Advancing Youth Participation in IG: results from case study | IGF 2023

Event report

Speakers and Moderators

Speakers:

• Mauricia Abdol Tshilunda, YCIG, Civil Society, African Group
• Phyo Thiri L., YCIG, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
• Marko Paloski, YCIG, Civil Society, Eastern European Group
• Nicolas Fiumarelli, YCIG, Civil Society, GRULAC
• Anja Gengo, IGF Secretariat, Intergovernmental, WEOG

Moderators:

• João Pedro Martins, YCIG, Civil Society, WEOG
• Nicolas Fiumarelli, YCIG, Civil Society, GRULAC

Event desciption

The session will be divided into two segments. In the first segment, we will present the findings of a YCIG research study already in progress and to discuss key action points for fostering more youth engagement in IG spaces. The discussion will be based on categories identified in the research such as capacity building, inclusive and accessible spaces, and recognition of youth expertise. We will also discuss ways to overcome the challenges identified in the research, and share best practices and success stories from National and Regional Youth IGF Initiatives (NRI).

In the second segment, we will focus on the future of decision-making in IG and present some initial requirements for a Massive Multi Stakeholder Participative Process (MMPP). We will then collaboratively discuss this new approach and reach consensus for a possible open-source youth platform for nested comments, drafting, and categorization by stakeholder and topic. This platform will enable youth to participate in decision-making processes and have their voices heard in the IG ecosystem.

The session aims to establish a roadmap for future cooperation among the youth communities and expand outreach and participation of this segment of the population in IG spaces. As the future leaders of the IG ecosystem, youth have innovative ideas and different perspectives from traditional multistakeholder approaches. It is crucial to take their ideas seriously and promote a more inclusive and diverse IG ecosystem.