AB WYDE A
WYDE Civic Engagement

WYDE Civic Engagement - Women and youth in democratic engagement, civic engagement

Inclusion of young people in democratic processes at national, regional and global level


The EU's program for youth participation in public affairs, Women and Youth in Democratic Engagement Civic Engagement (WYDE Civic Engagement) aims to enhance the emancipation, empowerment and inclusion of young people at all levels of democratic participation at national, regional and global levels. WYDE Youth's three-pronged approach is based on the need for youth engagement and inclusion not only at national level, but also beyond. With half of the world's population under the age of 30, the survival of democracy depends heavily on the buy-in and support of young people.

 

WYDE is implementing 5 different projects called “Clusters”, coordinated by members of the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), and aimed at engaging young people active in public affairs, from civil society activists to politicians, in an effort to empower them to advocate for greater inclusion of young people in society.

Group 1, entitled “Generating democracy: involving youth CSOs in democracy support”, aims to give youth CSOs the opportunity to put into practice the lessons learned from the other groups, and to take responsibility for concrete actions to promote civic engagement and democracy. This group is therefore cross-cutting and strongly linked to the other four.

 

JAMAA Grands Lacs is working on the promotion of digital technology in this process of including young people and women in participatory democracy with the 2nd phase of its Citizen Voice Lab project.

II. Objectives
    General objective

Optimize the democratic participation of young people and women by integrating innovative digital solutions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the aim of strengthening the responsibility, accountability and transparency of elected representatives, the State and public institutions vis-à-vis citizens.

    Specific objectives


  • Promote the active participation of citizens, particularly young people, civil society players, displaced persons, indigenous peoples, minorities and women, in public governance.
  • Reinforce the responsibility and accountability of political and administrative leaders towards citizens.
III. Context analysis

This project aims to strengthen the involvement of citizens, mainly young people and women, in the process of making elected representatives, the State and public institutions accountable in two provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, namely North and South Kivu. By integrating digital tools, this project represents an alternative and innovative solution to two major problems that constitute obstacles to the spread of democracy in the Congolese context.

  • Communication crisis between citizens and decision-makers: A considerable gap has opened up between ordinary citizens and decision-makers, making it difficult for elected representatives to express their accountability and transparency to the populations they represent. This lack of communication leads to a growing distrust of institutions, making citizens less inclined to engage with the democratic process. As a result, decisions taken by elected representatives often fail to reflect the needs and concerns of local communities.
  • Low representation of citizens (women and young people) in decision-making processes: Citizen participation in the decision-making process is often hampered by the absence of alternative spaces for democratic debate. This situation contributes to the confiscation of institutions by decision-makers, limiting citizens' involvement in public affairs. Existing participation mechanisms are often inaccessible or lacking in transparency, making it difficult for citizens to exercise their right to influence and decide.

This project is directly in line with the objective of promoting participation, responsibility and transparency for democratic governance in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Through the “Citizen Voice Lab” virtual platform, it provides a space for citizens, opinion leaders and political-administrative authorities to meet, exchange views and forge closer ties.

 

This platform is a place for democratic exchange, enabling citizens to dialogue directly with their elected representatives, ask questions, share their opinions and concerns, and receive feedback on their grievances.

 

By offering a space for popular mobilization and a source of local information, “Citizen Voice Lab” also facilitates the dissemination of essential information on public policies, development projects and local civic issues. The result is a better understanding of political decisions and greater accountability on the part of elected representatives in their commitments to citizens.

    Direct beneficiaries :
  • Citizens (young people and women) : This layer constitutes the majority population of the Democratic Republic of Congo, but unfortunately often excluded in the governance process. This is why they are the main users of the application. They can submit ideas, take part in public discussions, give their opinion on current policies or projects, and thus influence the decisions that concern them.
  • Local and national governments : Decision-makers often don't have a place where they can meet and exchange ideas with their constituents on a permanent basis. This creates a distance between decision-makers and citizens. Public authorities are direct beneficiaries, as the application enables them to gather citizens' opinions in a structured and accessible way. This helps them to make informed decisions and adapt their policies to citizens' needs and concerns.
  • Civil society organizations : CSOs are a force for democracy. But lacking communication channels, they often fail to perform to the best of their ability in their role of raising awareness and mobilizing citizens. This is why these groups will be able to use the platform to gather information on citizens' needs and concerns, and campaign for evidence-based social and political change.
    Indirect beneficiaries :
  • Local communities : Through active citizen participation, communities can see their needs and expectations better represented in public policies, thus improving their quality of life.
  • Researchers and analysts : These professionals can use the data collected on the platform to analyze social and political trends, which can contribute to studies or the development of policy recommendations based on real data.