Enhancing Youth Participation in democratic processes

THE YOUTH MODEL PARLIAMENT 2025 

Zimbabwe convened the first ever Youth Model Parliament (YMP) from March 27-30, 2025, a significant milestone in fostering youth participation in governance. This initiative, a collaborative effort by the Zimbabwe Institute, the Parliament of Zimbabwe (through the Parliamentary Youth Caucus), and the Zimbabwe Youth Council, aimed to integrate young voices into national discourse and cultivate future leaders. Here are our reflections on the key lessons for youth participation in governance from the Youth Model Parliament.  

Platform for Engagement 

The YMP2025 provided a crucial platform for young people from all ten provinces of Zimbabwe to engage directly with parliamentary processes and procedures. It brought together 270 delegates, including 30 Youth Members of Parliament who took on various roles, simulating actual parliamentary proceedings. 

Capacity Building and Skills Development 

Through debates, articulation of motions, and engagement with government ministries' youth desk officers, participants gained hands-on experience in policy development, critical thinking, and parliamentary procedures. 

Strengthening Youth Agency 

The YMP2025 empowered young people to articulate their views and concerns on pressing political, economic, and social issues. This simulation fostered a sense of agency and inspired many to consider future roles in legislative processes, potentially directly influencing their future. 

Consensus Building and Non-Partisanship 

A key takeaway was the successful promotion of a non-partisan approach among the youth. The initiative encouraged young leaders to work together across political divides, focusing on shared goals of youth empowerment and addressing collective national challenges. 

Addressing Critical Youth Issues 

The youth parliamentarians actively debated and raised pertinent issues facing young people, including:  

• Youth unemployment and its link to drug and alcohol abuse. 

• Youth access to technology and the need for digitalization. 

• Youth inclusion and quotas in local government. 

  
  

Cultivating Future Leaders 

The YMP2025 served as a training ground, grooming a new generation of leaders to be inclusive, non-partisan, and participatory, thereby entrenching democratic values. Moving forward, selected Model Parliamentarians will receive further capacity building and leadership training through a dedicated leadership school and mentorship circles, with the YMP planned as an annual event. 

The inaugural Youth Model Parliament 2025 has demonstrated the immense potential of empowering young people to actively contribute to national development and democratic governance in Zimbabwe. As ZI, we are excited to see what the future holds for this noble initiative for youth active participation in governance.