Hope us Project: Enhanced Participation of Underserved Young People in Decision-Making Processes

Abstract

Hope us Project is designed with a focus of “enhanced participation and inclusion of socially excluded and underserved young people (young women, youth with disabilities and minority groups) aged between 15-30 years in decision making in Kamuli and Luuka district found in Eastern Uganda”. The purpose of the project is to promote inclusive civic spaces and forums at local level for diverse youth towards meaningful youth participation and resulting into local duty bearers increasingly designing, adopting, popularizing, reviewing and implementing local by-laws.

This project has identified underlining factors that limit participation of marginalised young people in decision making, such factors include: Limited spaces where young people can substantively participate in meaningful discussions, Exclusion of minority youth groups in local policies, multiple stigma and limited access to services, limited knowledge about local youth structures, limited skills and knowledge on how youth can substantively participate in civic engagements and under representation of socially excluded young people in the district local structures.

The project has also recognised that due to the above problems, socially excluded young people have lost self-esteem and confidence among themselves. Despite government and CSOs efforts to promote youth participation in decision making process in Uganda, their concentration has majorly focused in urban areas leaving the already marginalized semi-rural and difficult to reach areas. The project seeks to apply a holistic approach through GTA, SNC and integrate HRBA, meaningful youth engagement (MYE) and it’s Principles as collaborative Multisectoral solutions to promote safe spaces and positively change social attitudes among the power over.

The bigger picture of this project is to design and implement community and youth-led initiatives targeted to empower socially excluded young people with leadership skills and opportunities, enhance digital skills to enable them hold meaningful online engagements and hold their leaders accountable, promote communication skills, budget advocacy skills and increase their participation in elective politics by 2027.