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- Convenors:
-
Daniela C Beltrame
(University of Manchester)
Mercy Sande (Dialogue on Shelter)
Send message to Convenors
- Chairs:
-
Teurai Anna Nyamangara
(Slum Dwellers International - Zimbabwe)
Michelle Koyaro Matengo (Shack Dwellers International Kenya (SDI-K))
- Format:
- Experimental format
- Stream:
- Youth movements, education and urban informality
Short Abstract:
This panel explores the pivotal role of youth engagement in social movements, centering on the challenges and opportunities for new solidarities and intergenerational collaboration. It is structured as a horizontal learning exchange and welcomes submissions in varied mediums.
Description:
In times of uncertainty and compounding crises, when hegemonic development paradigms do not suffice to address the roots of inequality and marginalisation, social movements are vital sites of radical imagination and praxis on how to cultivate positive change. Among them, youth-led mobilisations - from the #FeesMustFall protests in South Africa to the Gen-z-led protest against the Finance Bill in Kenya, have not only challenged entrenched political and economic systems, but have also grappled with the intersections of race, class, and gender that shape experiences of marginalisation.
This panel explores the pivotal role of youth engagement in social movements, centering on the challenges as well as the opportunities for new solidarities and intergenerational collaboration. We welcome submissions centered in experiences that explore the ways in which engaged youth are forging alliances across differences, developing innovative organizational forms, and articulating alternative visions of the future. In doing so, the panel seeks to illuminate the transformative potential of intergenerational alliances within and across social movements, particularly within the urban, and their capacity to reshape development theory and practice in the face of compounding crises.
The panel will be structured as a horizontal learning exchange, following one of Slum Dwellers International’s (SDI) main ritualised practices for emancipatory change. We seek submissions in varied mediums: papers, write-ups, presentations, video, visual art, etc., that speak broadly to the panel theme. We propose an emphasis on urban Africa but are open to submissions about experiences around the globe.
Accepted contributions:
Session 1Contribution short abstract:
This paper aims to explore how digital literacy impacts youth-led protest movements in Africa, by examining how online search strategies can be used to empower young activists in mobilizing social change, navigating socio-political challenges, and fostering cross-generational alliances.
Contribution long abstract:
The study seeks to explore how digital literacy influences youth-led protest movements in Africa while focusing on how online search strategies can be used to empower young activists to mobilize social change and challenge systemic inequality. For instance, movements like #ENDSARS in Nigeria and #RejectFinanceBill2024 in Kenya practically show how digital platforms can be used by youths to organize, share information, and forge solidarities across social, and economic landscapes while building intergenerational collaborations.
By analysing the patterns of digital engagements, this study reveals how digital literacy enables young individuals to access, assess, and apply information for collective action while countering misinformation. In addition, it explores how digital competencies help youths navigate complex socio-political environments, articulate alternative futures, and foster intergenerational collaboration in urban social movements, as we have seen in recent times.
The research employs a mixed-methods approach to combine quantitative analysis of digital search behaviours with qualitative insights from youth activists on digital platforms. This approach addresses the challenges of digital literacy in activism as well as issues of digital surveillance, data privacy and the risks of organizing online movements.
The study advocates for robust digital literacy programs and policies that empowers youths to organize movements for driving social change. Moreover, it emphasises the role of digital literacy in fostering inclusivity and intergenerational collaborations for reimagining development and positive change in Africa.
Contribution short abstract:
Digital activism by youth-led social movements has critiqued embedded systems of inequality in Ghana. This paper investigates how Ghanaian urban youth utilised social media platforms to mobilise for social justice, focusing on youth-led movements such as #JusticeForKaaka and #FixTheCountry.
Contribution long abstract:
Ghanaian youth, largely in urban settings, have leveraged digital platforms as critical tools for youth-led social movements, serving as spaces to amplify youth voices on socio-political issues such as gender and solidarity building. This paper examines how Ghanaian youth utilise social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and X to mobilise for social justice, focusing on youth-led movements such as #JusticeForKaaka and the #FixTheCountry campaigns. These solidarity movements depict how digital activism addresses rooted systems of inequality and intersecting issues of class and gender (Castells, 2015; Tufekci, 2017). This paper also examines the dynamics of intergenerational collaboration within these social movements. While the youth mobilise rapidly and enhance visibility by leveraging digital technologies, the older generation provides historical context and strategic depth, providing opportunities for solidarity building across divides (Honwana, 2019). This notwithstanding, tensions arise as a result of diverse approaches and priorities, especially when it comes to striking a balance between digital and offline mobilisation (Bennet and Segerberg, 2013). Deploying interviews, media analysis and critical theories, this paper explores how digital activism by youth-led movements transforms urban youth identities and enables intergenerational alliances to reshape the socio-political landscapes in Ghana within broader African and global contexts. This contributes to scholarly debates on social movements, digital culture and transformative urban praxis.
Contribution short abstract:
We explore to what extent online gender-based violence (OGBV) is addressed by the state apparatus and rights-based organizations in Bangladesh as a legitimate form of violence and how youth activists are engaging with these actors and navigating the contentious solidarity to ensure women’s rights.
Contribution long abstract:
In Bangladesh, a range of gender justice organizations mostly led by urban youth have been working on mitigating online gender-based violence (OGBV) over the years. As the state apparatus and traditional rights-based organizations tend to trivialize OGBV, gender justice organizations are compelled to navigate various challenges to sustain their activism and safeguard women’s rights. We conducted a longitudinal case study on their activism in Bangladesh from 2020 to 2024 to explore the question: How do youth-led gender justice organizations in Bangladesh engage with the state apparatus and rights-based organizations to legitimize OGBV as a serious form of violence? In answering this question, we collected longitudinal data through a panel-based participatory approach called the ‘observatory method’, conducted policy maps to review the key current areas of legal contention, interviewed key informants and gender justice activists, and continuously tracked the print and online media. Our findings suggest that while rights-based organizations prioritise ensuring freedom of speech and other fundamental rights in the online sphere, youth gender justice activists emphasize addressing OGBV in cyber laws. We argue that differences in how gender justice activists and rights-based organizations perceive OGBV contributed to intergenerational tensions and limited the formation of formal alliances, which hinders the scope to negotiate with the state apparatus to reform the cyber laws to address OGBV. We also argue that although informal networks exist between these organizations, it is characterized by cooption, distrust, and backtracking on politically sensitive issues—leading to a form of solidarity that is contentious
Contribution short abstract:
Cyber violence limits young women’s digital participation. This study explores awareness, prevalence and resistance among female undergraduates in Southwest Nigeria, highlighting digital activism’s role in fostering solidarity and safer online spaces
Contribution long abstract:
Cyber violence (CV) has a significant impact on young women, hindering their digital participation and activism. According to the European Institute for Gender Equality, one out of every ten women has faced discrimination by the age of 15, which highlights the urgent need for gender-sensitive digital policies. While CV silences many, youth-led digital mobilization is emerging as a form of resistance. This study examines awareness, prevalence, and activism around CV among female undergraduates at a Southwest Nigerian university. Using a mixed-method approach, including surveys, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions (FGDs), data was collected from 350 female students and seven university officials. Findings reveal that while many students encounter CV, low awareness and fear of stigma hinder reporting and resistance.
Nonetheless, emerging digital movements led by young people are promoting solidarity and advocacy, with young women using social media to share their experiences, demand accountability, and advocate for institutional reforms. By situating CV within urban youth activism, this study highlights how young women mobilize to regain online spaces and advocate for digital safety. The findings emphasize the importance of enhancing youth-driven interventions and cross-generational collaborations to effectively combat online gender-based violence.
Contribution short abstract:
The study is an analytical contribution of students' activism to the growth of democracy, development and good governance in the pre- colonial and post-colonial Nigeria. The study is an overview of the trajectory of how gendered -students' activism has overshadowed advocacy for good governance.
Contribution long abstract:
Students have continued to play critical roles in nation-building as advocates of good governance and development. The trajectory of advocacy for Nigeria’s democracy and good governance holds its wider supports to students’ activism. The radical ideology of the students’ leaders in support for decolonisation and opposition to military interregnums became signposts of Nigeria’s democracy. In recent time, the gains of democracy such as equal political participation, credible elections and good governance are on the decline due to gender disparity in students’ activism. Students’ activism, a supposed conscience of the nation is now dominated by the male folk, robbing it of the supports from female activists. There is paucity of studies on the role of female students’ activists and how such has impacted the growth of democracy. The study is a qualitative approach with data sourced from relevant secondary materials via published journals, textbooks, with ten case study reports in public universities. The study also used feminist theory as framework of analysis. The study identified cultural stereotypes, absence of institutional quota for female representatives in campus activism and violence- laden nature of African politics responsible for the declining of students’ activism and as the albatross to the growth of Nigeria’s democracy. The study recommends for action against gendered students’ activism; integration of female students into campus activism; reserved quota for female representatives; collaboration of students wing with the leadership of ASUU and prosecution of violence entrepreneurs in African politics in order to ensure renaissance of democratic values in Nigeria.
Contribution short abstract:
This paper discusses collaborations between youth-led civil society organisations in Africa drawing on empirical evidence from 9 African countries. In doing so, the paper provides insights into the nature of collaborations among youth-led civil society organisations which remains under-researched.
Contribution long abstract:
While collaborations between civil society organisations (CSOs) in the Global North and South have been explored, the focus has been on the added value of collaborations. However, how youth-led CSOs (YLCSOs) in the Global South form transcalar collaborations with stakeholders and the nature of such collaborations remains under-researched. Drawing on interviews and focus group discussions with 31 representatives of YLCSOs and government institutions in nine African countries and the concept of transcalar collaboration, we show that donors’ high preference for established CSOs limits the opportunities for YLCSOs to engage in transcalar collaborations. We show that the calls for shifting power to CSOs in the Global South through intermediaries produce unintended consequences. The lack of organisational capacity and closing civic space negatively affects collaborations by YLCSOs. We argue for donors and governments to provide flexible funding models to strengthen organisational capacity and create an enabling environment for the effective functioning of YLCSOs in Africa.
Contribution short abstract:
The paper will bring to the workshop the following: i. The contemporary issue of youth-led movement, especially in the wake of protests against police brutality and injustice in Nigeria; ii. The importance or roles of this movement for democratic governance; iii. Challenges faced by this movement.
Contribution long abstract:
The involvement of youth-led movements in various democratic governance and support for a better, safer space across Nigeria cannot be over-emphasized. The need for a better life and the protection of the human rights of every citizen are garments in promoting good democratic governance in Nigeria. This study examines the youth-led movement and democratic governance in Nigeria. The study adopted the qualitative research method via the desk review of secondary data from academic articles, government reports, online libraries, news reports, and the Internet. What are the nexus between youth-led movement and democratic governance in Nigeria? Meanwhile, the following research questions were considered for the study; What are the contemporary implications of youth-led movement on democratic governance in Nigeria? What are the challenges of youth-led movement on democratic governance in Nigeria? The findings from the study show that youth-led movements have a proper healthy space for democratic governance even in the face of oppression. For instance, the 2020 ENDSARS movement across the country indicates the need for reform to provide a better life for all Nigerians. Although the various youth-led movements continue to face serious challenges, more needs to be done to ensure that democratic governance is sustained with a call for freedom of speech and protection of human rights in Nigeria. The study concludes that the need to empower the youth-led movement will accelerate proper political participation in local and national political affairs.
Contribution short abstract:
My goal is to engage young people in programs that help them identify opportunities within their environments and pursue them through a strategic plan, fostering focus, resilience, and sustainable projects.
Contribution long abstract:
Am a community mentor of a youth and children-led platform supporting 70 participants based in a village within Huruma informal settlements. Our mission is to empower youth and children in our community by addressing poverty, unemployment, and fostering self-reliance through arts, sports, climate change, entrepreneurship, and knowledge management.
The platform has created a youth and children initiative, focusing on mentorship, education, arts, sports, peer education, climate change, entrepreneurship, and project innovation. One of a large initiative we are working is waste management behavior change. In our community center, each and every student is voluntarily needed to identify plastic or paper waste, that is; plastic bottles and polymer bags only in their respective homes/schools. Store the collection in their homes or set aside dustbins for only plastic bottles until it reaches a considerable amount of kg. bring the collection to the community hall’s container for weight recording, data entry and storage.
The data entry involves registering the student names according to the amount of plastic or papers weight, in which they earn points.
The plastic collection stored is then sold to recycling companies respective of current market prices. Money earned is then divided in accordance with the student’s points earned and used to buy stationaries i.e. writing books, pens, calculators among others.
The program is set to be managed by outgoing high school students, to give them opportunity to give back to the community. For more information watch this 3-minute video via our fb link here. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18hWNY9Kcd/
Contribution short abstract:
Nowadays, we can't talk about the sustainability of the development without youths engagements, Because the youths are the future of our differents initiatives. In my presentation ,i will talk about how the young generation is contributing to slums development initiatives in Benin Republic.
Contribution long abstract:
My name is Antoine AGOSSOU. I am the president of the association of inhabitants of slum areas in the Republic of Benin. Our association is a movement that works for dignity, social inclusion and sustainable development at the grassroots.The members of our association come together to find alternatives for the reconstruction of their living environments.
To achieve our goals:
- we raise awareness among members of our communities about human rights and active participation in community development.
- we promote the creation and development of associations sharing the same ideals and objectives throughout the country (Unity is our strength).
- Through the KYC program of the SDI network, we collect and analyse our data in order to plan participatory development projects with a view to increasing our capacity for action on our living environment (Information is Power).
- we develop actions, activities that contribute to the development and dignity of human beings (Sanitation Campaigns, capacity building trainings, knowledge sharing exchanges, etc.).
- we establish strong partnerships between our communities and local, municipal, and national governments.
All our activities are organized with the participation of youth, the elderly people (men and women) and the disabled.
Youth play a key role in the implementation of our community mobilization activities, data collection, video editing for greater visibility, sanitation campaigns and in several other activities that we carry out to achieve our objectives.
Finally, I must also mention that this youth is facing some technical and financial needs.
Thank you.
Contribution short abstract:
Urban safety requires integrated development and systems-thinking. The paper explores crime, violence and socio-economic disparities. It highlights interconnectedness, community engagement, and innovative solutions. Studies emphasize policy alignment, youth-led initiatives, and resilience strategies
Contribution long abstract:
Navigating urban safety complexities in Zimbabwe necessitates an integrated development strategy combined with a systems-thinking approach to create healthy, livable, productive and sustainable futures. This abstract explores the intricate dynamics of urban safety, addressing crime, inadequate infrastructure, and socio-economic disparities. By leveraging integrated strategies and systems-thinking, the research emphasizes the interconnectedness of various urban elements and their collective impact on safety. The study investigates the role of the formal and informal institutions in shaping safety policies and practices, highlighting the importance of community engagement and cross-sectoral collaboration. Through case studies in Zimbabwe, it showcases innovative technological solutions, such as community policing systems and data-driven interventions that enhance public safety. The findings underscore the critical need for aligning local, regional, and national policies, stakeholders and locally-led interventions to comprehensively address safety concerns. Additionally, the abstract discusses the influence of urban youth-led safety complexities and crises on urban safety, proposing adaptive strategies to bolster resilience. By adopting a holistic, systems-thinking approach, the abstract argues for transformative strategies that not only improve urban safety but also promote socio-economic development, environmental sustainability, and inclusive governance. This integrated framework is essential for creating resilient, secure, and thriving urban communities in Zimbabwe, laying a robust foundation for future growth and development.