IPU and Women and Youth Democratic Engagement partners celebrate International Youth Day
On 12 August, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) celebrated International Youth Day by organizing a webinar for members of parliament and international partners that would highlight new tools and initiatives aimed at empowering young parliamentarians. The focus was on enhancing gender equality through efforts that promoted youth empowerment in politics. The event emphasized peer learning, international cooperation and practical tools that helped young leaders become more effective and influential in their political roles and in promoting gender equality.
The Women and Youth Democratic Engagement (WYDE) initiative, funded by the European Union, is a global effort to strengthen youth participation in democratic life. Launched in 2024, WYDE | Women Leadership brings together organizations like the IPU, UN Women, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) to advance women’s political participation and decision-making through social norms change, networking and global advocacy.
Women and youth in democracy: WYDE – the EU’s flagship initiative
The WYDE initiative is a 63 million euro effort implemented by over 20 partners, including the IPU. It is one of the EU’s Youth Action Plan flagship programmes, strengthening the role of young people as active and informed participants in democratic life. The Youth Democracy Cohort (YDC), with over 550 members, advocates for democratic reforms and offers seed grants to its members. The European Partnership for Democracy leads the Global Youth Participation Index, providing a comprehensive overview of youth political participation in over 140 countries.
Through training, dialogue platforms and support for youth-led organizations, WYDE enhances young people’s leadership capacities and promotes their representation in governance. The Democracy Schools organized by the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) and the Accountability Hubs are key training and mentoring programmes for young leaders.
WYDE also works to identify and remove systemic barriers that hinder youth participation, such as discrimination, lack of access to political networks and limited civic education. Notable efforts include the cost of politics studies and micro-grants awarded by the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA).
IPU youth empowerment initiatives under WYDE
The IPU has launched several initiatives under WYDE to empower young MPs. One key initiative is the online Empowerment Series, which includes dedicated gender-related briefings to strengthen young MPs’ knowledge and enhance their influence in policymaking. These sessions have explored critical issues such as young women’s political participation and violence against women, with a recent focus on implementing the Beijing+30 agenda.
Another initiative is the Open Dialogue Series, which builds bridges between young MPs and youth civil society representatives. The first meeting, held in April 2025, focused on how young male MPs could champion addressing harmful social norms hindering women’s political participation.
Additionally, a series of intergenerational dialogues involving both younger and more senior parliamentarians aims to forge mentorship opportunities and action coalitions to advance gender equality. The first dialogue took place in New York in February 2025; it will also be a focus at the 2025 Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians in Peru in September 2025.
These initiatives will help consolidate the views of MPs and youth groups to create new trainings and guidelines to advance gender equality and address harmful social norms, all of which is to be launched in the coming months.
International IDEA’s youth empowerment initiatives under WYDE
International IDEA leads implementation of the Young Women’s Empowerment Academies, providing strategies and capacity development for young women in politics aged 18 to 35. These academies aim to advance transformative gender social norms in their communities. International IDEA has piloted two academies in sub-Saharan Africa, with upcoming academies in South Asia, West Africa, and Latin America.
iKNOW Politics, an online platform supported by International IDEA, promotes knowledge-sharing, networking and collaboration among women in politics. It offers tools such as expert interviews, discussion forums, and an extensive library of resources to advance gender equality in political participation and leadership worldwide.
International IDEA provides access to the following data portals: the global Gender Quotas Database and the Inclusion Portal, and has issued a second edition of the publication on women in politics in Africa.
UN Women’s youth empowerment initiative
The Southern Africa Youth Forum (SAYoF) is a youth-led forum that is redefining political participation across 16 Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries (with 36 parliamentarians among whom 50% are female). Through key parliamentary sessions, public hearings and other online engagements young people build civic awareness, sharpen leadership skills, and push for policy change on issues related to youth leadership and gender equality. In collaboration with UN Women, SAYoF has combined hands-on learning, including gender-responsive leadership training, digital skills and awareness, mentorship, and real dialogue between youth and policymakers.
Ms. N. Abu Ghosh, President of IPU's Bureau of Young MPs
