YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN THE MALAWI YOUTH PARLIAMENT
Date
2014-02-17
Authors
TILINGAMAWA, LEONARD HARRY
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Abstract
This research explores the challenges the youth face in participating in decision making
processes through the mechanism of the Malawi Youth Parliament. In August 2012, conforming
with international trends the Malawi Parliament launched the youth parliament with the aim of
giving the youth a platform from which to voice issues that affect their lives with the hope that
government and other stakeholders would pick up the issues and take appropriate action.
The Malawi Youth Parliament is planned to meet twice in a year during holidays to give a
chance to school going youth parliamentarians. At the end of every meeting, the youth
parliament would adopt resolutions which would be submitted to the main parliament for
consideration. Once the resolutions are adopted by the main parliament it is incumbent upon
Government departments to consider implementing the resolutions.
This research asked: what challenges do Malawian youth face in participating in decision
making processes? This research takes a qualitative approach which looks at how unengaged
youth are placed under the governance, surveillance and control of the adults. The report
concludes that by arguing that youth participation in decision making processes may result in
either expected or accrual outcomes depending on the factors at play. The factors are
categorized as follows:- cultural, economic, legal and structural challenges. Other factors
considered are institutional support and personal efforts.
Description
MM (P&DM) thesis
Keywords
Youth parliaments - Malawi