International Conference Fully Funded Application Essay

YOUTH DRIVEN POLICY INNOVATION PROJECT 

The 6th Asia Youth Summit 

"Young People are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are the leaders of today." - Kofi Annan.

 According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, 50% of the world's population is under 30, yet youths hold only 2.6% of parliamentary seats globally, thereby limiting the influence that young people have in policymaking. Youth participation in policy-making is important because it ensures that policies are forward-thinking, inclusive, and reflective of the needs and aspirations of future generations, fostering innovation and sustainable progress. 

Today, in Indonesia, youths have become at the forefront of political activism. Young people are the majority of those protesting against the proposed revision of the Military Law (RUU TNI), which, if passed, has the potential to bring back authoritarian-era control over academic spaces and policy-making. 

The RUU TNI revisions raise concerns about the decline in democracy, increased military involvement in civilian matters, and limitations on academic freedom, which impact youth, particularly students, yet their perspectives were ignored during the legislative process. This situation proves that policy-making without youth participation is not inclusive, limits fresh perspectives and reform efforts, and prevents freedom of expression and activism. 

Yet, despite the growing demand for youth involvement in policy innovation, youth-driven policy innovation remains difficult to achieve due to institutional barriers, lack of access to decision-making spaces, and cultural biases that undermine their role in governance. 

This highlights the importance of the need for a space for youths to increase representation in policy-making and innovation, ensuring youth’s rights and freedom, and creating a sustainable impact. 

At the conference, I would want to present a platform that I call IMPACT (Innovative Movement for Policy, Advocacy, and Constructive Transformation). A space for youth to teach other youth about policymaking, build direct connections between young people and policymakers, ensure youth’s rights and freedom when it comes to policymaking, and encourage sustainable youth participation beyond protests. 

IMPACT will actively engage students, young professionals, and youth activists and will be primarily led by youth-driven NGOs, ensuring that young voices are at the forefront of program execution, allowing organized mentorship programs, coordinating global youth collaborations, and establishing emergency response networks to counter possible policy suppression to international human rights organizations (e.g., UN Youth). 

By partnering with international youth organizations and NGOs to provide support and global recognition, using secure digital platforms to ensure safe international collaboration, and creating a rapid-response network to elevate concerns to global institutions and media outlets, youth from all over would be able to be more involved in policy innovation making sure that the youth demographics are represented while offering protection and advocacy mechanisms against suppression.

Gracelycia Angeline Serat