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Concluding Recommendations For Political Parties At Dutse, Jigawa State Town Hall Meeting Held On 15th November 2017 At Manpower Development Institute, Dutse

Jigawa Town Hall Meeting

“Engaging Political Parties To Improve Youth Participation”

Concluding Recommendations For Political Parties At Dutse, Jigawa State Town Hall Meeting Held On 15th November 2017 At Manpower Development Institute, Dutse

• Political Parties should allow youth to become members without restrictions and open inner-party positions to capable ones
• Parties should evaluate existing successful outreach activities and initiatives, especially those reaching new groups, to attract people of youth age, women and physically challenge.
• An orientation and welcoming structure is essential for a sustainable opening up of the party. A climate should be created in which everyone, regardless of their age, gender, socio-economic, educational, occupational, religious and/or ethnic background is welcome and recognized for their own specific competences and experience (culture of recognition). Parties could provide support to local initiatives and structures.
• Structurally anchored mentoring programs and membership social gathering would ensure that new members quickly find their place within the party. Welcoming or social events attached to a party meeting may help to make party meetings more attractive.
• The established operations of parties such as meeting times should be reviewed and adapted to the diversity of its members. These measures should guarantee that interested people of diverse backgrounds are valued and welcomed into the party.
• In terms of recognition it is important that politicians of youth background or as persons “marked” as youth occupy public positions and are known by the population. Well-known politicians of youth age make it possible for others to identify with and open the space of political participation for other youth.
• Party leaders should be aware of their role and responsibility in the nomination processes. Nomination decisions must be clear and eligible to the party base. While symbols and role models are very important, the inclusion of candidates of youth age must go beyond symbolic actions and allow new perspectives to enter the dominant discourses.
• Instead of individual-centered actions, long-term programs and “safety measures” for minimum representation are preferable. Safety measures may include the use of quotas for different under-represented groups in order to increase diversity on nomination lists. They can be guided by internal party quotas for youth.
• Information workshops and mentoring should be offered by the party for new candidates including youth. Parties could find ways to help with fundraising for youth candidates.