In the second episode of the ‘GP Network SHOW’ we highlight the work of Youth4Parliament, an award-winning youth movement that is changing the face of Zambian politics.
Key results
Since Youth4Parliament started shaking up the political landscape in Zambia back in 2018, the results have been very impressive:
// Youth4Parliament managed to grow the movement from 22 young members in 2018 to a network of more than 60.000 in 2021 spread across all 10 provinces in Zambia.
// A key milestone of Youth4Parliament were the signing of a ’nonpartisan’ contract by Secretary Generals representing seven major political parties in Zambia. The nonpartisan approach of the movement and approaching the ruling as well as oppositional parties garnered them a lot of support.
// The 2021 Zambian elections resulted in a 21 percent voter turnout increase and a much greater youth representation across the political spectrum. Of the elected being part of or supported by Youth4Parliament 6 parliament members, five mayors and more than 200 district councillors were elected.
// In 2020 Youth4Parliament won the Africa Youth Award for the Youth-led Organisation of the year.
// In his first speech to the UN the 21st of August 2021, the U.S. President, Joe Biden, mentioned the great accomplishments of all young people in Zambia: “The authoritarians of the world may seek to claim the end of the age of democracy, but they’re wrong (...) The truth is, the democratic world is everywhere (…) It lives in the young people of Zambia, who harnessed the power of their vote for the first time. Turning out in record numbers to denounce corruption and chart a new path for their country”.