🗳️ One Young Tanzania: Empowering Youth in Democracy
📍 Introduction
One Young Tanzania is an initiative aimed at increasing youth participation and engagement in democratic processes across Tanzania. Recognizing that youth make up a significant portion of the population, the project seeks to ensure their voices are heard and their interests reflected in governance.
⚠️ Challenges
Despite numerous efforts by the government and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to encourage youth participation, many young people remain disengaged due to limited civic education, restricted access to information, negative perceptions of politics, poverty, unemployment, and lack of youth representation.
💬 The Youth Democratic Dialogue
Empower Youth Prosperity (EYP) and the YouLead Consortium, led by MS Training Centre for Development Cooperation (MS TCDC) and comprising 10 member organizations, organized the Youth Democratic Dialogue on 10 May 2023. The forum brought together 100 participants, including youth representatives from political parties, influential young individuals, and community opinion leaders. Funded by the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania, the event provided a platform for exchanging ideas, fostering meaningful conversations, and promoting democratic values among youth.
🎯 Objectives of the Project
Aligned with President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan's 4R Philosophy—Reconciliation, Resilience, Reform, and Rebuild—and the Task Force on Multi-Party Democracy, the initiative focuses on:
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Promoting greater inclusivity, transparency, and accountability in political processes.
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Strengthening political parties and ensuring fair and impartial elections.
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Advocating for media freedom, access to information, and protection of opposition rights.
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Empowering young people to participate in dialogue, advocacy, and reform processes.
🌍 Impact and Opportunities
Through One Young Tanzania, youth gain the tools and platform to advocate for policies and reforms that reflect their needs and interests. Their engagement ensures that democratic reforms are inclusive, transparent, and accountable, contributing to a representative political system that values the voices of young Tanzanians.
By participating, young people actively influence governance, promote civic engagement, and help build a more inclusive and participatory democracy for Tanzania’s future.
