Issue
In Eswatini, young people constitute over 37% of the population but face significant barriers to participation in decision-making. Limited platforms for engagement, insufficient knowledge of governance processes, and socio-cultural challenges, marginalise youth voices.
How we are helping
This project aims to empower youth for civic engagement through training, advocacy, and collaboration with municipal authorities. It aims to strengthen youth leadership, establish inclusive policies, and foster meaningful participation in local governance.
About the project
Eswatini’s young population face barriers that hinder participation in local governance, including insufficient platforms for engagement and lack of civic education. Socio-cultural factors disproportionately limit the participation of young women and marginalised groups. While national policies such as the National Youth Policy advocates for inclusive decision-making processes, implementation remains limited at the local level.
Project partners, Bantwana Initiative, will equip youth with leadership and advocacy skills, create platforms for dialogue and foster gender-responsive governance structures.
The project will address socio-cultural barriers and institutionalise youth participation in municipal decision-making processes through training, capacity-building, and collaboration with municipal authorities.
This will be achieved by:
- Conducting a baseline study and producing a report on youth participation in municipal affairs.
- Identifying and training youth representatives on advocacy, leadership, civic participation, gender equality, and social inclusion.
- Training municipal authority officials on approaches to youth participation, gender equality and social inclusion.
- Supporting municipal authorities in creating policies and procedures to institutionalise youth participation.
- Producing an end-of-project evaluation report on the situation of youth participation in municipal affairs, disseminating the report to stakeholders along with lessons learned on youth participation initiatives.
As a result of the project, it is hoped that young people, particularly young women and marginalised groups, will feel empowered to actively participate in municipal governance. The project will build youth capacity for leadership and advocacy, leading to the development of inclusive policies that promote equitable participation. By institutionalising youth engagement, the project will strengthen local governance structures, advancing Eswatini’s development goals and establishing a scalable model for other municipalities.
Project Partners
Bantwana Initiative Eswatini is a leading NGO dedicated to advancing the rights and well-being of children, youth, and marginalized groups. Since 2008, Bantwana has delivered integrated, high-impact programs reaching over 15,000 children, youth, and caregivers annually. Their work spans child protection, education, youth empowerment, and HIV/AIDS prevention and care, grounded in a commitment to gender equality, social inclusion, and impact mitigation. Bantwana collaborates with local organizations, government agencies, and community stakeholders to strengthen social welfare, health, and education systems, fostering accountable, responsive, and inclusive policies. Their systems-strengthening approach ensures that these systems better support the needs of vulnerable populations. Through innovative and carefully curated programs, Bantwana drives sustainable change, empowers communities, and creates opportunities for all.
We support people's participation in democracy and development by providing grants, platforms, and expertise.
