Youth and Open Government

Based on the Global Opening Government survey, an overwhelming percent of young people aged 18-25 in the 62 countries surveyed want their governments to be more open (e.g., 80% in Mongolia, 81% in Indonesia, 82% in Mexico). As those who have most to lose by inheriting corrupt systems and non-open governments, young people are in a position to seize and produce the necessary tools to demand transparency, openness, and accountability, and to be more actively involved in government decision-making. Youth participation in governance is no longer just an option; it is a necessity.

In this first of a series of Google Hangouts on Youth & Open Government, we asked the questions: Can young people make their governments be more open, transparent, and accountable? What are the incentives and opportunities for governments to engage with their youth population? Equally, how can young people leverage new technologies to help their governments listen and respond to its citizens’ needs and feedback?

Panelists:

Vivien Suerte-Cortez
Country Innovations Manager, Affiliated Network for Social Accountability in East Asia and the Pacific (ANSA–EAP)

Felipe Estefan
Open Government Strategist, The World Bank

Constanza Gomez-Mont
Director, PIDES; Mexico City Open Government Program

Ravi Kumar
Editor, YouThink!, The World Bank

Follow the event on Twitter with #opengovnow.
This hangout was the first in a series of hangouts related to Youth & Open Government.
Stay tuned for the following sessions:
- Youth Inclusion, Open Government in the Asian Context (March 18th, 2014 - TBC)
- Youth Exclusion, Jobs, Ending Poverty (April 22nd, 2014 - TBC)