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T0040


Amplifying Youth Activism: Exploring Mechanisms, Barriers, and Strategies in the Global South 
Convenor:
Nico Brando (University of Liverpool)
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Chairs:
Nico Brando (University of Liverpool)
Stacy J. Kosko (University of Maryland)
Discussants:
Pedro Hernando Maldonado Castañeda (Universitat de Barcelona)
Stacy J. Kosko (University of Maryland)
Roni Kay M. O'Dell (Seton Hill University)
Format:
Thematic Panel
Theme:
Social solidarity, grassroots approaches, and collective action

Short Abstract:

Youth across the Global South are increasingly driving social change movements. This panel delves into the complexities of youth activism, examining the mechanisms they employ, the barriers they face, and the strategies they develop for effective action. Focusing on diverse contexts and issues, it shed light on the challenges and opportunities encountered by young activists.

Long Abstract:

(This Thematic Panel is a collective endeavour of the HDCA TGs on Children and Youth and on Human Rights).

Youth across the Global South are increasingly driving social change movements, advocating for a more just and equitable world. This panel delves into the complexities of youth activism, particularly for marginalised groups, examining the mechanisms they employ, the barriers they face, and the strategies they develop for effective action. Focusing on diverse contexts and issues (international and domestic levels), the panel aims to shed light on the unique challenges and opportunities encountered by young activists in the Global South, with some additional examples from the Global North.

From the Soweto Uprising in South Africa in the 1970s, passing through climate justice movements to indigenous rights campaigns, youth in the Global South are at the forefront of social change. Their activism is fuelled by a deep understanding of systemic inequalities and the impact they have on the most disadvantaged populations. The ongoing threat of environmental, socioeconomic and political crises across the globe has led youth movements to expand across borders, with digital media being a fundamental platform for collective engagement. However, youth activists’ journeys are often fraught with challenges, including limited resources, discrimination (based on age, status, and others), and state repression. Understanding the mechanisms they utilise, the barriers they confront, and the strategies they devise is crucial for supporting their movements and amplifying their voices.

This panel brings together (three) distinct perspectives on youth activism in the Global South:

1. Understanding Marginalised Youth Activism: Providing a broader lens on the experiences of marginalised youth activists across the globe (Moldova, Kenya, and many others), exploring the specific barriers they encounter and the unique strategies they employ to overcome them.

2. Environmental Activism and Capabilities: Examines the risks and threats faced by young climate activists in Colombia and Brazil, and the role that the capabilities approach might play in better conceptualising their fundamental interests and needs as political actors.

3. Youth and Indigenous Groups at the United Nations: Investigating the participation of indigenous youth activist groups in UN negotiations, showcasing their contributions to global decision-making processes and the challenges they navigate in these formal spaces.

By exploring these diverse case studies, the panel aims to: Analyse the various mechanisms young activists use to mobilise, advocate, and achieve their goals. Identify the distinct barriers faced by marginalised youth activists and explore strategies for overcoming them. Examine the role of technology, inter-alliances, and human rights frameworks in enabling youth activism. Highlight the importance of amplifying the voices and experiences of young activists from the Global South and the opportunities for solidarity with youth in the North, as communication technologies increasingly makes such cooperation plausible.

This panel will contribute to a more nuanced understanding of youth activism in the Global South, fostering dialogue and knowledge exchange amongst researchers, activists, and policymakers.

Short Abstracts of Contributions (there is no space for adding the abstracts):

Prof. Stacy J. Kosko - Valori şi principia: Strategies and Barriers in Marginalized Youth Activism

All peoples and individuals, marginalized or otherwise, have the right participate in processes of social change that affect them, and to share in the benefits of those changes, including enjoyment of the economic and social benefits of development. Marginalized youth are among those least able to exercise that right. Yet they continue to demand to be heard, to seek to shape the processes as they unfold, and to claim their right to participate in the creation of political and social change at home and globally. This research—global in scope—is based on a series of long-form interviews with youth activists from marginalized groups. The aim of this research is to better understand the barriers to and strategies for successful social and political change, as perceived by these activists.

Roni Kay M. O’Dell - Youth and Indigenous Participation in Decision Making on Sustainable Development through the UN Major Groups: Limited Benefits of Communication Technologies

This paper investigates how individuals from marginalized populations, particularly youth (ages 18-24) and indigenous groups, democratically engage in international negotiations and decision-making processes on sustainable development. Using the creation and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a case study, the research assesses successes and roadblocks that such individuals experience as they negotiate with delegates or UN staff.

Pedro Hernando Maldonado Castañeda - Colombian Young Environmental Activists in the Political Arena: A Lens on the Capabilities Approach

Drawing upon the normative proposal of Amartya Sen´s Capability Approach, this paper focuses on the necessary recognition of young environmentalists as political agents and essential actors in the defence of the environment and global sustainability. Adopting a capability perspective when assessing the contributions and potential of young activists allows for a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to addressing environmental challenges, considering their capabilities, aspirations, and rights as essential stakeholders in the pursuit of a sustainable and equitable world.

Accepted papers: