that understands the country and its issues better as they have spent a longer period in life and therefore they would be able to bring wise ideas.
I also believe this is why older/aged people are allowed to rule more.
I would also like to suggest a question
The question is
Is tradition necessary in politics.
I would appreciate everyone's honest opinion
You have said it all loving_honeydew but I am here to answer your questions. IS TRADITION NECESSARY IN POLITICS.
Tradition is an aspect of culture which involves knowing about attributes of particular countries and to govern those countries. One must need to know that traditions of the state.
Tradition in politics serves a stabilizing force providing continuity and sense of identity. It is a framework that reflects historical wisdom and collective values fostering stability in governance. Traditions are important in maintaining political stability and effective or efficient governance.
Wonderful insight,
Spirited concept.
Yes, Tradition is an aspect of culture,it is a believe that is passed down from generation to generation.
It is an aspect of culture, but i do not think tradition serves as a stabilizing force in politics.
For as long as you and i can remember the aged has always been leading.
Yes experience makes a person wiser,as it is the best teacher.
But the youths also possess qualities like agility, strength, intelligence and most of all HEALTH.
The Older ones always leading has made it seem that it is a tradition dor older ones to always rule.
And this has been passed down from generation to generation.
The older ones always in prominent positions has diminished the participation of youths politically.
The constitution says an individual is eligible to vote and be voted for as long as that individual is up to 18 not 50 downward.
I believe that, the consistency of older ines always leading has diminish the courage of the youths to participate politically.
I believe that if tradition is not involved in politics,if there's a Change in the way elders are always leading, YOUTHS would have the courage to contest in election and not think it is a tradition for older ones to rule always.
ELECTION is part of the democratic process,so i do not think tradition should be involved with it.
Hey there! I totally get where you're coming from. In today's fast-paced and ever-changing world, some argue that tradition may not be necessary in politics. Here are a few points to consider:
*Adaptability: Politics should be responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people. Rigid adherence to tradition can hinder progress and prevent necessary changes. Being open to new ideas and approaches allows for greater adaptability.
*Inclusivity: Tradition can sometimes be rooted in historical practices that may not be inclusive or representative of all members of society. Embracing diversity and promoting inclusivity requires challenging outdated traditions that perpetuate inequality.
* Innovation and Efficiency: The world is constantly evolving, and new challenges emerge all the time. Relying solely on tradition may limit the ability to find innovative solutions and hinder efficient governance. Embracing new technologies and ideas can lead to more effective policies.
*Democratic Representation: Politics should reflect the will of the people. Tradition can sometimes be associated with elitism or favoring certain groups over others. Prioritizing democratic principles means being open to change and ensuring equal representation for all.
* Evolving Values: Societal values and norms change over time. What was considered traditional in the past may not align with the values of today. Adapting political practices to reflect evolving values helps maintain relevance and legitimacy.
Of course, it's important to strike a balance. Some traditions may hold value and should be preserved, while others may need to be reevaluated.
* Changing Times: The world is evolving rapidly, and political systems need to adapt accordingly. Traditional practices may not address the complexities and challenges of modern society.
* Inclusivity and Diversity: Traditional practices in politics may exclude or marginalize certain groups. Embracing inclusivity and diversity requires breaking away from outdated traditions and embracing new perspectives.
*Technological Advancements: With advancements in technology, there are new opportunities for citizen engagement and participation in politics. Traditional practices may not harness the full potential of technology to enhance democracy.
*Progressive Policies: Society's needs and priorities change over time. By breaking away from tradition, politicians can develop progressive policies that address current issues and meet the demands of the pe
It's important to note that while tradition may not be necessary in all aspects of politics, there may still be some traditions that hold value and should be preserved. Striking a balance between tradition and progress is crucial. What are your thoughts on this?
I strongly agree with you because I am sure that if we children were given the chance to be politically engaged, this opportunity would never go to waste because even during this festival, look at how we share our ideas without violence on the hub so I strongly believe that we will do justice to politics if we have the opportunity to. I also feel that the government should engage the youth in politics in a small but polite way so that we will have the feeling of being a politician and it can even help when it is a youth's desire to be a politician.
I solidly agree because... we the youths still have minds that are exposed to lots of thing even if we aren't as experience as the older ones, in this present decade, there are things the older person can't do or aren't even exposed to.
If the young ones are given a voice or chance to lead with the guidance of the more experienced one, I can assure you that the world at large would profit alot, because fresh minds and fresh ideas working together with people who have experience in the game is surely going to yield great results that we can't even imagine.
Thank you all.
These are some great points. Engagement of youth is vital in politics for better future. In your mind what steps young people can take to ensure they actively engage in politics? To expand this, what steps do you think older generation of politicians should take to ensure appropriate representation from younger generation in politics?
Youth involvement in politics is essential and important for positive outcomes, but it can also have negative effects. Let me clarify. Youth engagement can have both positive and negative effects depending on the situation. The individuals who already knew who was the best candidate for their country will gain from the youth's understanding of who the appropriate leader is to choose. This is excellent news because the more votes cast by those who choose the right candidate, the better off the nation will be. However, in less fortunate situations, if they lack information, they are unaware of the appropriate leader, and this could modify or change the result. What can we about this? It is very complicated. Ok, my idea or opinion is that the youth should be educated in schools, by guardians and parents to change the result in a good way.
In my opinion the number of young people that are actively involved in my country are decreasing .
First of all, there is no school education about politics. Young people do not actually know what politics really means and how it helped our country to evolve.
We can even see that at the elections, Young people do not go to vote.
I think that nowadays social media has played some role to misinterpret politics.
What I mean is that social media isdepicting more the social life of the politicians and not their actions during their election years. They do not represent a role model of thought, equality and values.
In general I think that politics is A very serious issue that needs to be taken into consideration from a very early age.
We need to be informed about it as citizens so to be actively involved.
I agree because... I think that education plays an important role on shaping opinions and make us represent a viable community. We need to know who and how each politician formed history during the years. Also being involved in politics means that you know what democracy is.
I agree with this opinion because... most times youths get their inspiration from their role models which we can all agree are experienced in whatever field they partake in. But nowadays the youths are being discouraged because the people who they are meant to look up to are the ones causing the problems for the youth. For example, political riot during elections, elections are supposed to be free and fair but when we going out to vote, we are being chased by fire arms and weapons, discouraging people not to come and vote again, then we say the youths are not politically active. If the youths are being politically engaged and informed about the world of politics, surely youths in their number would come out to either vote or participate in politics affairs.
I agree with you. Young people are not listening to what is going on politically in their country. Politics are one of the things that we are told is a sensitive topic and should not be publicly discussed. As a result of this our younger generation doesn't discuss or read about politics.
As you said, young people don't have a say so they don't feel the need to pay attention to what is going on. The main reason young people are not involved in politics is because they aren't given the opportunity to become involved. Those in parliament and the older generations need to find a way to let them have a say and have their voices heard because otherwise the number of young people involved and interested in politics will just continue to decrease.
Hi
Honestly speaking 'Politics for young people' isn't even a thing in our country.Politics is generally for people above 18 .Above 18 can only vote which is mostly influenced by their family the elder people tell them whom to vote.People who mostly engage in politics are about more than 30. There was a time when a young person who is above 18 but haven't reach 20s gave a comment about the politics and government,that person was dominated by society just for putting their opinion.So obviously for people who are still in school there is no such things as engaging in politics. But I hope there was. Because I don't think in this kind of things their should be age restriction because it can be that young people have better ideas with the modernizing world they might know what should be done.
Thank you.
In my country though it is said that the youth of my generation is more interested in politics than the previous generation , according to the report by Centre of Study of Developing societies, 46% of Indian youth has no or little interest.
This I believe is because of the perception of political field as full of flaws and uninviting. Politics is seen always as the dirty politics that is malpractices, corruption, lack of transparency etc. as said by @valuable_reflection.
Also social media is becoming instrumental in awareness of atleast basic issues in politics.
Whereas as a student of political science I personally have interest in the issues concerned not only with my country but the world around. So I therefore agreeing with @peaceful_mode, also feel importance of awareness to the basic level to the youth not only showing the negative side but the positive side of the coin showing opportunities offered in politics. Politics is also how people collectively negotiate with each other for decision making and well being of all should be the definition made aware of which is our responsibility as the future voters.
Hi,
To me the engagement of the youth in politics especially in my country has not really made any progress and has only been diminishing, though their engagement in our politics is very crucial for the nations progress and development, they are still not that interested in politics because of how they interest in it were killed by our own government. If the youth were to be more concerned with the activities of the government they will bring along with them a vibrant and dynamic segment of politics and the government, they will contribute fresh perspectives, innovative ideas and a deep desire for a change to make the country better for their fellow youths and even the old. However, the youths have had to face barriers and restrictions to reasonable political participation, But now in Nigeria there is a growing recognition of the need for their inclusion and representation in politics and decision making processes. Surprisingly my country is making an effort to create platforms for the youth to be heard and for action to be taken about their views and suggestions. Youth focused institutions, political parties and civil and social society groups are motivating and mobilizing young individuals, encouraging their active participation in political activities and endeavors. Even schools are making effort to incorporate political education programs, encouraging or supporting critical thinking, civic awareness and a hollow understanding of democratic processes and endeavors through subjects like civic education, government, etc. So I can at least say that my country has realized the importance of youth participation and engagement in politics and they are making an effort to elevate it and bring their full participation into action.
Thank you!
In my country, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of politically engaged young people. This can be observed through various forms of evidence. Firstly, there has been a surge in youth-led movements and protests advocating for social and political change. These movements have attracted a significant number of young individuals who actively participate in rallies, demonstrations, and online campaigns. Additionally, the rise of youth-oriented political organizations and platforms has provided young people with more opportunities to engage in political discussions and activities. Moreover, the increased presence of young politicians and activists in mainstream media and political discourse further highlights the growing political engagement among the youth.
Being politically engaged encompasses both the actions one takes and the emotions one feels. It is not solely about the things you do or the activities you participate in, but also about the passion, conviction, and sense of responsibility one holds towards political issues. Engaging in political activities, such as voting, attending rallies, or joining political organizations, demonstrates a commitment to actively participate in shaping the political landscape. However, it is equally important to acknowledge the emotional aspect of political engagement. How one feels about political matters, their level of concern, and their desire for change are crucial elements that drive their actions and involvement. Therefore, being politically engaged encompasses both tangible actions and the underlying emotions and beliefs that drive those actions.
I would love to hear you comments about politically engaged young people
THANK YOU
This is interesting aspect highlighting need for young people to have passion for politics. You have mentioned an interesting observation that young people are being engaged in politics more than earlier generations. Have you looked at the data or surveys to corroborate that?
I agree with your comment because our country has been receiving many protests and movements, like Just Stop Oil. However, like Just Stop Oil, the majority of protests are performed by young people, and just like Just Stop Oil, not all of them are peaceful. Political engagement has a very large spectrum, from just simply voting, to rallying across an entire road, to purposefully getting ran over for political reasons, and so they can sue the person that "ran them over".
In my own country, I believe that the number of young people politically engaged is decreasing. Even though we conduct some elections now in school, which also involves allowing students to vote for class perfect and voice out our opinions, that that ends in school matter which is not suppose to be so, it suppose to be enhanced more than class room stuff.
As we all know that political engagement is the act of taking parts and participating in political activities, such as: voting and to be voted found so many other things.
Now I will like to bring it home, in my own country Nigeria, almost 99 percent of the political seats are been occupied by the old ones. Not that the young ones do not vote of course we vote but it looks as if our vote do not count, so after the voting they end up selecting the person that they form the seat, so what am I trying to say? What I'm trying to say is that in my own country it is as if before elections will be conducted , they already know who will be in the position, now the election is just for them to make sure that they are practicing democracy, now this leads to letting the young ones get tired of participating and engaging in political affairs.
In conclusion, I think that this election malpractice is the reason why he young ones have lost interest in politics now making the young people number to decrease politically. These are my evidence.
Growing up as a child I always had this sense of responsibility and leadership in me and that brought in a ernest drive and passion in my heart to persue politics. Regardless the massive rate of corruption in my Country I always and still have this feeling within me that I can make a difference, that I can restore the glory days of my country but, I never knew that one thing was lacking deep within me. I always felt my Ideas alone could make the difference but thanks to this festival, I found out that I was wrong. I discovered that it is not one persons effort that makes the difference, it is team work and collective collaborations. The truth is in as much as the youth have the drive and passion for politics, most, if not all of them are not yet ready to take up the task. They may say they are but deep down they know that they still have alot more to learn.
The native elders in my village have a saying that states ''What an elder can see sitting down, a child not see even if he climbs the tallest tree''. Leadership is comes with alot off responsibilty and to take up that task you need to be mature emotionally, mentally, psychologically and otherwise. Now, i'm not saying the youth should have no participation in politics but rather, they should be thought, trained and mentored by worthy politicians so that when the time is right, they would be able to take up the responsibilty well.
I accord with what your point because ... I personally feel that people in general are born with leadership skills and also political consciousness ; but as young children who will later grow up to be great people one day , we need to be educated from the foundation of our childhood to get to that great height of political consciousness endowed in us . This is why I suggest that political education should be inculcated in present day schools to enable children know their ability to lead politically .
The number of young people who are politically engaged is increasing in our country. The youth are now participating more in political activities. Almost every division of Bangladesh has a youth committee where the youth learn about politics and work voluntarily for the welfare of the community. Also, Bangladesh government has opened a National Youth Council for engaging young people politically. They perform different social activities throughout the country. An UNDEF project in Bangladesh is supporting young people, to increase their representation and participation in local political processes. Inspired by the UN-Habitat World Urban Youth Councils Network, the project is working to establish the country’s first youth city councils which will provide opportunities for young people to participate in municipal government as youth councilors elected by their peers. Two-hundred youth have been engaged by the project to participate in capacity building trainings to learn about municipal governance and electoral processes, and form youth task forces to draft the guidelines of the Urban Youth Councils.
I am also a member of youth council. Every month we hold a meeting and talk about different problem of the community and also come up with many innovative solutions. It really feels great to be politically engaged and work for the welfare of the society. I want to work more with such type of organizations. When I become politically engaged, it feels like I'm a part of the society and also contributing to the society.
This is great news that there are increasing amounts of young people involved in politics in Bangladesh! What advice would you give fellow Topical Talkers with getting involved in their local politics?
I would really encourage and appreciate my fellow topical talkers to get involved in their local politics. It really feels nice to be a part of society and also engaged in social activities. However, there are some suggestions that I want to give to others who wants to be engaged in local politics.
1) Always be open minded and try to help others.
2) Respect the opinion of others and feel free to share your own thought.
3) Follow the rules and regulations of the local political organization.
4) Do the given task properly, don't neglect any works.
5) Always be honest with your team members.
6) You should have the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning.
7) Good communication skills.
8) Build a good relationship with others.
9) Love your society and feel free to do any work for the betterment of the society.
I think these qualities are enough to be engaged in local politics. There are also some other qualities which they will be able to learn when they will engage in political activities. I think to be a part of local politics is a great way to help others and contribute to the society. It's also a great opportunity to learn more about the real condition of people and their way of living. If we get a chance and have the opportunity, then we should engage in local politics. It's really fun to work with others for the welfare of the society.
If you're a young person who wants to get involved in your local politics, here are some tips that might help you:
- Find out who your local representatives are and how to contact them. You can use online tools or call your city hall to get their names and emails. Send them a message to introduce yourself and let them know what issues you care about.
- Join a local organization or group that aligns with your values and interests. There are many groups that work on different causes, such as environmental, social justice, education, etc.
- Volunteer for a political campaign or a ballot initiative that you support. You can help with phone banking, canvassing, fundraising, or other tasks. This is a great way to gain experience and skills in political activism and advocacy.
- Attend public hearings, town halls, or council meetings where you can voice your opinions and ask questions. You can also submit written comments or petitions to influence the decision-making process. Be respectful and polite, but also assertive and confident.
- Run for office yourself or support someone who does. If you have a passion and a vision for your community, you can consider running for a local position, such as school board, city council, or mayor. You can also help someone else who shares your goals and values by endorsing them, donating to them, or working for them.
The level of political engagement among young people in the US somewhat vary. However, there have been recent indications of an increase in youth political engagement, particularly in the form of activism and participation in social and political movements.
In recent years, issues such as climate change, gun control, and racial justice have mobilized young people, leading to increased political involvement. Young activists have been organizing protests, advocating policy changes, and participating in grassroots movement. This surge in political engagement among young people is often attributed to factors such as increased access to information through social media, a desire for social change, and a sense of urgency about the future.
It is the actions they take that ultimately contribute to their level of involvement. Engaging in political activities and participating in the democratic process are essential for individuals to have their voices heard and to influence the policies and decisions that affect their lives and communities.
most young people in the US are involved in and aware of politics. For example, 88.1% of those surveyed said they were registered to vote and 76.9% said that they were likely to vote in national elections.
Young people are also interested in political action. More than 1 in 7 young people said they've been to a protest or demonstration, and an additional 28% who haven't yet done so said they plan to do it, or would do so given the opportunity.
Interesting statistics - what sources did you use?
In my country, young people aren't heard if they aren't connected to big people or opinion leaders, not to mention limbing the political power, so young people in my country don't either decrease or increase in politically engaged fields because many with good intentions don't know people up the political ladder. I, for one, and some others are not into politics, so doing stuff in a political type of way makes me feel irritated. I feel this way because of leaders. My country's food supplies increase each day, and hardworking and simple civilians cannot afford them. In my country, there are not a lot of hospital beds to accommodate sick people with serious cases or even pregnant women who attend medical care. Staff have gone on strikes and returned with no change. In a country like this, how do you build a cathedral or change your presidential jet because it doesn't fit your standards and is worth millions of dollars when workers' taxes are on the line? So my decision to not be in politics is the fault of my leaders, because they do not have the country's health and wealth at heart. There are gang robberies almost every night in ghetto areas due to the low attention to crime rates. These young people have great ideas that can change the country for the better, but they will never be heard or seen because our leaders tend to be corrupt in their decisions. The school organizes walks and debates to stand against their ways of making decisions, but to no change, not even the slightest. Personally, the disheartening end to it all is that the citizens of my country just want to live, to be able to eat three square meals to stay hydrated as many times as they can, to afford the best schools and hospitals for their wards, to get Christmas gifts for their kids, and for the adults to be able to live their dreams with their families. They don't ask for anything but the gift of just living happily and peacefully in their own country. Lastly, since everything has been done by the youth to be heard, I believe some sort of action to grab their attention is best.
Well, in my country, the proportion of young people who are politicallly engaged is starting to increase surprisingly over the last few decades in various sectors. Particularly, students are now entitled to indicate their opinion on matters concerning them, to vote for class president, like the elders do in elections, and learn to co-exist and respect each others perspectives. Moreover, people at the age of 16 and up are permitted to become active and exercise their political rights, which will eventually determine the future of their region. As in Athens from the 5th century, it prevailed the following phrase: " Every citizen has the right to vote and to stand as a candidate at election". However, this evolution would not be succeeded if it wasn't for the state. By organising movements based on giving more rights to young people, public talks and of course states that allows the acquisition of rights by free will of the youth members of the society, they managed to create a peaceful environment where elder and younger people have a common point of reference.
For how I perceive it, being politically engaged is about both how you feel and what you do. On the one hand, if you don't participate, you might do this out of anger and wrath and if you participate, you might do it out of interest or you might find it democratic. On the other hand, being politically engaged is about your actions and the work you do in order for democracy to prevaile. Lastly, young people should participate in politics either by vote (youth) or in matters that concerns them.
I believe the number of young people properly educated in my countries is decreasing. this is because the homeless rate is increasing and more students have a less completion rate of high school and college. Not only are less students completing High School and college butthead the dropout rate is increasing. For example take a school such as Eastern Georgia College which has a 6% dropout rate. Not only having a 6% dropout rate they have a 5.6% graduation rate.
I agree with you on the idea that the level of education a person has slightly correlates with their knowledge of politics and political parties. Even though at school we are not taught about politics it helps expand our interest in getting involved in what is going on in the country.
However, I don't think that we are becoming more engaged as a younger generation in politics. We might be more aware of what is going on but knowing what is happening doesn't mean that they talk about politics or have any interest in getting involved.
Young people continue to believe in their—and their generation's—political power, but some don't feel qualified to participate. Following a 2022 election cycle in which youth (ages 18-29) played a critical role, our exclusive survey reveals that more than half of young people still believe the country is on the wrong track, and many express major concerns about American values and institutions. At the same time, a majority of young people see politics as important to their personal identity, and more than three in four youth say they believe they can get involved and improve things in their communities.
Some youth are putting that belief into action through various forms of civic and political engagement, and many more say they might do so if given the opportunity. But too many young people—often those from historically marginalized groups—continue to say they don’t feel well-informed or qualified enough to participate in political life. That points to ongoing challenges in ensuring the equitable civic preparation and participation of all young people.
Why do you think young people increasingly feel that they are not well-informed or qualified enough to participate in politics? In this era of information, getting access to information requires less effort and financial resources.
I think that the number of young politically engaged people in my country is increasing because of Palestine since nowadays I see a lot more young people researching about the genocide happening in Gaza, watching news about it, looking into the history of the israel-palestine conflict and trying to help the Palestinians by donating food and e-sims. Before that I hardly saw anyone caring about politics or wars or anything. I have had multiple discussions with my friends about it both in school and outside of school. Another reason is that we see parents and other adults complaining about the corruption of the government and the political unfairness which makes the youth curious and decide to ask about it or do their own research on the topic which is a great thing because the more politically aware people get the better our future leaders become.
In Nigeria, the rate at which young people are involved in politics has been on the rise. My evidence states that '' As of 2019 ,the general elections saw a very significant increase in the number of young people who participated in the electoral process, with many even running for office. The '' Not Too Young to Run'' bill which was enacted into law in 2018 played another notable role in encouraging young people to participate in politics. The bill even reduced the age restrictions for running for political seats making it very possible for even people of ages 25 to coordinate a political office''.
In my judgement, i suppose that young people being politically engaged surrounds both the actions and the emotions. It need not necessary be about the actions you take or things you do, it should be about the passion, self-esteem and sense of purpose and cognizance one grasps towards handling political affairs.
Young people being engaged in politics will also pave a way that will ensure that the voices of the young are heard and that their need are aimed at.
Thanks.
As we know that, politics are the activities associated with the governance of a country or area, especially the debate between parties having powers. The number of young people who wants to join politics is not increasing too much in my country because the Nepalese parties thinking is that only old man can lead the parties. These old people also thinks that the young people don't know how to lead and move on the politics. Because of these types of thinking my country Nepal is not going to be developed. The old men who are leading the parties are doing corruption and they always gives speech like one day I will make our country develop and will make no.1 developed country in the world but their one day won't come never and ever. Also, they don't give chances to the young people who are interested in politics and wants to make our country develop. If any one young people come to lead the political parties those old peoples will send them into the prison without any reason. The old men who are the leaders of political parties thinks that, if any young people come in political parties we can't do corruption. Corruption is the main problem of my country Nepal. Because of those old people young people can't reach in politics and my country will never developed.
Are young people politically engaged? That's a question that many people ask these days, especially in the wake of social movements, protests and elections. Some might say that young people are more aware and active than ever, thanks to the internet and social media. They can access information, voice their opinions, organize and mobilize online. Others might argue that young people are more apathetic and cynical than ever, thanks to the same factors. They can also be exposed to misinformation, manipulation, polarization and echo chambers online. Young people have been highly undermined in this sector, because the older generation feel that young people would make irrational decisions. So, what's the truth? Well, it depends on how you define political engagement and how you measure it. There is no simple answer to this question, but rather a complex and nuanced picture that varies across contexts, cultures and generations.
I belive that young people are politicly engaged today.Firstly the youger age has abundant amounts of media like Tiktok not to mention that there are Tiktok pages that talk about polictical views.Also at my school there is a 10 minute downbeat of news including the fact that my teacher talks about some of her polictical views.We can also talk about certain topic to friends or famliy.To add there are a lot of young activist who fight for polictics and the governments.
What could be some of the disadvantages of using TikTok as a news source?
Hiii, Hello, Namesthe and Vanakkam to everyone...........
It is really a very good question. If we use TikTok as a news source, the disadvantages are:
* The given news maybe false or to cheat anyone.
* The user who posted the news can delete it anytime.
* It will become a big issue if the viral spreading news is fake and the people who read thinks it as true.
* Most of the news in the TikTok are just to become viral and to spread fake news.
* Watch television and know the updated and real and breaking news instead of scrolling in the phone.
These are the disadvantages I gathered about TikTok. I don't have any social medias in the phone, so I got all these points in my research about TikTok. If some of the given points are wrong I am really sorry and I didn't post this to hurt anybody.
Thank you!!!
Hello Molly O,
TikTok is a social media application, with a majority of over 1 billion people using it. Some users may create fake news so clickbait, and when people fall for it in return the get more views and likes out of it, so not all news we see on TikTok is genuine.
Thank you so much for the question.
I feel that there are many disadvantages to use tiktok for a news source because it is not a reliable source. False information or news can be shared on these platforms like tiktok just to use as a clickbait for viewers to come to their channel because bad news spread faster than good news. For example: bustling_cliff won an award (most people will not want to view it) and a student in A student was verbally assaulted(which is the news that most people will like to view). There might mostly be no bad news so channel owners will purposely create one for unnecessary attention and commotion which can cause fights on these social media pages defending whether it is true or not. False news spreads rapidly on these platforms.
Yes in Nigeria young people are being politically engaged. And it's currently increasing, because people are asked for there opinion in the family, school's, and society etc.
1) School students are allowed to vote for class-monitor, book-keeper etc.
2) Online platforms because most people are engaged in social media so there might be a problem wich ned the suggestion of the members.
3) School project’s student's can vote for captain for their team project and they can also vote for what type of projects to work on.
So being politically ingaged is not about the things you do it's about the way you feel because for a person to vote he | she has to k ow what is right and how it will help him and the society.
Thank you ☺️.
I feel that young people are becoming more politically engaged by the week. Maybe a few years ago, kids who were concerned about politics, the state of their country, and other people's countries, would be considered outcasts or nerds, because being cool back then was only being sporty, or only being popular for different reasons. However, now kids are more educated and have more resources, and more reasons to get involved. Like the war in Ukraine, which is encouraging more youth to take action and protest against Russia's unfair and uncalled actions.
I agree because more youths are taking actions for the war in Ukraine. Many adults haven't been helping but more youths have been helping out on the war.
Being politically engaged is about the things that you do. Just feeling a certain way about something isn't enough because if you want change in your country, you can't just feel that this country needs change, you need to take action, you need to do things like protest, and share your thoughts with other people, just as we're doing now. Being politically engaged is having the ability to take action for your concern of politics.
In my opinion, being politically engaged is about the things you do and not what you feel. Actions will always speak louder. You may ask why? Well first of all, political engagement includes a broad range of "activities" through which people develop and express their opinions on the world and how it is governed, and try to "take part" in and shape the decisions that affect their lives. The thing that keeps repeating itself in this definition is "action". Political engagement is all about the actual PARTICIPATION. People cannot seat back, feel their country is not doing well and say they are being politically engaged. Political engagement has to do with you actually going out there and doing something to change what you feel is wrong in your political system. In my country political participation is low. I think we all need to get out there and participate. Change cannot be done by one person alone, but one person can start change. Though some of us are too young to vote, I think there are somethings we can do to be politically active. One of which is to try our best to get our opinions out there for others to see. Beyond our close family members, we can influence hundreds or thousands of people by posting our opinions social media. Even just posting a picture of yourself and your friends at a rally on your social media encourages those in your network to be aware of the election and to consider supporting your candidate. You can also persuade your teachers in school to vote for your candidate by writing an article for your school newspaper or a blog, or make a video about why you support the candidate you do. This is just one of the ways we as minors can be politically active.
From the available evidence, it seems that the number of young people who are politically engaged in India is increasing. According to a survey by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), the percentage of young people who are interested in politics has increased from 18% in 2014 to 21% in 2019 to 54% in 2023. Moreover, the same survey found that young people are more likely to participate in political activities like attending public meetings and rallies than they were in the past. This suggests that young people in India are increasingly becoming politically engaged and active.
Being politically engaged is about both the things you do and how you feel. It involves actively participating in political activities, such as attending rallies, voting, and joining political parties, as well as having a deep understanding of political issues and feeling passionate about them. Political engagement is not just a matter of personal interest, but it is also a civic responsibility. It is important to be politically engaged because it helps to shape the direction of the country and ensures that the voices of all citizens are heard. Ultimately, being politically engaged is about using your voice and your vote to make a difference in the world around you.
Excellent use of sources and data!
In my opinion, age significantly affects a person's development, maturity and independence, with each factor playing a key role in shaping one's character. Nonetheless, when considering active participation in politics, I strongly believe that it is not only beneficial, but a critical component of the future of our society and democracy. The participation of young people helps shape the overall political landscape, injecting diverse perspectives and ensuring a more representative democracy. The fresh ideas and innovative solutions injected by youth challenge established norms and build resilience in the face of contemporary challenges. Furthermore, their active participation provides valuable opportunities for citizen education and empowerment, allowing them to grasp the complexities of governance and understand the impact of policies on their lives. Through political participation, young people become catalysts for social change, passionate advocates for justice, equality and positive social change. Their technical proficiency, combined with their global perspective, makes them uniquely positioned to modernize political processes and promote effective international cooperation. In essence, fostering political engagement among young people ensures the development of a vibrant, responsive and forward-thinking society that lays the foundation for a positive and inclusive future. Therefore, to promote change and development in the new era, the active political participation of young people is undoubtedly crucial.
In nigeria, people's political engagement can vary over time and across different demographics. However, there has been a growing trend of increased political engagement in recent years. More Nigerians are actively participating in political discussions, attending rallies and protest, and using social media platforms to express their views. This increased engagement reflects a desire for change and a stronger voice in shaping the countries future. It's encouraging to see people becoming more politically aware and involved!
I have observed an encouraging trend of increasing political engagement among young people in my country. Schools are now promoting civic education by allowing students to participate in class elections and express their opinions on school matters. This practice encourages students to develop an understanding of democratic processes and the importance of having a say in decision-making. Additionally, young people are becoming more politically aware as they listen to discussions on national issues at home and share their perspectives with peers at school.
For me, political engagement is about taking action to contribute to positive change. This can involve expressing one's views on social media, raising awareness about important issues, or protesting against policies and actions that are deemed unjust. It is crucial for young people to actively participate in political discourse and take a stand against what they believe is wrong. By sharing our ideas and engaging in constructive dialogue, we can work towards a more just and equitable society. Overall, the growing political engagement among young people is a promising development that holds great potential for positive change and progress.
In my country specifically England more and more young people want to be politacally engaged I myself am very interested in politics . I also want to talk about how to get more people involved . Organisations could establish events for young ones who are engaged and interested , that could set a base or foundation to bring more young people to create a new generation of young politicians
Personally, I believe that as time goes on less and less young people in my country are engaged or involved in politics. This is because discussing politics has become a sore spot for most young people as they are taught from a young age is the three things neve to talk about with people are religion, money and politics.
This has led young people to never discuss political views and who is in government. Unfortunately, this now means that younger generations barely know the different political parties, let alone what they are currently discussing in parliament.
I think that this needs to change. It is vital that young people know about politics because they are our future in government. If the future members of parliament haven't been taught how to discuss politics and don't understand them, then as a country we will fail to keep progressing with time.
So in conclusion, I believe that politics are not discussed enough in every day society and young people should be made more aware of what is going on in the government.
Can you think of any solutions to help more young people become politically engaged?
Hi,
In my opinion, the number of young people that are politically engaged in my country Nigeria is totally decreasing. The reason for this opinion is because I as a student have never seen any youth in my country become a governor or a president, and the reason for this is because those that have been elected before did not want to leave the position for others rule, the only thing they want and are good at doing is to embezzle the Nation's properties, and I think the reason for this is because of their greed.
In my opinion, I will suggest that the solution to this is to find a way to take the those that are ruling currently away from the office and don't allow old people to contest for any elections, and giving the youths opportunity to contest and get into power, by doing this I believe that my country Nigeria would be a better place.
I hope I have convinced and not confused anybody.
Personally, I believe that the number of young people in my country who are engaged in politics is slowly increasing. This is because young people are taking part in more and more experiences that may relate to politics more than they think they do. Let's talk about a school scenario, I'm sure that many of us have voted towards something in school, whether that be for pupils to be part of the school council or for an activity to do in a lesson. Even small things like this are improving engagement in politics with young people. Yes, I'm sure that many of the pupils taking part in these democratic situations aren't involved in politics and don't plan to be for a long while yet. However, I believe that these experiences are building young people's confidence and intentions to engage much more in politics and possibly making some pupils want to pursue a career in politics. Therefore, I believe that schools have a vital role when it comes to getting these young people more engaged.
On the other hand, I don't think that the number of young people engaged in politics is rapidly increasing. To be realistic, many young people have very busy lives, whether that be due to exams or extra curricular activities that they participate in. For many young people, it would be quite a struggle trying to get engaged in something like politics as it is quite a large thing to work your head around. In other words, young people may struggle to find the time and dedication to really engage in political situations. In addition to this, people's political opinions are often viewed as having to be kept private. Therefore, young people are hearing other people's opinions much less. This may mean that the only political view that they can build off is people's at home, such as their parents or their older sibling, so they may think that they should just stick to their family's views to avoid tension. On the other hand, other young people may also be unbothered at this point in their lives so just stick to their relatives' views just because they don't mind.
In conclusion, I believe that the number of young people politically engaged in the UK is slowly increasing due to education's mindful approach on the matter. However, we still have some time to go before the numbers are quickly increasing due to the lack of others opinion's heard and young people's lives being busy alone without the extra understanding of politics.
In my opinion, young children should face life before life faces them. As young as you are you can partake in anything, and it is very interesting to see young children vote even if it is for school or class prefects. It helps them adapt the skill of debating. Politics in general, there are floods of debates and as young children practice politics it will help them in debating.
From were I come from in Nigeria,young ones are politically aware of what is happening in their country because they young hear what the elders are saying about the country and their own point of view on how to solve the problem. They are eager to always help the society. Young people always like to help in all types of matters because their mind is still fresh and they can think critically.
Hello,
Well in Nigeria the amount of young people politically engaged is increasing I say this because... by the day more and more youths are being registered as qualified voters. In the past year alone 32 million youths were registered.
Being politically engaged is about the things you do and the things you say, they both play an important role in being politically engaged. I say this because... before you act on your decision you have to choose, and this choice is influenced by your feelings. Imagine going for a vote or a protest without any motif behind it (just fulfilling righteousness) this would just be vanity. Before carrying out a politics-based decision you have to feel like doing it such as supporting political parties each person has his own personal reason for helping that party which is based on your feelings towards the party. So, meaning that none of them can be undermined. I think to make youths more engaged we should enlighten them on the impotance of participating in politics.
THANKYOU.
Hi.
I agree with you. Young people are interested in politics , in Nigeria many youth are interested in politics, the government made a rule that youth to 25 to 40 years old can run for office so this has made the youth encouraged we now have politicians like him. Bello Rl Rufai a member of the house of representatives who is 36 years old. I believe that the youth can make a great impact on politics.
Thank you.
I also think that youths in higher positions means more solution of problems because... youths are still fresh of ideas and have a lot to say. In Nigeria I think that the main reason politically engagement of youths is stagnant is because of electoral malpractice, but besides that youths love to have a say.
THANKYOU.
From my observations, politically engaged young people in Nigeria are really decreasing. It is reducing because if they were politically engaged, they would be aware and alert of what happens in their society and would not be roaming around. There have been various news about the death of women and men due to their carelessness in their environment.
In various countries, there seems to be a growing trend of increased political engagement among young people. This is evident in rising participation in youth-led movements, increased voter turnout, and active involvement in political discussions on social media platforms. Being politically engaged is a blend of both actions and feelings; it involves participating in activities like voting or advocacy while also reflecting one's beliefs and values in the political landscape. What's your perspective on the level of political engagement among young people in your country?
Easygoing_Cockatoo, your idea about discussing young people and politics is fantastic! 🌟
In my country, there seems to be an increase in politically engaged young people. Social media has become a powerful platform for them to express their views and organize movements. Evidence includes youth-led protests, online activism, and an increased interest in political discussions among the younger generation.
Being politically engaged, in my opinion, is a combination of both actions and feelings. While actions like voting, participating in protests, or engaging in community projects are crucial, the underlying feelings of awareness, responsibility, and a sense of justice drive these actions. It's about understanding the issues, having a stance, and actively contributing to shaping the future.
I'm curious to hear from others about the trends in political engagement among young people in different countries and their thoughts on the balance between actions and feelings in political involvement. Let's explore this together!
So, in Nepal, there is no such acts that young people are politically engaged on. Most of the governmental states are politically encharged to old and experienced chiefs. Moreover, according to the constitution of Nepal, above 18 years old citizens are allowed to vote in the election. But, only above 30 years citizens are allowed to participate in the election. Often, young people can't vote according to their will as the elders won't permit us to do so. Well, within the school life and in college, a practical election should be conducted for the young people to understand and analyse the elections process in countries. I think that young people should get the chance of participating in the elections. Not only experiences lead the country, but a new and productive idea can lead the country. I really hope that young people would get a chance to participate on the election.
Hi there!
sincerely speaking, the number of young people who engage in politics are very few because young people down here in Nigeria feel very insecure to engage in politics in the sense that they are afraid of the way things are done in politics especially during election. The parents of some young youths are stopping their children from engaging in politics because of the fact that they are not given the opportunity or right to cast their votes to their real leaders. For example, during the election of last year many parents prevented their children from engaging in anything politics because of the way the elections were carried out. In doing this, it is indeed deprivation of rights of this young youths which will lead them to being dull towards political activities in the society but on the other hand, they are being protected from being hurt. So the number of young people engaging in politics down here are really very small.
Hii!.
In India, the level of political engagement among young people has seen fluctuations over time. There have been instances of increased political involvement among the youth, such as during major elections where there's often a surge in youth voter turnout and participation in political campaigns. Additionally, social media platforms have provided avenues for young Indians to engage in political discussions and activism.
However, there have also been periods of disillusionment and disengagement, particularly among certain segments of the youth population. Factors such as political apathy, frustration with corruption, and disillusionment with traditional political parties have sometimes led to decreased political participation among young Indians.
Overall, the landscape of political engagement among young people in India is dynamic and influenced by various socio-political factors.
I've noticed a growing interest among young people in American politics lately. The increased surge in activism on social media platforms are also something to notice.Like specifically when people start to make blogs about what going on currently in are country.It's intriguing to see this shift and wonder about its long-term impact. I'm curious to hear others thoughts on the evolving topic of youth political engagement.
In my country the number of young people who are politically engaged are decreasing, because in my country some people think young citizens can't do the job that political people do because they are young, and they think are unmatured. I think these young citizens should be given a chance, because they are still young, they still have a fresh and curios memory that can help the country, and the elderly people have been chosen as the political people because they have family members who can make them political even if they are not good at the job.
I exceedingly agree with you fiery_lute, the reason being is that as you said, in Ghana, people think that young citizens can't handle political jobs just because of their age. There is this stereotype in my country that makes it seem that the older the person, the more wiser they are, thus if any young citizen came to campaign for a job indulging in politics, the person will not have a good amount of votes.
Moreover, as you said, young citizens should be given a chance since they have fresh and curious ideas that can help in the development of the country.
Our leaders are often spotted sleeping and even with meds in important meetings, why? because they are old and not young anymore, but if we bring a young person to power it will be beneficial to the development of the country due to their new and fresh ideas.
Lastly, yes, you are right, these elderly people political members have been chosen to be in their positions due to corruption and nepotism.
Thus, I agree with you that the number of young people who are politically engaged are decreasing, this is because our elderly leaders have refused to step down due to the privileges' riches and corruption involved in the job, thus they will not make way for young people to be politically engaged.
I strongly believe that young people have no say in politics, where I come from there is a law that only people who are 18 and above can vote. I understand the logic behind it because a 12-year-old, if given the chance to vote could make a mistake because 12-year-olds don't face the hardships grownups have to go through to earn something.
So, the fact that children don't have a say in politics to me is a good idea.
I understand your position, but I personally see it differently because we as young people also have a say, a right to fear hearing, an opinion and a voice, our own point of view. just because we aren't of age or because we are not completely mentally or emotionally developed does not mean that we do not have a say in political activities
In India the number of people who are getting actively engaged in politics is rapidly increasing, according to a survey by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), the percentage of young people who are interested in politics has increased from 18% in 2014 to 21% in 2019 to 54% in 2023.
Not only the political engagement but the change in the number of voters is also skyrocketing India has witnessed a nearly six-fold increase in the total number of voters since 1951 to over 94.50 crore this year of which 70% are active voters, according to the election commission.
Being politically engaged is actually a two way process you first form opinions on how you feel about the current situation in your country and then take actions or you start taking action and while taking actions you form your own opinions. Being politically engaged is really important because every citizen has its own needs and aspiration about one's country and to make these aspirations come true instead of only listening and discussing about politics one has to get oneself involved in it. Gathering support, winning an election, giving direction to a country's growth might appear to us as very complicated, they indeed are but this is the only way to bring a change the common people of my country have realized it and in my opinion this is the reason for the increased political engagement.
I believe that the number of politically engaged students in my country is increasing. I believe this because students participate in student elections and students get to work with the student body thoroughly and consistently. I have seen teens step up daily to political opinions and give their thoughts about issues effectively.
Being politically engaged about the things in my country impacts me in ways by showing me that my opinion matters thoroughly throughout this government in ways that matter mostly to me. This makes me feel more open to discussing my opinions to the state and matters to my classmates as well. I believe that it is important for many people in my country to also get into political matters even though it's probably just through student council, I believe everyone's voice including mine should be heard.
I think it totally is dependant upon where you live in the country and the exposure you are given to engage in politics. A lot of the British news provides sweeping statements or only highlights the sensational and this is often tainted by the bias of those reporting. Schools have increased their involvement in drawing attention to politics, however, I think sometimes they're reluctant to actively engage in case of being accused of political bias. And, unless you have someone fair and knowledgeable at home, most young people find themselves simply entrenched in the learned views of home. Unfortunately, this seems to simply be apathy.
Specifically, it horrifies me that many young women do not take their opportunity to vote when given the opportunity. Frighteningly, many seem ignorant of the women who fought to ensure we have this right!
Ultimately, the complacency over democracy is truly worrying and many British people are quite happy to tutt and moan about policies that they dislike or view as unfair, but don't want to exercise their right to have a say when it comes to registering a vote and actually making a difference.
We must have more exposure to political policy as a young person, for this is our country and our world and only by knowing what is being discussed and passed in government can we ensure positive change.
I think that people are not politically engaged so much.
But I thing that one think is misunderstood. For me, when we are talking about politics does not mean only to acknowledge who are the politicians of each country. For me politics is a strong opinion, view that people need to express in many aspects of community. Young people need to be educated about how to express their views and how these views can be heard.
In many countries, young people interest in politics is increasing but in my country, young people interest in politics is decreasing. In Nepal, the people that are above 18 can only vote and I think that young people means the person who's age is 18-21 which means that they are still in school or college. Due to the studies and work given by the school, they can't involve in politics.
Thank you!
I believe that it's never too early to get into politics. Politics are something that is going to be around forever, so I think parents, teachers, etc. should encourage their kids/students to learn about politics. Most schools have come up with ideas such as getting their students to vote for the class president , to try and give students an idea of what it's really like in politics.
However, I think that it isn't enough. I feel like schools should go even farther. They could start teaching it more, or maybe have fun, yet educational activities that associate with politics.
Great example of how your community elects a class president! What do you think would interest students even more in politics?
I think that maybe schools could start including more of politics in their standards. Maybe not too much to where children may be worried, but in my school, my teacher sometimes plays the news that involves politics. She plays CNN 10, and sometimes on there, there will most likely be news about what's going on in politics currently.
I agree because having young people to engage in politics means that a new generation of opinion is contributed to important decisions, as all kinds of people should have a voice to ensure equality for everyone. It is especially important for young people to have the confidence to have a voice at a young age because there are still many older people who don't have that confidence. I believe that the more people that have a voice in general because it's important as a community to respect and share our feelings.
I feel like interest in politics really depends on the environment you're in. On the one hand I have come across people who thoroughly enjoy discussing politics and on the other hand I have friends who couldn't care less about the things politicians are deciding. Lately I've noticed that my involvement in politics has decreased a lot and I think it's due to my friends not being interested in it. You become who you surround yourself with and I'm working on becoming more involved again since I used to really be into politics.
I also think that being involved in politics is about how you feel but moreso about the way you see current issues, the way you discuss them and incorporate them into your daily life. You have to act on them and actually defend your standpoint, make people get it and speak up on the problems that matter to you.
You use a brilliant example from your own life to talk about young people's interest in politics. What do you think would encourage more young people to be interested in politics or current affairs?
I think someone's upbringing has a big influence on how interested they are in politics and what opinions they have on certain news. Like I said in my previous comment environment also plays a huge role which is why I think making young people see what's happening in the world, why it's affecting them and how their actions have consequences that affect everyone is a first step towards getting teenagers interested in politics.
Showing teenagers how to speak up, giving them step-by-step tips on how to help the environment, articulate their feelings toward injustices and how they can help shape political climate in today's world. Politics can be interesting and fun however the bandwidth of news can be overwhelming so it's important to inform young people early on so they can grow into their own opinions and develop their respective viewpoints. It's our future that today's decisions affect.
I feel in my country, children aren't really introduced or learn about politics unless they look at the news or have a natural passion for it when they're young. Sure you get a chance to do politics as a subject in further education (e.g 6th form or college) but unless you've been introduced to or have an inspiration for that by your teens you most likely wouldn't want to choose politics as a further choice in education. And as a teen in England that is politically engaged and always looking at the news and state of our country, when I talk to the majority of people my age about politics it's "boring" or I'm "too young to have an opinion." Which is why I believe young people in England aren't politically engaged in our current times.
I agree because... the amount of young people involved in politics are increasing. Schools enforce politics by electing the student prefects, debate club, voting to have a voice around school and doing these activites like Topical Talk. However, many young women aren't taking the full oppurtunity to use their vote which is upsetting as in history women fought for their right to do this. Hopefully this changes in the future.
If I am being completely honest, I don't know if the number of young people engaged in politics are increasing or decreasing, but I do know that most people I talk to are not exactly into politics. Being politically engaged is not really about the things I do, because if I real wanted to get into politics, it would just be to know what's going on in the world and to have an opinion on it.
I agree because most youths aren't really into politics. Most of us kids aren't even suppose to be into politics at this age. Some people are but some people are not.
I believe that todays young generation are having a lot of interest in politics the reason is they are looking for the development of the country.. In India , National youth parliament helds every year with a particular topic and youths and teenagers come from every part of India and express their opinions. So I believe it is the very good opportunities for today's youth to participate and it is promoting democratic participation for future generations, advocating for changes and raising the voice in shaping political discourse.
I don't think that the young people of my country are engaged in politics. It's like that their internet in politics are decreasing. Many people that are engaged in politics are old people. Therefore, the young people are thinking that only old people can be engaged in politics. Other reasons could be that they are still in their school or college, so they need to also focus on their studies because I think that education is more important than politics. But if they are interested in politics, then it's absolutely fine.
Thanks!
I agree to what you said about focusing on their studies . Experience is the best teacher as that say and I think that the old people that are more experienced can counter any problem he or she would face because nothing will be new .
I feel like the number of young people in Britain are increasing at a rapid pace. This is because social media is a huge part of teenage life nowadays and discussions that are politically motivated are usually posted to gain opinions of many people. Many young people participate in online protests/debates on certain topics to make their voice heard and hopefully advocate change within the society. Greta Thunberg is an amazing example of a young person who decided to speak out about what many adults were not which brought with it a mass of followers who took suit to change the way they live and shape the world around them into a better place. There are many more examples which i could extend on such as the engagement of young people in the topics of racism and homophobia awareness and activism to change the way the world act and think about certain political issues and topics which bring great controversies within groups of people.
The number of young people becoming politically engaged is most definitely increasing here in America. Lately, most controversial things have been about politics in my classroom and on my social media feed I've been seeing a lot of pre-teens and teenagers explaining their opinions in the comments.
I agree because... when you said that the number of young people that are increasing in your country I also thought of the same thing that is happening in my country, lately, young people in my country try their best to have a part in politics because they want fame or riches. Well I think that young people becoming politically engaged is a good thing but of course there should be an age restriction of 18+ before being allowed to be engaged into politics.
Politically engaged can usually be both, but from what most people are doing they share how they feel. What you do can be included in how you feel. People do things based of how they feel, so I believe being politically engaged is how you feel. You are contributing to what is going on can be by commenting your opinion. Someone can see your opinion and end up changing their mind.
I believe the number of young people who are politically engaged are decreasing in my country, this is because as gen-z people my age heavily dislike politics because they dislike what politicians have to say about problems that younger people cause. Being politically engaged involves things like voting, that is something many people in my generation are able to do, but refuse because they dislike the politicians. I feel that the main reason young people are being less politically engaged is because they feel that politics in general are haters to what young people love to do.
hello everyone,
I think everything has been negative and positive. Now the topic is political. Nowadays students are involved in various physical activities as well as politics. The negative effects outweigh the positives. It is a waste of time as well as a deterrent from studies. Due to this, many students can improve in life and many lose their lives. Due to this, most of the students in Bangladesh are now leaning towards politics before taking the secondary examination. Which is having a negative effect in reducing the education rate.
It's decreasing as a whole-- not even just young people. As more and more people vote, there are less citizens worrying about who to vote for. Instead they vote for whoever they read a small article about, they don't take time to think about the decision being made and options. I believe being politically engaged means both because your actions can really show how you are as a person but also your belief too. However how you feel is the same way, cause it is your belief. It may be a little confusing but it also is the person's state of mind, and if they even care enough about their decision. The evidence I've seen about this is on social media. People will look at short clips, and immediately base their decision on that clip. It's really unfair, but that's just how the country is now days.
I believe that in the UK political engagement with younger generations is growing, however there is a difference in growth and normalisation. While opportunities both in local councils and schools are growing rapdily, it is still viewed as a strange thing to do due to the lack of normalisation and also acceptance surrounding it. Young people who do take the initiative to join their local youth council and contribute their ideas are often viewed as strange and people question why they would want to join.
However, in the streets, the number of young people who are taking action and using their intitiative to fight for what they believe in is growing rapidly by the week. This has been shown in numerous instances, one being, for example, in spring through summer in 2020, protests, many organised by younger generations rippled throughout the country, as a result of the murder of George Floyd. Young people all across the country came together and fought together as one against the police violence and injustice, which was rife in the world as a result of fears being worsened due to the lockdown.
A more recent example of young people being politically active in the street is the protests which are currently going on as a result of the Isreal and Palestine conflict. In my own city, many people from different communities have come together in the town centre to protest, spread awareness, and voice their opinions. However, the protesting doesnt just consist of in person protests, which is what comes to many peoples mind when they hear about protests, many young people are also taking to online platforms to voice their opinions and spread awareness over the conflict which has been ongoing for decades. Some people have even gone on to boycott certain brands, and encouraging other people to join them in an attempt to stop funding certain companies.
So, the ways young people engage are extremely varied as are the reactions from people both their age and from other generations, and the question are they more active has also got varied answers.
Young people can be politically engaged. They can be used as an example in certain topics. They can also voice out their opinions. They can also give advice. This is why young people can be politically engaged.
Hi versatile_atmosphere, I agree with you that young people should be politically engaged. If you were to advise the White House on this matter, what would some of your ideas be?
Hello, everyone.
The number of young people in my country's political participation is increasing day by day. The youth of this country have no end of hope and interest in politics. A person grows up listening to political discussions from childhood. At a young age, he can realize how politics is controlling his surroundings and will take the country to the top of the world in the future. Through such understanding and awareness the youth are participating in the political activities of this country.From the country's shops to offices, courts and even educational institutions, politics has an influence in every sphere. Such influence encourages a young person to participate in politics. Youth participation in politics is very necessary because in the future, youth will play an important role in running the state, formulating political policies and implementing them.
Bye.Thank you very much.
The number of young people in politics has decreased in my nation due to concerns that they are immature and cannot perform the duties of older citizens. Older citizens are often chosen for political positions and as president's due to their relatives influence and how long they have known the country, yet they turn to be corrupted , but I believe that young citizens should be given a chance to lead the country due to their youthfulness , ideas,creativeness and fresh memory which they can recall easily, thus it can benefit the nation.
Good Day Everyone,
As an addition to this discussion, I would like to talk about how people in my country, India, don't pay as much attention to what is right for the country as a whole and pay more attention to what will end up benefiting them. They care more about their personal needs than the growth of the whole country, which concerns me, as if we behave like this, so will our future generations, and so, our country won't be able to grow as a whole. Another type of people are the ones who just don't care. They are busy building themselves and their careers and just don't pay attention to their country, it's politics, it's development, etc. and either just vote anyone without a second thought, or not vote at all. These people may have a good understanding of what is right and what isn't, but they just aren't informed enough to make the right decisions.
This is a problem not only in my country, but other countries as well, for this is not related to nationality but to the mentality of people and can only be changed if we change that.
Thank You!!!
Young people should not be politically engaged because once they are politically engaged, when I say politically engaged it means they they are able to vote or engage in any political events in the country.
Then why I say that they should not be politically engaged in politics is because they might know much about politics and maybe during any political events they will not know what to do.
Young people should be politically engaged because if you ask me I will say that because they will have the sense of politics in their country.
I truly believe that in my country the number of young people who are politically engaged is indeed increasing as I myself I'm a witness of the small steps taken by each and every individual in regards of involvement in discussions, elections etc. The schools in my country are conducting student council everyyear which provides students with opportunities of voting , discussing and getting a right to chose their leaders! On the other students becoming the captains of houses are getting an opportunity to increase leadership , to identify the problems of students etc!. And in my country the voting age for actual elections has decreased from 21years to 18 years due to which the youth of our country is getting a boon to be a part of the political process .This enables their thinking, socializing and it also provides the youth the right to choose their representative!
Hi ,
I personally think that it is the mix of of both how you feel and what you do to show them feelings . As a young person it may be harder to show your beliefs because you can't vote until the age of 16 . I believe people being politically engaged is increasing . A big effect to this is schools . My schools has family breakfast where young people can speak freely on what their opinion is . I think this will have a big effect as it learns young people to have their own opinion and not to just follow what their guardians believe in . This will lead to young people having their own beliefs and want to vote and be engaged in the future .
Your school's "family breakfast" sounds like a great idea. Have you discussed any Topical Talk topics there?
Hello Katie ,
Thank you so much for your question . Yes my school has done a Topical Talk there . We did it about AI and what effects it could have on the education system and jobs in the future . We talked about how there may not be teachers in the future . And this may be because AI could take them over . We also talked about job security and how it could effect people there as well .
In my country the number of young people who are politically engaged are increasing. People are getting engaged in politics with different creative ideas. As the young generation are now on social media so they provide a good idea for the development of the country. Now the young people started to focus on development because it is very important to the country to be developed. Many technologies and rules are the evidence that shows that young people are involved in it. It is important in every country for the young people to het engaged in politics so that there is no problem in the country and there is no problem in the working of country.
Hi everyone!
I think the number of people who are politically engaged in my country is increasing, some evidence is in schools applying for positions students are made to write manifestos and they read it out loud the people base their opinion on what the person said and promised and vote.
I think being politically engaged is about the things you do because if it depends on how you feel the wrong person might be put into power.
Thank you!
I honestly think it depends on where you are in the world. I've noticed that a lot of people in nigeria have said that they are politically engaged and they even have conversations with their parents on politics. That is a way of realizing that people in different areas of the world do things really differently.When reading other comments from here in the u.s people say that young people are politically engaged but they do not have any facts or statistics to prove it like others.I feel that we should start finding ways to promote politics to get young people to realize that this is their future and they need to start taking control and action of t!
My thoughts on it; I think that the number of young people politically engaged is increasing in my country. I live in 'Bangladesh'. In my country usually no one gets involved in politics before going to university. Currently, many 13-16 year old youths from various high schools are getting involved in politics for the political stability of our society. For example, politics is often discussed in our school. Various knowledge and concepts of relation of politics are given in our society book. Many want to get involved in politics. But I think no one should be involved in politics before the age of 18 years. Because no young person is fully prepared mentally until the age of 18 and an eighteen year old has a higher intelligence than a 13-16 year old. So, I think that age 18 is a great time for add politically engaged.
Thanks for give me a chance for explain my thoughts and opinions.
Hi there!
Yes I think , many young people are politically engaged and actively participate in various forms of civic and political activities. In recent years, there has been a notable increase in youth activism and engagement, particularly on issues such as climate change, social justice, and gun control. Young people are leveraging social media platforms, organizing protests, participating in community organizing efforts, and even running for political office to advocate for change and amplify their voices on issues that matter to them. This increased political engagement among young people reflects their desire to shape the future and address pressing societal challenges, demonstrating a strong commitment to civic participation and activism.
There are mostly not young people in politics in our country right now but hopefully in future it might be possible because politics is vast and experience but I saw one thing that mostly schools are involved the students to the process of politics they elect members and which member won they work for the welfare of other students. In our school we have also a president, voice president and secretary who elected with proper vote caste. So this is exemple which I coated that we are preparing our generation to future endeavors.
In my country I think the number of young people who are politically engaged are increasing at a very high rate the reason why I said is because all the problems emerging in my country it's affecting both the young the old all hear about the news all these issues affect us but i know with the way young people are forcefully politicaly engageing and urging the government to change and assist them better i see this as the positive impact included with politicaly engageing youth in my country the youth leader of my state is doing his taking in politics seeing on the news telling other political leaders of the information gathered by youth around him and what they have to say about their government which they need solving politicaly engageing youth is a good thing just like politics we see the youth capabilities everyday when listen to correctly
THANK YOU 😁
From my own opinion I will say YES there are being politically engaged, why I say so is because the act of children listen to news around them about what is happening politics. Knowing that the young ones are the people who are going to be involved in the future of politics, in different countries also knowing that some children have parents who are the Governors or even the President so as a child or rather as a Young individuals we should all keep our minds in the way politics are be done.
So in conclusion what I am trying to say is that, children or rather young ones are informed about what is going on in politics as long as they are in the country and also have access to what is happening in the political world so, I stand for YES that young people are involved in politics even in their small ways maybe by casting of votes or even speaking about what is happening on in the politics they should stop or do. Thanks .
India is called as the youth country having the largest population of youth across the globe , more and more youngsters are interested and politically engaged and are eager to know the functioning of the country better, I came to know this from my parents that earlier before a decade , politics was considered as a topic of talk amongst the elders only and children seldom got the opportunity to participate in such debates and present there ideas , but right now parents are willing to enlighten and arouse interest in politics in their kids. Back then voting was seen as something that only has to be done for choosing the government and one could vote after a certain age whereas , now the student council or the class monitor is chosen by the majority of children through voting . We are right now given the knowledge of the voting process , the functioning of the government and are expecting us to be politically engaged as well .
For me being politically engaged is not just to vote, but express my ideas on democracy and other issues in the country along with knowing other people's perspective and views on a particular problem , openly expressing my disapproval on a particular issue, working with other people for making a good change and making the world a better place to live. Every citizen in the country should be active and politically engaged.
In the United States, I feel like many kids are being politically engaged. This is because a lot of kids in my school know what happens in the news and express that in school. This is a good thing because young people need to know what is happening in the world. Politically engaged is about the things you do because many people are very interested in what they want to be when they grow up. For example, a person who wants to be a scientist will most likely be interested in news about scientific breakthroughs. Overall, being engaged in the news is a wonderful thing when it comes to knowing what is going on in the world.
My country India is known as the young country since we have the largest population of youngsters across the globe. With this huge population and being an independent democratic nation , the number of politically engaged youngsters is increasing . I inquired my parents about this topic they said that before a decade or two talking to young kids about politics was a big no . Back then politics was considered as a topic of talk amongst the elders . Youngsters seldom got the opportunity to participate in such discussions and present their opinions , even the parents did not encourage their young ones to gain the knowledge of politics. But, now the picture is changing more and more youngsters are willing to participate in politics . Back then if a change was made then only the elders used to give their feedback , often these changes were not even made because everyone was happy with the old systems and no one gave the thought of change , and no one asked for the opinion of the youngsters on what they wanted. Now its the present and instead of sticking with the system the government is reaching out to the youngsters for their constructive views on the development of the country . Political engagement for me means getting the freedom to express my ideas in the hope of getting them heard , for me it is to know what's going on in the country , what problems we are facing and try to contribute to come up with a solution to the problem . It is necessary for all age groups to be politically engaged . If everyone is politically aware and engaged then this would be proven to be stepping stone to the country's bright future .
You've summarised this really nicely! What do you think the government of India could be doing more of to engage the youth?
Hi !
I think , that the government should be transparent with their current policies and laws with no loopholes or hidden facts among them , also government should include more and more youngsters in the judicial courts and let them have their say whilst preparing new laws in order to propel country , at an initial stage like in school or university one should be given the knowledge of dealing with political matters , acknowledge the voting procedure to develop ,early interest in politics and other related matters . The government , school teachers and parents should encourage youngsters to become an active citizen and play their part in supporting the country.
I would like to join this discussion and say that most young people aren't politically engaged. i say this because when dealing with the 21st century/generation most young people don't care about the political news. This is because they have so many distractions in front their faces everyday, For Example, instagram, facebook, tiktok, and every popular social media app. So I would like to say that most of the kids in this generation are not politically engaged.
The number of politically engaged young people in my country is increasing rapidly. This is because the youth are keenly interested in politics and wish to develop the country beyond its current state. For instance, there are now political parties emerging that specifically cater to the youth demographic. Youth participation in politics is crucial because they are the future leaders of the world. Additionally, young people often have fresh and innovative ideas that can help propel the country forward.
In my country, I have noticed an increase in the number of young people who are politically engaged. This can be seen through the participation in protests, discussions on social media, and involvement in local community projects. Being politically engaged is more about the actions you take rather than just the feelings you have. It is important to actively participate in activities that promote change and contribute to the betterment of society. I believe that by engaging in political issues, young people can make a positive impact on their communities and society as a whole.
I don't think many young people are politically engaged. This is because we never have chances to learn about it,no one ever reaches out and says "Lets talk about politics"
What could be done about this?
Schools could teach young people about voting and the government in lessons like PSHE.
What difference would this make?
It can educate young people on politics so in the future they can have more of an idea about who to vote
for and what they want the future of their country to be like.
Young people are not to be politically engaged because at their tender age they will not know about the politics in the country so maybe during election they will not know who to vote for.
What age do you think it would be appropriate for young people to vote?
I would say that the number of young people engaged in politics are increasing. I say this because more people are wanting to be heard and are willing to put their opinions out there. Being politically engaged is about the things you do because if you just feel a certain way and not put your voice out there to be heard you aren't doing anything about the issue and you aren't taking action .
Being politically engaged is about the things you do AND about how you feel. Being politically engaged involves not only participating in activities like voting, volunteering, or advocacy but also having a genuine interest, awareness, and emotional connection to political issues. It is a combination of actions and beliefs that contribute to an engagement with the political process.
Politically engaged young people in Croatia are quite hard to find. In my personal experience I have heard several people who reach the voting age just say "I'm gonna waste my first vote, maybe I'll vote for the joke candidate" And it is dissapointing to say the least. Politics are rarely talked about among young people, mostly being seen as a "taboo" which it shouldn't be, especially in a democracy. Political generalization is also common. Young people throw up their hands and say "I don't like any of these, I'm not gonna vote!" Which in reality is a cop-out. My opinion is that voting is what allows us to develop, progress and keep improving.
I entirely endorse your point. The truth is this problem is not only evident in your country but also in mine. I feel we need to think and deliberate extensively to proffer solutions to this problem. For starters i think not only the government but Non governmental organisations and private institutions should organise enlightenment programs primarily for those who live in rural areas and young adults. They should be educated and taught on the right methods and procedures to follow during elections, ways to critically analyze candidates and primarily they should be stressed on the fact that ''THEIR VOTE COUNTS'' If this task is carried out proficiently, there will be a massive change.
I believe that young people nowadays are politically engaged because even in my class especially last term, we talked alot about politics and we were really engaged in the discussions about how much corruption there is in countries and the unneccesary inflation increase when to think about it deeply makes no sense and has no reason to ever happen in the first place, we saw all kinds of coup de tats go on and the rapid amount of them. We thought to ourselves why are leaders so corrupt, why can't they stick to what they promised and deliver it, and it goes to show that money, fame and power changes people for the better or worse and mostly the latter. We even got introduced to a TV show on politics called Johnny's bite. Even this term we talked about who the better leader to elect would be.
From these lessons we had a positive impact on our mindset and it really invigorated our problem solving skills to come up with solutions to issues such as unemployment.
In the United States, I see more young people becoming more active in politics. However, it is kinda both because some evidence suggests more younger people are speaking up about issues they care about, like climate change or social justice. They're joining protests, starting campaigns, and using social media to spread awareness. This shows an actual growing interest in making a difference. But when it comes to voting in elections, the turnout among young people has been lower than in older age groups. This means not as many young people are showing up to vote for leaders and policies that matter to them. Being politically engaged means both doing things and caring about things. It's not just about voting or going to rallies; it's also about paying attention to what's happening, forming opinions, and talking about them with others. To get more young people involved, we need to make sure they understand why politics matters and how they can make a difference. That means teaching about civics in schools, providing easy ways to register to vote, and encouraging respectful discussions about important issues.
Is the number of young people who are politically engaged increasing or decreasing in your country?
My response would undoubtedly be that young people today are well knowledgeable about politics, are able to evaluate leaders, and can spot dishonest behavior in politics!
They are all knowledgeable about corruption, unlawful politics, and how they are destroying the nation; in fact, they are eager to learn more.
But if you offer them a chance to go into politics, they'll probably refuse it. This is because the more they learn about it, the more they realize how dangerous it can be and how horrible things can end! However, someone must hold the throne, so sure, those with the necessary leadership abilities, as well as the desire and drive to advance in the main political party, are joining it.
Hello
In my country India, The amount of young people who are politically engaged are increasing. One reason is that schools have started political discussions which increases the interest and curiosity in young students.
As of 2023, The World Values Survey showed that the proportion of people aged 18–24 who identified themselves as "very" or "rather" interested in politics was around 50%, an increase of 15% since 1990 in India. Another reason we can say that the amount of young people who are politically engaged is increasing because now a days many children have also started to participate in Political processions and have began to give their political views and opinions on media openly. Even during the protests that had happened in the pre-independence period in India, Many youngsters had joined the processions against the martyrdom of their leaders.
Thank You.
I believe that the number of kids in my country, India, who are politically engaged, concerned, and informed has increased substantially in the past decade, thanks to access to the internet (available to 52% of Indians, as per the report published by the Internet and Mobile Association of India). Through the internet, the youth of my country are well informed as there is now not only one source of news but multiple sources from all over the world. Apart from these overall statistics, personally, I have observed more students talking about the politics of the nation, with many aspiring to be part of it when they grow up. Moreover, in my school, many teachers ask us to read the newspaper and tell the class a few stories from it. Through this activity, students are better informed and educated about our political nature. As the future of my nation, I believe it is very important that children are aware of politics and understand the needed way of politics to make the nation, and in turn, the world, better.
I believe that the number of young people that are politically engaged in my country is increasing. At my school, the sixth graders get to vote for class president, vice president, and class secretary. We get to vote for things when we are making important decisions . There are even clubs like debate clubs that you can join. Young people are getting more and more involved in politics.