Lowering the voting age: A remedy for democratic decline?
Democracy has been in decline for 17 consecutive years. Notably, young voters seem to lose faith in democracy, with less than 57% of young people voting actively according to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
This is a concerning trend at a time when radicalization and conflicts are on the rise, and consensus-based decision-making within and across countries is more critical than ever to address global challenges such as climate change, international conflicts, and the mental health pandemic among young people.
When engaging with partners in search of solutions to these problems, I am often asked whether I recommend lowering the voting age to turn the tide and motivate young people to vote.
While I generally welcome all initiatives aimed at strengthening inter-generational decision-making, I am doubtful that lowering the voting age on its own will encourage young people to turn out at the polls.
The challenge we face runs deeper and requires a more complex solution. To address this, we must resist the temptation to conclude that young people are indifferent to democracy. Most importantly, we must engage children and young people in finding solutions by exploring critical questions such as: What are the underlying causes of low voter turnout among young people? How can we ignite their interest in civic and political engagement? What steps can we take to rebuild their trust in democracy and the institutions that govern them?
It is too easy to conclude that young people simply are not interested in politics. Our consultations with more than 20,000 children and young people over the past year contradict such statements. Children and young people:
Want to learn about their civic and political rights.
Ask for information on where and how they can exercise these rights.
Ask politicians to consult them and represent their voices when formulating laws, policies, and strategies, and when they allocate funding.
Ask adult decision-makers at home, in schools, and in the private sector to consult them when they formulate curricula and teaching methodologies, mental health support, urban plans and playgrounds, and much more.
Tell us that they are experts on childhood, children’s needs and priorities, and on identifying the challenges that they face. They also tell us that they can contribute to identifying meaningful, effective, and cost-efficient solutions.
Albeit in a very different format, similar trends are reflected in the news. For years, young students have been leaving school on Fridays to demonstrate for climate action. In Switzerland, young people are suing their government at the European Court of Human Rights for failing to take adequate climate action. In Iran, young girls risked their lives by removing their scarves in public as an act of defiance against oppression. In France, children burned cars and engaged in violent activities to express their dissatisfaction with the government.
In my eyes, the conclusion is clear: children and young people want to communicate, and they want to engage in decision-making that impacts their lives and futures. By hitting the streets rather than the voting polls, they are trying to create platforms where they can make themselves heard. They are telling us that they have felt ignored for too long and are losing faith in the political establishment and existing governance structures that have failed to represent them during the first two decades of their lives.
The question is, are we listening? Do we inform children, their parents, and their teachers that children, too, have civic and political rights? That they are entitled to information, freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly, just as they have the right to be heard in decisions impacting their lives in accordance with their evolving capacities? Do we provide sufficient platforms, if any, for children and young people to exercise and practice these rights before they reach adulthood?
At a time of growing marginalisation and radicalisation, it is in all our interest to do so.
In a period where poverty is on the rise across the income index and resources and public services are scarce, we cannot afford not to.
In a deteriorating global environmental, financial, and political climate, we have a moral obligation we cannot ignore.
Democratic and participatory practice before adulthood
Unsurprisingly, children don’t become adults overnight. As with everything else in life, we need to support children in developing the necessary skills, competencies, and motivation. This involves exposing children to democratic values through practice throughout their childhood, in accordance with their evolving capacities, to support their transition into active citizens in adulthood.
Rather than merely lowering the voting age, we need to bring democracy to those under the age of 18. At the Child and Youth Friendly Governance Project, we believe that democratic education can and should begin as early as age three. Children should gradually be offered more opportunities to participate in decision-making, whether at home, in schools, in health services, or through engagement with governments at all levels.
Children can participate in weekly planning meetings with their families and caregivers, and school and youth councils are incredible platforms for children to learn how to develop recommendations for politicians, contribute to policymaking, and manage small budgets and projects. Children can also be meaningfully consulted in the formulation and design of services related to health, education, and their protection, just as they can co-create playgrounds and urban planning projects. Such engagement not only provides valuable learning for children but also ensures that services and products meet the needs and priorities of the children they are intended for. Moreover, it ensures that these investments are not only effective but also cost-efficient.
From commitment to sustainable impact
Children’s participation in decision-making that affects their lives and futures is not rocket science. The beauty of it is that, when done right and aligned with international standards, it brings significant benefits - not only for the children and young people involved but also for the broader society.
For children and young people, we see that their involvement in decision-making processes boosts their self-esteem and confidence, while equipping them with invaluable skills such as critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. Beyond being valuable, these skills are highly sought after in the labour market.
As for the institutions and organizations we partner with, we observe how the active engagement of young people in decision-making ensures that services and products meet their needs and priorities more effectively. It also increases institutional transparency and strengthens commitment to social good, including enhanced SDG, ESG, and CSR strategies and reporting.
Finally, we all benefit from the improved social cohesion that intergenerational, compromise-driven decision-making offers - and that is something we need now more than ever.
Bio
Louise Thivant-Johannsen is a child rights lawyer and international development specialist with 20 years of experience in various development and humanitarian settings. As the head of the Child and Youth Friendly Governance Project, she manages partnerships, strategy, and project conceptualisation, while providing policy and program guidance. Previously, Louise worked at UNICEF, where she led the revitalization of the Child Friendly Cities Initiative. She also brings experience from UNOCHA, civil society, the Red Cross, and the Danish and British governments.
